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The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music

James Saunders

Writing, Music

Publication details https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Michael Pisaro Published online on: 16 Sep 2009

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The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 printed on the back of George Flynn’s magnificent 1974 recording of the piece the of Flynn’s recording George 1974 of magnificent back the on printed at Looking ear. and work of a hand, and only later, because of the curiosity this created, that of a mind withthe many, for does asit music of John Cage. began, music experimental with contact first My Encountering Cage  the prose of Christian Wolff, in Lucier’s Cardew’sCornelius in procedures, copying Feldman’s Morton in music: experimental in everywhere it find can you itself, music the in role decisive a play to seen materiality,in are its score, all the of object the and creation its of process the score, the of writing the anywhere) andlikeapoemitseemedtodemandmultiple readingstobegrasped. to begin could (one had linearly read be one to have not way did it poem, the a Like poem. in a it, read and, image, an also was sound, making for instructions as score a of way,it page. The score was on paper, but it was also a reading of the the paper.with contact In a direct significant of out grew appearance visual singular The heights. pitch relativepoints give the to clefs stavesand to were aligned points of collections the and notes into turned were These using. was he paper the on imperfections were it seemedlikesuchanoddplacetofindbeauty. style of performance, but the it beauty of the Everything, object was I hadencountered. also striking, perhaps because definite a indicate what to there was and piece particular than the for designed was seemed, of logic kind different a on based formality of kind new a inventingwas it if as decipher, to hard and formal oddly clear,and sensibility.clean visual simultaneously wasunfamiliar It an recognized Once you are attuned to this way of looking, and hearing, and thinking – where there where points making by score the created had Cage that learned I Later Records, QD9006(1974). in Music’, ‘Winter Cage, John paper. It was the first music I had seen that had confronted the writing the confronted had that seen had I paper. music was first wasthe It , as a part of the composition itself. The score, while being while score, The itself. composition the of part a as material, Seeing his published scores for the first time, I encountered the (1957), the first score of his I saw – a page was page a – saw I his of score first the (1957), Music Winter Writing, Music Treatiseand Michael Pisaro . Finnadar Music. Winter Cage Wound/John Flynn, George The Great Learning Great The Queen of the South, in , in the curved eighths and eighths curved the in , 2 Water Yam by George COMPANION RESEARCH ASHGATE  – I

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 place to start. The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The   The The SoloforPiano music confrontsideasaboutwriting. Cage’sin even Brecht, of themanypathways downintothis underground network. might be leading, with the hope that those who become interested will follow some We will follow some of the trajectories in this work to see where they have led and that continue to be used, without any attempt to be exhaustive in our explanations. to make a map with a legend, listing and briefly discussing some of the writing tools if she has only read about what has been done. What might be most useful then, is the pieces, preparing performing versions of the scores, will know much more than the doing of it, not the talking about it. important to say. There is some value to this idea: where this music really lives is in inseparable from the music is so pervasive, it may seem that there is nothing really dimensional, concept will be a better system of organizationmulti- linear,but thannot chronology. is herediscussed ideas the developmentof the because and off, left anotherwhere uppickingcomposer one withdecades,networkspans the the full history of the practice has yet to be written, one can start anywhere. Because musicbeingwritten today. Because experimental livingmusicstill is a practice and frame ofreferenceforsounds,asamodelcertainkindsmusicalbehaviour exploration of what the hand can do, as a way of giving performers directions, as a an as writing: of process) the and function the reference, of system the mechanics, the is, (that conditions music the about this questions time fundamental again, same and the again raises, At silence). be (and to sound is as goal cases, whose most symbols in of set interpreted, a as understood be to still is beautiful, how xeietl ui de nt ae fts o te score. the of fetish a make not does music Experimental In a sense, within experimental music, the notion that the writing of the score is This practice has continued and has been amplified in much of the most challenging from the from Piano for Solo by Cage and others. An excellent and more extensive discussion of the of discussion extensive more and excellent An others. and Cage by Here I will use the of ways those towards and – writing thataremostoriented towards producingradicalsounding results. at) look to nice are here discussed scores the of many writing that stop somewhere short of the production of ‘scores to be looked at’ (though more traditional looking scores. of production the on effect continuing and strong a had also workshas these in image the towards orientation the of effect The chapter). this of ‘Image’ section the in briefly music the of examples few a discuss will I (and discipline lively this avoid can music (or practical the over impractical) image production visual of the to sound. priority However, giving by no – discussion score of the the of writing fetish of a experimental of something make does music’ ‘graphic called sometimes is what that said be might It  Its 63 pages contain a compendium of notational styles that, despite Solo for Piano as a starting point to discuss a great variety of notations, . Through all this music it is clear that experimental that clear is it music this all Through 4’33”. Concert for Piano and Orchestra and Piano for Concert Nevertheless my central focus will be on those ways of Someone who has worked her way through 28 from 1957–58 is a good a is 1957–58 from  A cr, o matter no score, A Solo , however,, . Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 someofthenotationsfoundinJohnCage’s Solofor Example 2.1 can befoundinJamesPritchett’s TheMusicofJohnCage(Cambridge,1993). A A 3:59 (1957–58), extractfrom p.49 Piano fromtheConcertforandOrchestra AK £ il:3* 5K 29 Writing, Music Writing, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Works like Works shape. a of volume the or outline the continuum, a or line a of illusion the create of calculation and approximation, of assigning values in pitch space and in time to by time, the at done being work of kind this fact In instruments. other and/or piano for – ideas these of each of wellrealizations workmight detail, to in havedecision: out, another made by sound into turned be means ofextensive interpretive work.only can notation a of shape or harmony gesture, The details must be resolved or solutions to notations must be found by the performer. performance notes, provides many specifics about the realization. However, many of set lengthy his in Cage, sound. into them turn to notations, the realize to done and makeshapeswithsound,inthemannerofthesedrawings. instrument an touch to transference simple of question a were it if as itself, unto performance a be to me to ‘freehand’appears of sometimes lot which a – lineation quite and lettering of style consistent and distinct a lines), straight other and lines staff (for used been often has ruler a approaches: of range a encompasses writing The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The on, s in as point, The points. of collection a as begins It creation. its after years 50 even practice, in some wonderful performances, seems far from being exhausted in implication and  om f nelzd mgs wa sm ih ee cl ‘kths,a suggestive as ‘sketches’, call even might some what images, unrealized of form the in notations these leave then Why audible. become can shapes and points of stylized – it is no accident that someone thought to create a John Cage font. Cage John a create to thought someone that accident no is it – stylized beautifully is It lightness. of capable also though heavy occasionally and blocked about the character of the music itself. Cage’sto define calligraphy is formal looking, clearly difficult if important, something communicates handwriting Cage’s of character The hand. by entirely drawn is score this that fact the is chapter, this in times few a to return will beauty,we this something of and aspect piece One this). than the to more much obviously is there (though beauty physical in score this that 61), 32, (15, Mallarmé’shas pages probably blank three including space, blank for sensibility a with (AY,out laid is score whole The (BT). locations for piano the of drawings and BK), notations musical and shapes numbers, of hybrids beautiful exceptionally BI), (U, numbers of collections 31), p. (AR, geometries overlapping G), as (such outlines [ruled] geometrical or 47) p. (BC, hand] [free geographical 16), p. (T, islands and dots and lines that form complex patterns (notation AO), harmonic landscapes (A) of clusters example, for are, There objects. of kinds ambiguous of more other,basis many the form on, so and dynamics stems, clefs, lines, with along J). points, notation The in as implied, or explicit melodies, (or lines form to ways various in occur by themselves, but more often are grouped to form simultaneities or attached may points These spring. images other the of all which from unit basic the be will Something new and unexpected was happening in Cage’s work at this time. He be Workmust played. directly and simply be cannot notated is what of Much Cage Trust by P22typefoundry(Buffalo,NY). Contemporary of wasMuseum Los This the in for John Art produced the and Angeles Gruppen itr Music, Winter (1955–57) and (1955–57) as its inspiration. There are few rivals to rivals few are There inspiration. its as dés de coup Un tockhausen and Xenakis, among others. It is a matter a is It others. among Xenakis, and Stockhausen ta Eclipticalis Atlas Metastasis 30 16) and (1961) (1954) demonstrate that these kinds these that demonstrate (1954) ui fr Piano for Music (1952–56),  The was Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2   sounds, instead of as an expression of the composer. the of expression an as of instead sounds, as sounds hear could he that so piece, a of composition the from desires own his remove to desire Cage’soft-stated be might reason the of Part be? might they as anyone who has tried to follow the score of score the follow to tried has who anyone (as arbitrary almost times, at seem, to as wide so becomes sound will they thinks some of the compositional practices and their use throughout in experimental music.thechanges writingin music,would I nowlike provideto annotatedan glossary of of potential the music tocome. for implications their on touching occasionally and music, performance of the sound for implications their to techniques these of extension the thinking by looking at the way in which the scores are written – and then following of thinkingaboutmusic. Obviously transformed. is there is much more to this tradition situation than alternate notation. It is an alternative whole way the once, at all seemingly and crisis, to brought is situation mid-century,this around Cage of music the With knows). way the specific actions the musicians would perform and how theseshould how and perform would sound. musicians the actions specific the way elegant and comprehensible quickly a in represent to impossible sometimes even the conceptions of the composers. Already, with these three, it to seemed cumbersome, difficult more believe in the capacity of the notational conventions of Westernbecame music to deal with it Varèse, and Cowell Ives, with then but music, serial wasoperate? Cage to which able in atmosphere musical the be freeinthecreationofmusicandalive towhatiscreated. Cage’sin is, this terminology,– directed being to is one when and directing is one complex thoughts and actions – to be in a situation where one does not know when of series of result the as happen it observe to also but it, making in role a take to – appropriate to its time and place(ment). To give impetus to the becoming of sound sound in inflections minute the of all on take to enough flexible is that situation a sound, of creating a space for sound that is alive to the moment. What is desired is creating of act someone’sthe following is than it more intention: and instructions, of their sound, aspect(s) and transforms important them into some music. Making about music is more mute than following are that signs composer, the by created signs takes musician the when existence its of stage new totally a enters music the Cage’swork, In Cage). be to happens performer the (unless musician another of practice and thought the through pass will piece the of version sounding any that Having explored in these first sections some of the broader issues associated with new this of emergence the follow is chapter this of rest the in do will we What How did music get to this point? What had created the set of possibilities or possibilities of set the created had What point? this to get music did How going tobenecessary. resources representation were matter, all that if for as or language: notation in musical in – contain to impossible almost seemed that something convey to music) the essays about the with (and scores his in went Ives which to lengths the of here thinks One much morecomplicatedthanthat. is issue the believe I question. another is this achieve actually notations such Whether  The discrepancy in Cage’s scores between how things look and how one how and look things how between Cage’sscores in discrepancy The 31 Sonata and Interludes and Sonata  What is clear, however, is however, clear, is What tarting perhaps with perhaps Starting Writing, Music Writing, for the first time first the for Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 (1974) and his and (1974) Nancarrow Tenney’sConlon James for as Canon such Works useful. be can beams) and lines as (such generic sound. a simply or mark limit a represents it others in but tone, a indicates clearly it cases some in ways: wide-ranging and diverse more far in treated is point this Piano for Withthe instruments. of collections the by formed constellations the amongst part its star, take a to of meant location is the and of transcription a is note, a often looks like a point first and a notation second. Burdocks (1970–71) and other works, is more abstract still – without