Synthesist Rich Aucoin has released a new album, Classical Tonto, featuring ‘switched on’ style arrangements of classical music, played on one of the most famous synthesizers of all time.

Following up his twice Juno-nominated quadruple album Synthetic, Aucoin returned to Calgary and its National Music Centre to record an album of famous classical selections, using the Centre’s collection of rare synths, including the monster modular synth used by Stevie Wonder on some of his biggest recordings.

Classical Tonto features works by Bach, Beethoven, Satie, Liszt, Debussy, Albinoni, Mozart and Part.

Aucoin recorded with TONTO (The Original New Timbral Orchestra), a giant custom modular system created by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff. TONTO was used in the ’70’s on iconic recordings by Stevie Wonder and others.

In addition to TONTO and its Moog Modular Model III, ARP 2600, Oberheim SEM, the recording features the Roland Juno 106, Yamaha DX7 II FD, Oberheim OB-8, ARP Rhodes Chroma Expander and Moog’s Memorymoog.

“Hearing these favourite famous classical pieces played on this historic rare synthesizer in that museum was such a privilege,” said Aucoin. “I hope that I was able to capture the magic in that room in the recordings and their arrangements.”

You can preview Classical Tonto below, and it’s available to purchase on Bandcamp: