In 1970 or 1971 they played on the radio some music by Johann Sebastian Bach, that sounded as if it were being played by a modern rock band, on an album titled “Switched-On Bach” or “Bach Transmogrified.” One of these tunes was Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” in which the long melody, in 9/8 meter, was played quite straight on a pipe organ by a rock musician who was obviously an organ virtuoso. But my question is, Who was/were the artist(s?)
My father has Switched-On Bach on vinyl. It is staggeringly beautiful. The original (there is a Switched on Bach 2000 album out there) was played on a Moog Organ, designed by Bob Moog. The organist’s name is Walter Carlos.
MR
…who has been Wendy Carlos since the mid-1970s. So if you’re doing a search for him, try her first.
The Switched-On Bach album was by Wendy Carlos. It was released back in the late '60s and basically launched that whole classical-music-on-synthesizer-parade trend that went into all the way into the '70s. IIRC she plays a Moog.
I also seem to recall it was re-released in CD format some years ago. Good luck finding it.
I have CDs for Switched on Bach, Switched on Bach 2000, and the two CD set Switched on Brandenburgs. I like them a lot.
And it’s Wendy Carlos.
Curses! Foiled again!
This time by two quick-draw posters. (Must…post…faster…)
Thanks to all. 
No, Switched-On Bach was by Walter Carlos. SOB 2000 was by Wendy, neé Walter Carlos. I have the original SOB on vinyl and it is great stuff. Gonna have to find the Brandenburgs tho!
Okay… Mr/Ms Carlos… which is it? Walter or Wendy?
and they aren’t hard to find at all…
The arrangements that Walter/Wendy Carlos is known for generally are faithful to the original pieces’ tempos. But “performed by a rock band” made me think of Apollo 100, whose title track on their Joy album was an extremely up-tempo arrangement of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.” I wonder if that’s what the original poster had in mind.
Saint Zero – Walter IS Wendy.
If you go to Wendy Carlos’s official Web site at http://www.wendycarlos.com/, you can see her picture. from everything I’ve been able to gather, it appears that Walter BECAME Wendy sometime in the '70s.
…which is what I said. Am I being too subtle?
That’s it! I went to Wenzel’s Music Town in Lakewood, CA, the other day, and found it there. I took it home and played it, and that’s the one I had heard in the early 70s. Thanks again.