the staff it often that canarisefromthissimplification. patterns aural and visual complex of kinds the demonstrate apart, quarter-tone a in Later, clef. and note between relationship the up introduces the further abstraction of allowing unplayable situations and by freeing Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The series and later, in the aforementioned the in later, and series Piano for Music the With abstraction. symbolic of degree however,a involvespoint, or dot this of Cage’snote. use a for Westernmusic in sign universal the from stem must course work.this of for This created notations the of all not if much, for point starting the the to return us Let The point A CatalogueofExperimentalMusicWriting  oe btat h pee s ta i, h ls cery t niae promne, the performance), indicates it stronger thefunctionofthisdotseemstobe.Let’s clearly takealookatthreeworks: less the is, (that is piece The the something. abstract indicates it more role, some has apparently it occur does it when but piece, every in appear not does It seeming. odd more and more becomes point or as such – piece of category One doubtful. be cases some in might, performance, for Brecht’s ‘x’ (perhapsanotherversion ofthisdot)issimplydescribedas‘anything’. with an indication of register), sometimes a version of it (an asterisk) is a noise. An s ak i te oain o ipretos n h ppr In paper. the in imperfections of locations the in marks notes: as of uncharacteristic way a in determined are notes representing still while point, something like this: like something point, curious a by preceded are are) they what is that (if instructions the pieces these of Solo as pieces such alongside occur scores These actions. specific for instructions fleshed-out with comes each performance: for meant clearly very is – (1960) Event Candle Piece for Radios for Piece Candle Time-Table(1959), Music As a shorthand for a musical event, this point, shorn of its typical accompaniments Christian Wolff’sChristian as such pieces in point, the of use Perhaps the furthest point of abstraction occurs in many of the works in George (1962), with ‘disassembling’ and ‘assembling’ as its sole ‘instructions’. In many A rakebeingdraggedacrossachurchfloor, perhaps, oraspooninjarofmustard. Water Yam Water . As mentioned, is seems that the point (or dot) is dot) (or point the that seems is Piano. mentioned, for As Solo collection. The status of the pieces in this collection this in pieces the of status The collection. • . As one keeps reading through the collection this dot this collection the through reading . keeps one As 32 Flocking Sometimes it (1960) or (1960) (1993), for two pianos tuned pianos two for (1993), Atlas Eclipticalis Atlas (1964), in (1964), People 3 or 2 1, For , these dots, these Music, Winter is simply a note (perhaps Motor VehicleSundown Motor itr Music Winter , this dot, still dot, this ,  as pieces as Spectral Cage Flute Solo Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.2 Water Yam Three notecardscoresfromGeorgeBrecht’s BACH SUITCASE 0 . Breehl . 0 rm suitcase- from a Brazil organ 33 Writing, Music Writing, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 ‘one sound’ or ‘single sound event’ or even ‘one silence’ are abstractions. are silence’ ‘one even or event’ sound ‘single or sound’ ‘one like wordsalready, didn’tthat know we if Welearn, world. sounding the in exist to order in extension temporal and physical really some have must to It point. time a represent and space much too up takes it that present, too already is sound a that given a is It point. the of depth the concerns here raised gets that question The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The   the sound. the to intended not are address sonic requirements, These but more the set sound. of things to the be ofquestions considered in of choosing series nature a the concerning performer presents the the score to of page first The event. an of sounding from cue Takingits kind. columns in some of sound’(undefined) out ‘one as understood laid be to grid, is point the a Here rows. to and aligned spaces and points of collection large a is as hismusichasdeveloped, thedurationofthisgesturehasexpanded. to operate in many works of Beuger from that time – though it is worth noting that an or continuity, in continues break concept This itself. thing a continuity, a that as of than stage as infinitesimal more exists it – simple and pure location, a it: to another.from time mathematicians assign meaning the approaches point the Here and attack. Its role is to indicate a simple event that serves to mark off one point in loudness in differences by inflected piece, the of duration 25-minute entire the for used is point The kind. some of sound short single event:a simple a for indication any kindwhatsoever. score.) eventan to open is it of that is point/dot/hole this of interpretation Another a such realizing of way only the not is this say to (Needless same. the and one be and see the world. If you look through the hole, the score and the performance can rather,score the through look can One dot. the of size the perforation a hole, a is it Or itself. by all dot single a is there Brecht’), (‘G. signature the above and title the below which, in card, square small, very a of consists which 1962, SYMPHONY, ‘events’. called all, after are, composers Fluxus other the and Brecht by pieces Many Event. Pointeventorgan’. called ‘the = all: of most perhaps or organ’, involvingan action to if as functions called It piece demarcation. the (in of say point a is dot the reading my in However, ial, wl mnin y own my mention will I Finally, In Antoine Beuger’s Flipping through the cards, we will at some point come upon Brecht’s wonderful list. short avery on item first the indicating point, bullet a just is it Perhaps Beethoven symphony–andlastingmanydays. proposed version in which the point would be represented by an entire movement of a a even and tones sustained blocks, wood for versions been have there others, Among rolls ofNancarrowarenotaccidental! Tenney’sbetween appearance in similarities the that In writing. of kind another Conlon by rolls piano the into directly punched holes the here mention to not ungracious be would It ince the sound itself is open to determination by the performer the by determination to open is itself sound the Since ancarrow. The piano roll in roll piano Nancarrow.The  second music for marcia hafif ): ‘something to do with an organ’, or ‘an or organ’, an with do to ‘something PIECE): ORGAN Spinoza’s ancarrow’s piano roll music, a hole is an action. I suspect I action. an Nancarrow’sis hole a music, roll piano , the score concerns the sounding or not or sounding the concerns score the Ethics, cran pce o eternity of species certain a 34 ancarrow’s music must be considered be Nancarrow’smust music (1994) the point reappears as an Flocking and some of the piano the of some and 19) Te score The (1996). Actual  one Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 often prescribed specific frequencies or cents deviation from a particular pitch. The have composers required, is exactitude of level higher even an When others. and also fairly common and have played an important role in the music of James Tenney Ellis notation) are particularly interesting. The ratio numbers of just intonation are Ben of systems Marc of and the Johnston lines, these Along accidental. the of refinement a as worked has music the direction, one In comments. few a merits practices experimental of intonation, just with