Richard Steven Burmer (September 19, 1955 – September 9, 2006) was an American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

sound design Sound design is the art and practice of creating sound tracks for a variety of needs. It involves specifying, acquiring or creating auditory elements using audio production techniques and tools. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including ...

er,

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

and

ethnomusicologist Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...

. His work with

electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...

combined with musical styles and instruments from around the world formed his own unique and distinct sound.

Early life

Richard was born September 19, 1955, in

Owosso, Michigan Owosso is the largest city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,194 at the 2010 census. The city is mostly surrounded by Owosso Township on its west, but the two are administered autonomously. The city wa ...

, the son of Henry Stanley Burmer and Theresa (Suchozenka) Burmer. As a youth growing up in Michigan, he was introduced to the

music of India Owing to India's vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk (Bollywood), rock, and pop. It has a history spanning several millennia and developed over ...

, the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

, contemporary orchestral composers, and electronic music. He found a wide palette of musical textures with

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

s, and the original sampler, the

Mellotron The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. A ...

. Influences also came from

The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The group came to ...

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

, and

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

. He graduated from Corunna High School in Michigan.

Career

After spending time in college studying

music theory Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory". The first is the "rudiments", that are needed to understand music notation (ke ...

and composition, Richard moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

where he became a sound designer for

E-mu Systems E-mu Systems was a software synthesizer, audio interface, MIDI interface, and MIDI keyboard manufacturer. Founded in 1971 as a synthesizer maker, E-mu was a pioneer in samplers, sample-based drum machines and low-cost digital sampling musi ...

in Santa Cruz and engineer/synth programmer for EFX systems in Burbank. Richard Burmer died of heart disease on Saturday, September 9, 2006, in

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

, at the age of 50. A 2007 ''

Hearts of Space ''Hearts of Space'' is an American weekly syndicated public radio show featuring music of a contemplative nature"When you listen to space and ambient music you are connecting with a tradition of contemplative sound experience whose roots are an ...

'' radio show episode entitled "Across the View" (Program #794) was dedicated to his memory. The radio show '' Echoes'' released a tribute podcast for Burmer on the tenth anniversary of his death in 2016.

Discography

* 1984 - ''Mosaic'' (Fortuna Records, re-released on American Gramaphone Records) * 1987 - ''Bhakti Point'' (Fortuna Records, re-released on American Gramaphone Records) * 1987 - ''

Western Spaces ''Western Spaces'' is a collaborative album by the American ambient musicians Steve Roach and Kevin Braheny. This album is the first of Steve Roach’s many musical tributes to the Southwestern Desert. On several tracks Kevin Braheny uses his ...

'' (Collaborative album with Steve Roach and

Kevin Braheny Kevin Braheny Fortune (born Kevin Braheny, 1952) is an American musician. He composes and performs quiet ambient music, often more melodic than other music of this kind. Biography Kevin Braheny was on the early design team of Serge Modular, a ...

) * 1988 - ''On the Third Extreme'' (Gaia Records, re-released on American Gramaphone Records) * 1992 - ''Invention'' (American Gramaphone Records) * 1994 - ''Collections from a Gallery'' (Burmer compilation from Japan) * 1995 - ''Shining by the River'' (Burmer compilation by Audio Alternatives Record Company featuring Richard Burmer`s personal favourites from the albums ''Bhakti Point'', ''On The Third Extreme'' and ''Invention'', plus some extra tracks from the Day Parts Series, released on these albums (see below). * 1996 - ''Treasures of the Saints'' (Miramar/BMG Records) * 1996/2023 - ''World Fusion'' (Unreleased Digital only Album by FirstCom Music/Universal)

Individual pieces

* 1982 - "Intro" (on album ''Music from the 21st Century'') (vinyl-only track) * 1996 - "Tristan and the Book" (on sampler ''Miramar 10'') * 1999 - "Moon Ghost Waltz" (Written by Michael Hoppe, performed by Richard Burmer solo (not to be confused by the official release of this title as a Michael Hoppe track with Tim Wheater (flute) and Richard Burmer (sound effects) on ''The Unforgetting Heart'' by Michael Hoppe; Richard Burmer version released 2013 on Michael Hoppe`s album ''Rarities'' (download-only album) *2000 - "Sun's Comin' Out" (on sampler ''Cousteau`s Dream'' - Real Music)

''Western Spaces'' with Steve Roach/Kevin Braheny (1987 Innovative Communications release)

* 1987 - "Across the View" (re-released on the sampler ''Sunday Morning Coffee'' in 1991) * 1987 - "A Story From The Rain" (re-released on the sampler ''Sunday Morning Coffee'' in 1991)

Day Parts Series by
Chip Davis Louis F. "Chip" Davis Jr. (born September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis composed the music for several C. W. McCall albums, including the hit 1975 song "Convoy". He has also wri ...
(on American Gramaphone)

* 1992 - "The Rain Will Bless The Love" (from Day Parts ''Romance'') * 1992 - "Shining By The River" (from Day Parts ''Romance'') * 1993 - "Meadow Drive" (from Day Parts ''Sunday Morning Coffee II'') * 1993 - "Downstream" (from Day Parts ''Sunday Morning Coffee II'') * 1997 - "Embracement" (from Day Parts ''Romance II'') * 1997 - "Walk Into The Love" (from Day Parts ''Romance II'')

Additional Collaborations

* 1986 - ''Point Of Arrival'' by Loren Nerell, feat. Richard Burmer on additional synthesizer * 1988 - ''Galaxies'' by Kevin Braheny, feat. Richard Burmer on additional synthesizer * 1996 - ''Wind Songs'' by Michael Hoppe, feat. Tim Wheater on flute and Richard Burmer (sound effects) * 1998 - ''The Unforgetting Heart'' by Michael Hoppe, feat. Tim Wheater on flute and Richard Burmer (sound effects)

References

External links

The Official Richard Burmer Website (at The Internet Archive - original site now offline)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burmer, Richard American male composers 2006 deaths 1955 births American ethnomusicologists American keyboardists American electronic musicians American audio engineers 20th-century American composers 20th-century American engineers 20th-century musicologists 20th-century American male musicians