[Source](http://www.openculture.com/2014/05/mr-rogers-introduces-kids-to-experimental-electronic-music.html "Permalink to Mr. Rogers Introduces Kids to Experimental Electronic Music by Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson (1968) | Open Culture")
# Mr. Rogers Introduces Kids to Experimental Electronic Music by Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson (1968) | Open Culture
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# [Mr. Rogers Introduces Kids to Experimental Electronic Music by Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson (1968)][10]
in _Education, [K-12][11], [Music][12], [Television][13]_ | May 2nd, 2014 [7 Comments][14]
Experimental electronic musician and inventor [Bruce Haack'][35]s compositions expanded many a young consciousness, and taught kids to dance, move, meditate, and to be endlessly curious about the technology of sound. All of this makes him the perfect guest for Fred Rogers, who despite his totally square demeanor loved bringing his audience unusual artists of all kinds. In the clips above and below from the first, 1968 season of _Mr. Roger's Neighborhood_, Haack introduces Rogers and a group of youngsters to the"musical computer," a homemade analog synthesizer of his own invention—one of many he created from household items, most of which integrated human touch and movement into their controls, as you'll see above. In both clips, Haack and longtime collaborator Esther Nelson sing and play charming songs as Nelson leads them in various movement exercises. (The remainder of the second videomostly features Mr. Roger's cat.)
Although he's seen a revival among electronic musiciansand DJs, Haack became best known in his career as a composer of children's music, and for good reason. His 1962 debut kid's record [_Dance, Sing & Listen][36]_ is an absolute classic of the genre, combining a dizzying range of musical styles—country, classical, pop, medieval, and experimental electronic—with far-out spoken word from Haack and Nelson. Theyfollowed this up with two more iterations of _Dance, Sing & Listen_, then [_The Way Out Record for Children][37], [The Electronic Record for Children][38]_, the amazing[_Dance to the Music_][39], and several more, all them weirder and more wonderful than maybe anything you've ever heard. (Don't believe me? Take a listen to "[Soul Transportation][40]," "[EIO (New MacDonald)][41]," or the absolutely enchanting "[Saint Basil][42]," with its Doors-y organ outro.) A psychedelic genius, Haack also made grown-up acid rock in the form of 1970's [_The Electric Lucifer_][43], which is a bit like if Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice had written _Jesus Christ Superstar_ on heavy doses of LSD and banks of analog synthesizers.
While Haack's _Mr. Rogers_ appearance may not have seemed like much at the time, in hindsight this is a fascinating document of an artist who's been called "[The King of Techno][44]" for his forward-looking sounds meeting the cutting edge in children's programming. It's a testament to how much the counterculture influenced early childhood education. Many of the progressive educational experiments of the sixties have since become historical curiosities, replaced by insipid corporate merchandising. What Haack and Nelson's musical approachtells me is that we'd do well to revisit the educational climate of that day and take a few lessons from its freeform experimentation and openness. I'll certainly be playingthese recordsfor my daughter.
via [Network Awesome][45]
**Related Content:**
[Mr. Rogers Takes Breakdancing Lessons from a 12-Year-Old (1985)][46]
[Mr. Rogers Goes to Washington][47]
[_Josh Jones][48]is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at[@jdmagness][49]._
by [Josh Jones][50] | [Permalink][51] | Comments (7) |
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##### Comments (7)
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* Kit Ebersbach says:
[ May 26, 2015 at 1:36 pm][53]
Forgive me, I’ve fallen in love with Miss Nelson.
[Reply][54]
* Scott Anger says:
[ May 26, 2015 at 2:32 pm][55]
When does the bass drop?
[Reply][56]
* Ted Rogers says:
[ May 29, 2015 at 6:33 pm][57]
Miss Nelson got a sweet booty!
[Reply][58]
* Roger Rogers says:
[ November 25, 2015 at 3:49 pm][59]
Fred Rogers had a degree in composition.
[Reply][60]
* vadimfv says:
[ December 27, 2015 at 9:40 pm][61]
Never saw these black & white clips before..best music I’ve seen on Mr. Rogers since the Mary Lou Williams episode. Not only some great pioneering electronics, but also the very first cat video!
[Reply][62]
* Kit Carson says:
[ May 23, 2016 at 12:05 am][63]
Stunningly good. And I do believe Mr Rogers was a secular saint.
[Reply][64]
* raketemensch says:
[ May 31, 2016 at 6:55 am][65]
Imagine a show host who would quietly sit in the back and not make the show about him…
Imagine a world where kids could even be *on television* and not follow directions exactly, nevermind in a classroom.
[Reply][66]
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