especially recurrence, the music, experimental call would I long has music called This for inventive notations. music. While some of microtonal this development falls of outside of what composers by extensively developed clearly thecasewithuseofsuchnumbersinascaledynamics. – and can imply a range of subtlety and exactitude to challenge any performer, as is 64 number limit (that is, the number of 64 hexagram combinations) is often evident score the itself. The on scale or range numbers of numbers is of also something one visibility notices: the increasing presence of a an was there images, proportional use of the depressed (BR), among still other more subtle uses. be to harmonics and (AY,events(BI) BP,or frequencies BE, sounds BU), tones, numbers of generic J AQ), (Y, saturation (sections chromatic of situation degrees (T), continuous loudness a U), and in events (indeterminate) of numbers kind), some of units in or places decimal two of precision a (to seconds in time indicate to clefs, the between notes of distribution the to or time of subdivision to relating proportions indicate to used are They put. are they towardswhich uses varietyof of settingoffordefiningunitsamultiplicity. themselves. event and sound of nature the towardsmore words,tends other use descriptivetowardsIn its the less point. and the as music the of character ontological the to fundamental as not is use its cases, number. is music, notated of most ways.In varietyof history great a in applied be will music the experimental in Number in role important very a had also has the in present often is that symbol of kind Another Numbers music situation. actual an of abstraction an as nature one its consider to indeed – is score the of score function a in way that them represent importantly, more to and, refer such to as continue not things will we mean not does this But sound. single a as thing sound. single a down the breaking or of units, ways of of number number the to end no be can there – multiple always are sounds score toIxion(1962)consistsprimarilyofagraphwithnumbers. The Feldman. Morton of works graphic the in sounds indeterminate of quantity a umbers can be used be can Numbers In The other direction, towards the use of numbers to indicate Solo for Piano for Solo I Ching as a compositional tool, and his earlier use of numbers to generate the abundance of numbers is immediately striking, as is the is as striking, immediately is numbers of abundance the abat and Wolfgangvonand Sabat abstractly , as for instance, when they are used to indicate to used are they when instance, for as , 35 umbers are ideally suited to the task the to suited ideally are Numbers chweinitz (called the Helmholtz- the (called Schweinitz Stemming perhaps from Cage’s , which of course of which Piano, for Solo imply put, there is no such no is there put, Simply Writing, Music Writing, exactitude, has been Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 (after the initial number 3) of (1998), the ‘fuzziness’ (orindeterminacy)oflanguage. meets number of precision apparent the where music experimental recent much in and Lucier of Alvin music the of discussions in often surfaces also that theme a The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The 12 11 10 other.the in of complement necessary the how as seen be can one – the music, this co-exist can music of writing the in exactness and indeterminacy how of lines the (along demonstrates others Tenneyand James of music the in practices indeterminate alongside notations these of variety a of presence silence). a ausführende(r) the titleindicates,majorityofsoundsoccuronlyonceortwice. motives that will be repeated a few times over the course of the piece. However, as patterns exist in the sequence of numbers, with some groups of them forming small played. be will instruments the which in order the gives a with hand. The or score beater consists of a a list with of struck 200 of be these numbers can (including that repetitions) that objects and/or instruments 100 find to Sachen macht man selten (1) In differentiation. of power the has number the that being difference to-remember contours). located in time, tends to diffuse the precision of number by creating evasive, hard- is system being by compositional listening, of process the the (because indefinite (because the and constructed) exactness rigidly suggests once at that way a in tone. piano single a A of patterns numerical potential of range entirely of these decimal place numbers, which indicate a number of repetitions of between having, say, five or four performers in an ensemble. theabstract that counts: these works will, over time, show the categorical difference characternumberWerder,thetheitself. ofIn quantityperformers theofis itin specificbecausenotlike100a has objectsone 100 group mind,of because but in of number a takesOnescore. thematerialgeneratesmultiple ofthatamongstthethe who plays one sound (the dot, incidentally, is used here to represent to here used incidentally,is dot, (the sound one plays who performer Irrational numbers might be said to have an infinite precision. My series n afe Wre’ sre o pee fr rm n t nn promr ( performers nine to one from for pieces of series Werder’s Manfred In Number can also be used as something equivalent to the point or dot – the main In each of the three pieces mentioned above, it is the power of number to distinguish both oftheseworks laterinthischapter. his Werder,in 1,241,100,000,000 decimal places. of 2008) of (as record current the to close nowhere comes it (and it The piece is meant to indeterminate features. feature which Cage durations by Cage had been using pieces are precisely expressed throughout, of and combined with series the mention incredibly exact durations, also such as will I lines, these Along attempts to approach this precision by setting the first 2,594 decimal places decimal 2,594 first the setting by precision this approach to attempts 12 , 2 ausführende uses pitch names as the equivalent of points. I will discuss will I points. of equivalent the as names pitch uses 1998 stück suggest (1994/7) for percussion, Jürg Frey asks the percussionist and so on (1999)), a number is always used to represent this infinite refinement without of course actually achieving pi. 11 The score, after some initial explanation, consists 31’57.9864” for a pianist (1954). Here the proportional 36 mall, barely perceptible barely Small, becomes audible: becomes pi Solo for Piano) for Solo Die meisten Die pi (1–2594) 10 This is This ein(e) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 14 given. selects player Each groupings. the to assigned the with As nine. and six three, of the in eighteen as or three, thriveas to ensemblea such an call might One society of a kind: a society that the group. learns in the of conceiving of ways different strikingly at arrives Beuger tuning, any with tone sustained a of principle, same 13 one decidewhattoplay. can then only and music, make to order in together come people of number a first that sense towardsthe Werderedging and both Cage seven.are of or players four seventy- of group a as character its threeness; or oneness, or twoness, its is number piece a of quality essential Werder,the with as piece, the in happens actually the number of performers as the title of the piece. One can feel that, no matter what a meditation on what it might mean to ofthe is designed so that, in its layout and in works require the way it instructs the musicians, it is truly These to2005. any octave, nearly every instrument can play any of the parts. In addition the 2003 music from instrumentalist only the ability written to sustain tones. Because the pieces tones may Beuger be played number in of Antoine series the by by further still taken is requirements instrumental be played. to melody the of context pitch the changes course, of and, part each to numbers of an is result The unspecified. unusual but still faintly left audible double canon. Each page assigns a different group are played is tone the which in octave the and between a half-step above and a half-step below the given pitch. The point of entry players (numbered) to one of two lines. All tones are sustained at a pitch anywhere next sectionofthepieceorwithanothernumberplayers. the in disappear to only formed, be can movementseven and subgroups nothing, is countedonlyonce–andanarchy,group member ofthe of where,seeminglyout each where – communism between somewhere is it music, such of politics local) Cage’s series of number pieces, starting with hs es o a ubr f uiin o ay id aig rcdne over precedence taking kind any of musicians of number a of sense This This page from Beuger’s Beuger’s from page one of example This pour être deux straightforwardly,more bit a called, is period this from piece Beuger Another between theparts. of collections with instruments play,to sounds of simply or tones relation homogeneous conceptually more a creating unassigned to – instruments contrasting for – parts contrasting from piece to piece from vary can music the pieces Cage’snumber With (2007). 13 badiou tunings for eighteen divides the group into subsets each page recasts the players the recasts page each octets ockeghem be two or twenty. badiou tunings for eighteen. for tunings badiou 37 peckinpah trios how to get along or even assigns the individual the assigns octets ockeghem Two for flute and piano (1987) takes tone from the group they are they group the from tone one 14

Starting always from the Writing, Music Writing, If there is a (verya is there If un lieu un Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Example 2.3 One (unnumbered)page from Antoine Beuger’s ockeghem octets(2004) 38 3 8 7 3 2 1 4 5 6 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.4 2 6 1 1 1 17 14 12 11 7 6 3 2 1 One (unnumbered)page from Antoine Beuger’s badiou tuningsforeighteen (2005) 5 1 1 16 15 10 9 5 4 1 18 13 8 39 Writing, Music Writing, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The performing space(seeExample2.5). and (2007) waves and wave A like landscape. Works a of creation the – field sonic a of mapping a become has grid this work recent my of much In like latitude). and longitude something of lines as understood are graph the of squares the (where performance the unnecessarymediationofstaffandtimesignature. wayclear very a in can one of performance good a of these pieces (by, impact for example, John Tilbury) is related to the directness of the score: visceral The graph. the on square one simply the in as where, notably – time Feldman, for horizontal Morton the and of works early the Intersection of some in notation music notations intheSoloforPiano numerous grid-like are (there Ching the I of hexagrams the parallel to square eight eight-by- an on material his out laid often Cage course Of intonation. just in used are dimensions, five and four even or three dimensions. in however, two sometimes, lattices in Such row the of transpositions and forms the out spelling music, serial in created lattices the from well-known is squares in material of layout The The grid Example 2.5 The grid can also be understood as a way of organizing the space of musical of space the organizing of way a as understood be also can grid The These tables of data in the form of graphs made their appearance in experimental series for piano. The vertical dimension was used to distribute register distribute to wasused dimension vertical The piano. for series The layout ofperformerswithmaterialsused as the basis forthericelandscape of plastic stone wood metal 1 1 1 1 the surface features of pulse and density,and pulse of without features surface the play ). (2008) transpose this layout onto the onto layout this transpose (2008) nachtstimmung leaves leaves stone metal 2 2 2 1 40 ceramic ceramic plastic (1951), the pulse unit is unit pulse the (1951), 2 Intersection rice 2 2 1 1 ricefall paper paper wood rice 2 2 2 1 ricefall (2004), Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 physical process. The music, however,music, The process. physical of possibility the suggest to content often is her function. typical its than more to A uses also all, after instrument, an on performer open be or more communicate might line a that understanding the is there place, don’t paint. Sometimesitiswhatleftoutthatspeaks. they draw, composers – completion than rather suggestion in is power its ntational elements or other images associated with drawing proper. Like a drawing with the point, the basic graphic resource of Western music. The hand-drawn lines The line: as a stem, a beam, a staff line or a bar line, or, if curved, as a slur, is, along The line Example 2.6 as withhisListeningPieceinFourParts(2001)(Example2.6). Ablinger’s work this has also taken the form of seating chairs in a grid for listening, his instance for see – PeterAblinger of music the in In experimental music, within the relative freedom in which this drawing takes The layout of space and its representation in the score has also played a role a played also has score the in representation its and space of layout The (and sometimes her breath) to make music – another somewhat chaotic somewhat another – music make to breath) her sometimes (and hands Peter Ablinger – Parking Lot(documentation) Los Angeles, Downtown.4thStreet/Merricktreet, Listening PieceinFourParts,3. 41 (1992/94). In (1992/94). 5 Weiss/Weisslich Writing, Music Writing, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 the sinetonesistakenover bymembersoftheorchestra. constellation last sound. There is something like a before the first sound, and especially, that it ends only after begins the music silence the that following music, traditional the with even experience, the had often have I initiated? really music is How start? the indicates that point that is piece any in durations. I find the idea that a line can cut or divide a silence to be very rich. Where the duration of silence on the page with vertical lines – proportional to the required the imperfectionsofsurfacepaperintoamemorable sourceofsound. a kind of micro-resonator that lightly amplifies the movement of the pencil, turning drawing a straight line (with a pencil) with the other, the paper itself is turned into line on the page is made audible. By holding the paper in the air with one hand and The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The eut. te wrs n hs en rc te ie f muti rne ( range mountain a (1993)), of piano and line trombone the for trace vein this in works Other results. complex very creates procedure straightforward simple, a Lucier’smusic, of most with As performance. the in dimensional four is dimensional two be to paper on nature of sound as waves, map or draw additional pictures in the space. What looks spatial the to due room, the in at places occur various they because patterns, these in pitch, patterns of beating are created as the sounds approach or pull away – and interval. consonant another or octave unison, the at usually – tones pure the against sound that tones playing by shapes the of drawing the outlines piano The lampshade. a or grill barbeque a knife, bread a hammock, a lines), (or voices three or two using draw,to needs he tools the all Lucier gives This lines. curved even and glissandi) horizontal the to (using slanting unchanging), (or straight corresponding suggest to used be easily can time, dimension, in moves easily it can as simplicity tone, their sine A of lines. because suggest which tones, sine with traced are objects workof Lucier.recent Alvin In a methodofwriting. of intermediary the without imaginable been have not would sound resulting the again Here accidentals. microtonal in up conjured far so anything than variation minute of indicator subtler a be can eye and hand The created). line the of tracing microtonal continuous, a is, (that glissandi into these turn can performer the that so given are Guidelines features. irregular small many with lines detailed making explicit. In Cage’s exactly theselinesaretoberead. how about specific too being without open, relationship the leave to connection, a 15 In Craig In It is worth remembering that the first version of Cage’s first of version worththeremembering thatis It The drawing of objects with sound is also the preoccupation of much of the of much of preoccupation the also is sound with objects of drawing The become can drawing real to relationship the when however, times, are There PseProt ad Prro’ in ‘Parergon’, and ‘Passe-Partout’ of implications the of discussion deepest the the perhaps it) knowing of (without concept the of discussion insightful The ince the pure tones are moving but the tones from the piano are stable are piano the from tones the but moving are tones pure the Since Shepard’spiece , for small orchestra (1998). In these last two the function of twofunction last the these In (1998). orchestra small for Cassiopeia, Ryoanji (1983–85), portions of rocks are traced onto the manuscript, for performer (1999) the (1999) performer for (1) Lines for piano and sine tones (1995) everyday(1995) tones sine and piano for Lives Still Diamonds tas G Bnigo ad I. and Bennington G. trans. Painting, in Truth The passe-partout 42 for 1, 2 or 3 orchestras (1999) and the and (1999) orchestras 3 or 2 1, for in music as well as painting. y Jacques by passe-partout 4’33” of drawing a drawing of process (1952) marked offmarked(1952) ria is Derrida Panorama (see 4’33” 15

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 point foragreatvariety ofrealizations. necessity,jumping-offof a will, be score the content), pitch or dynamics duration, instrumentation, as (such fixed is that little so is there and open, so are score the piece, is that there will be no definitive or final interpretation. The ways of reading 17 16 sounding material,ofnothingbutpageturns. played. being finished are the of piece part are my turns In page music. the of sounds (and) times the thus and pages, the on and (1993) the wholedurationofperformance. for once everythingat see to able be to cases these all in important is It page. large Earle Brown’s don’tI sheet. size note-card a on appearance the from wasit think that accident an of what it might contain, the individual page understood as a unit understands:of potential).the superstition scores. I cannot help but feel that behind this there is something thatdeceptively) apparentlyevery(buttraditionallyhis laterwritingnotated was composer he as even to theunitofpage. sensitiveCage’s highly included. of is are All art, pages visual his work,including the In music. into drawing resultant the transforming of its character, as Cage emphasized by tracing the imperfections of this paper, and It is obvious that the paper on which a score is written or printed is an important part The page no explanation no visual its because perhaps drawing, a orientation, as a series of lines and rectangles spread out on a single for page, requires taken be easily might it instructions an present to Earle Brown’s Image a mostly blank or, in the case of page 3, an absolutely blank sheet. in its proportional version, approaches this notion: the performer is performing from A page is usually also a part of the performance. In Beuger’sIn performance. the of part a also usually Ais page Morton Feldman was also highly conscious of how the music should fit on a page, A page is a unit of music. The pieces of George Brecht’s McLeod (Chicago,1987),pp.1–14and37–82). century abstractart? twentieth- early in found forms geometrical the to indebted perhaps drawing this Is texts byLao-Tzu, Baruch Spinozaand Allen Ginsberg. The performer passes the time by reading a timed text of chance-determined lines from things taking place taking things December, 1952 was perhaps the first piece within experimental music December, 1952, and Christian Wolff’s or collection of images as a score. Without the performance the Without score. a as images of collection or image as image. as (1994) the individual pages fall to the ground as they as ground the to fall pages individual the (1994) leaves 17 What is also clear, as soon as one attempts to play the play to attempts one as soon as clear, also is What (1997), my piece for silent reader, consists, in its in consists, reader, silent for piece my (1997), braids

(1994), the beginning and ending times are marked are times ending and beginning the (1994), of the page (that is, the unwritten page, and the dream 43 16 Edges Variations Water Yam are inseparable (1968) appear on a single Writing, Music Writing, series transparent series dialogues (silences) dialogues 4’33” ,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 a Cagean character to the work ends up being reinstated. being up ends work the to character Cagean a performance, faithful a in themselves’), be ‘sounds let to order (in of music process writing the from dislikes) and likes own his is, (that preferences removing of goal stated his despite that is Cage’swork of paradoxes stream-of- beautiful of one me, obvious For abhorred). Cage obey that things not (both logic dramatic will a or connections elements consciousness of juxtaposition the performance, faithful a in that, guarantee virtually task, the approach to needs one which with objectivity are the and for, sounds, asks Cage the discipline the certainly opposite), the and (just specified performance, not the of context the Although Cage. environmental an ‘noticing’ that change couldbeunderstoodasanynumber(including all)oftheactions. possibility the open leaves Cage is. interpenetrating of variables, layering a as circles, the reading of way a are but perform described, to not is one actions The image. the of worthy interpretation an find to walla like somewhat by look drawing can (it circles other circles are cleared away. The result is so beautiful in its textural disposition of sheet. The largest grouping of overlapping circles is determined, and then all of the black on a transparent sheet and cut out by the performer, is made to fall on a single in means of eloquence The score-images. multi-layered create to paper of sheet a on overlaid are which having the performer might played. being is music performer whose clear very the longer no is it process that work the of vision extended powerful a such this develop of course the over Imperceptibly, else’s someone with of vision. – interacting by is the necessity created possibilities sounding their re-imagine to and – spaces and marks the eye, changed slightly a with decipher, to drawn, or written was what to returning of performance, each and grow could change in to his relationship the image by performer presented the score. The with The discipline, performance. every with details sounding their those of most or Unlike many in time. different be the could pieces at indeterminate Europe the however, works, from emerging works serial complex the for required rhythms and notes of thousands the learning as challenging as just was music such of kept realization the they that clear it why Tudor made music. of reason kind this the writing of part indicated, of have composers performances these as convincing are, his of them and works 1950s, the indeterminate from Feldman the and Wolff preparing Cage, in methods painstaking Tudor’s score. the of words and images the by indicated was whatever possible as faithfully as he represent to that music, notated all in fact as trying, the interpretation, of of work the was doing conscious seemed he But performance. accurate and reliable The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The 18 the the example for – played he pieces the of some of versions out write sometimes did It makes a difference that these works are known to have been writtenby been have to areknown works these that difference a makes It John Cage’s To realize or make a version of a piece is not to compose one. one. compose to not is piece a of version a make or realize To Intersection The mechanics ics y eda – s dsiln ad s wy f aig a making of way a as and discipline a as – Feldman by pieces Variations series of this are complex enough to be worthy of a separate essay, but I suspect create the image from the set of materials given – transparencies (1963) is notable. A set of 42 circles, printed in printed circles, 42 notable. of AVariationsis set (1963) III (1958–66) takes the use of the image even further, in 44 ol LeWitt)Sol struggles one that 18 There is no innocent no is There D avid Tudor avid Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Summing up,Cardewsays:‘Musicalgraphicsareasubstitute forcomposition.’ Furthermore: undefined, subjective stimulusfortheinterpreter’. actually Treatise as are providing nothing more than ‘the wevisual aspect of a traditional score fact – an in whether is dealing with a score. here question important most the probably about how to realize the ideas piece and some excellent sounding versions. many been have There virtuosity.over-the-top same the of something has piece Cardew’s sitting. one in Fugues, and Preludes 48 all Well-TemperedClaiver, Bach’s J.S. of books both ago, long evening, and afternoon one during hearing, of of impact The invention. ‘psychedelic’) impact the work to the compared reading be only could it me For unforgettable. is say to tempted is (one free-wheeling a with filled is page every – unsurpassed probably is it art score of work a As here. consider to chosen have I what of boundary the on lie chapter, this of beginning 19 concurrently withthatofCage. that retains its liveliness in some of the graphic work by other composers that runs one is topic This material. musical the and composer between distance maximal a the in others the and score difficult thing to define about Cage’s oeuvre: his sense of sense his Cage’s oeuvre: about define to thing difficult become a part of the substance of a performance of his work. (This might be the there are most limits to open, Cage’sis music much – Although but made. these limits be are interesting, may and overdecisions time other they which in context a create performance of a Cage score: the collective set of decisions that make up his music something towhatCardewsayshere,heisprobably being tooharsh. directing still more critical energy towards his own earlier work. Although there is thorough-going criticism of the a avant-garde in music, provide aiming directly at to Cage and out set Communism, to converted recently having the music that might otherwise have been created. Performerscreated.improvisebeenorotherwisehave might might that music the important way, In subtle,butsome havetransformed performanceswill inbest it performance. the into passes intention musical a which through filter a or screen The inventions of Cornelius Cardew’sCornelius of inventions The n cud ahr a ta, n hs case, this in that, say rather could One Cardew, which in (1974) time a from comes this that aware am I Naturally, Cornelius Cardew, StockhausenServesImperialism will work Cage’s of performance agree withthisassessment. the in involved deeply been have who many that of Treatise. score the artifact: contradictory a with themselves preoccupy they audience, the to this of something improvisingcommunicating and reality objective of of basis the on instead but improvise, musicians the obstacle that Behind and theaudience. scorethe performance, In Treatiseof musicians between obstacle an fact in is Several years after completing the work, Cardew himself saw series probe a certain limit, one approaching one limit, certain Variationsa probe series 45 (1963–67), as I mentioned at the at mentioned I as Treatise(1963–67), Treatise (London,1974),p.85. ucin a smtig ie a like something as functions taste.) Writing, Music Writing, Stockhausen, but onetheless this Nonetheless Nonetheless, 19 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Example 2.7 Child ofTree between aprosescoreanddrawing)forJohnCage’s A pageofthe sketch(inthisstage,somewhere 46 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 graphic impulsesinnotationhave sprungupinrecentyears. music. innovative to lead can shown, have others) (among WadadaLeo and Braxton Anthony as such composers as and, lasting, and traditional more of means the musical notation. The connection of this trend in notation to improvisation is deep to challenge constant a remains and – own its of ‘Graphic associated with experimental music) could be the subject of an independent study. their book their for Knowles and Alison Cage John by assembled pages The documents. beautiful many produced 1970s, early the until continuing and 1950s early the from stage, and, finally, so accepting of the diversity of impulses that brings them together. to try things out, so optimistic about how humans can come together to make music remainsoneofthe most inspiring scores oftheperiod: itissofull ofideas, soeager clearly indebted to the graphic sensibility Cardew had developed.also isexperimental)traditional but(butscore, a like more bit a quitelooks It 71). case,atleast forCardew, whofollowing image overwhelms the practical versions of it that can be made. This seems to be the musicians read music, and to define the something of a limit where the beauty of the Cardew knew, now some distance from something that can easily be called a score. musicalstimulusnewworkserveanyvisualwork.cana arttoof we as as Butare, any which in way the to comparable all, after is, This otherwise.known have not composer. The images can, in such cases, release a desire in a performer a they wouldor improviser an as make to dared havewould they than style-consciousmusic self-centred,less less or direct more a make to drivenbeen has someonewhich in situationa rare: is it happen,evenifalsosomethingdirectly musicalcanmore But is true that this process might look like a mystification of the work of making music. created – Cardewimages the bychallenged or inspiredbeen having realizations– compose 21 20 (1971) – especially – (1971) Burdocks graphic work. between what we see and what we do, at the basis of much of the more consciously between these concerns and a broader set of questions, concerning the relationship border indefinite an is there notations, musical traditional of out developed have Markus Trunk,Markus Frey,Jürg by – score. scores recent Amore Werder,many Manfred through glance the in represented visually is harmony the of expansion the by created wedge the some of the works of James Tenney, such as the layout of The period of experimentation with how a score could look, extending, in its first Perhaps It is likely that this kind of thinking influenced works such as Christian Christian as such influenced works thinking Wolff’sof kind this that likely is It that music writing of ways those in is chapter this in interest my Although 2005) andTheresaSauer(ed.) Just to mention two: T. Möller, K. John Cageand Alison Knowles (eds), Treatise tto’ s hs rn i smtms ald hs oe n o ae life a have to on gone has called, sometimes is trend this as Notation’ Notations Treatise am Mirelman, Michael Winter,Michael Mirelman, Sam Tashi Wada will others, many and acting here as a silent partner in the creation of one’s own music. It s raet mat a be t frvr hne h wy certain way the change forever to been has impact greatest’s 20 from a great variety of composers (not just limited to those to limited just (not composers of variety great a from ection V, with its pinwheels or burdocks – and even and – burdocks or pinwheels V,its Section with Notations 21(NewYork, 2009). Shim and G. Notations (NewYork, 1969). Treatise 47 Stäbler (eds), produced Critical Band (1988) – where TheGreat Learning SoundVisions ew collections of the of collections New 21 Writing, Music Writing, The Great Learning (Saarbrücken, (1968– Smith

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 use of prose in music scores. Though unassuming in appearance and rhetoric the rhetoric and appearance in unassuming Though scores. music in prose of use and Starts(Example2.8). The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The have of relatingtomusic–andpeople. kind of writing also leads to new ways of making sound and opens up the ways we Westerntraditional of territory symbolic the of outside place takes that this music, results to happen. My conviction is that, far from just being a form of writing sonic music of set a getting towards geared all – literature of forms various and manual under-appreciated genre. It combines elements of technical writing, as the instruction scores, an be in to music, experimental done in use frequent writing its despite me, to the seems This music. is however, here, in interested am I What ways. of writing – some, including Cage, Feldman, Wolff the and music Tenney, in about in beautiful and enlightening written resources have great composers Many other itself. the language with music: of experimental image one of at merging look the now will with we discussion, sound, this of limit one reached Having Prose sonic –onlyinthosemomentswhenthepatternsappeared. wayin – me before appeared the score and visual the the that connected truly that sense appear.the images had the I making But of process whole the really is piece the that learns One image. or pattern different completely a occasions, rare on or again, chaos suddenly,by as replaced just be disappeared to then and while, a for visible remained seeds, bouncing the of chaos the of out spontaneously appeared patterns the happen, did this When patterns. recognizable produce to vibrations the get to means, byvarious attempted, Liam while minutes five about waitedfor the bottom side of some fairly large tom-toms on with seeds them placed on their placed heads. then We and funnels with cleaner a vacuum outfitted Mooney Liam composer performance, one For failing. and out things trying spends one time the of effects Much unstable. the inherently fragile, is of situation the many music, Lucier’s in produced with as variables: is hard-to-control patterns various several the upon of dependent production the knows, piece the on worked has who anyone As like. look might result the what of photographs some includes also It work.might that excitation of kinds and variousmedia the of appear,lists to with isa patterns these get to Lucier, how for suggestions by making case written this in – many description prose like score, This excitation. acoustical of surface means a by on visible made are patterns vibration Jenny, Hans and Chladni Ernst Lucier’s Alvin itself. instrument the on) South the of Queen (or The in place takes that writing of kind hard-to-define areaofcommunication. if crucial, a is score the of image visual the music, making for instructions of set a demonstrate immediately that, even in scores whose primary function is to provide n mgt culy ei ayhr i Wolff’s in anywhere begin actually might One Let’s begin with one of the classics of this form, Christian Wolff’s for Christian score form, this of classics the of one Let’swith begin –a image of kind another mentioning briefly by section this close to want I (1972) is a piece in which, building upon the discoveries of discoveries the upon building which, in piece a is (1972) 48 rs Collection Prose o ics the discuss to Fits Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.8 Any number of players; any one player playing one or more of the sequences; the of more or one playing player one any players;number of Any with. start to representedsequences following the of Fourfive or h drto o a on, nes oe ute atclto o t wih may (which it of articulation further some unless sound, a of duration The pulse. another’s avoid per beat one of limits the within generally pulse, own her follows player Each sequence. same the playing players numberanyof lyr my hf fo oe eune o nte a ay on wti a within point any at another to sequence one from shift may Players . sudo atclto eey 2 et; r atraig rey 2 ons or sounds 2 freely) (alternating or beats; 42 every articulation or sound 1 6. 13th„ then 12th, the at then beat, 11th the at articulation: or sound 1 2. length). shorter any be(and may 1/2 seconds about2 exceed not should rhythm, a mark usedto is stopping) itsinclude hn pae hs sne f h msc fhs htms h my proceed may he rhythm(s) rhythms. own her his to andhence of sense, that musicof basis the on the simply of sense a has player a When sequence. the at articulations soundsor 2 beat; 120th the at articulation:or sound 1 4. 5/6 of a second to one beat per 1 1/3. Generally, though without straining to, straining without though Generally, 1/3. 1 per beat one to second a of 5/6 . sudo riuain a te 0hba, h 9h 6t, hn 0h 29th, 10th, then 60th, 29th, the beat, 10th the atarticulation: soundor 1 3. . sud r riuain 1 bas fe 4 ons r riuain heard; articulations or sounds 4 after beats 15 articulation: or sound 1 5. Fits and Starts andFits . sud r articulation or sound 1 1. hn 0 te 2, , 0awy eetn,atr3 soundsarticulations. or 3 after repeating, always 50 3, 21, then 50, then hn bas fe 4 ons r riuain had te 1 bas fe 4 after beats 15 heard; then articulations or sounds 4 after beats 4 then et 0h 1 t et 0h 1 t et 0h 2 tnx 6t, t. ak o 1 to back etc., 60th, next at 2 50th; at 2 next at 20th; 1 next at 40th; 1 next at then 1 10th; 30th; next atnext 2 20th; next at 1 then 10th; next adding always one. etc., round. comes beat 21st the time 6th every et 0t; a nx 9t; a nx 8t; a nx 7t; a next at 2 70th; next at 1 80th; next at 2 90th; next at 1 100th; next repeating. always etc., 60th, articulations every 29th or 58th beat. 58th or 29th every articulations hnigbc n ot) 2 onso riuain: 1 et, hn3 beats, 3 then beats, 21 soundsorarticulations: 2 changing backandforth): forward andagain,etc. then back, 120th, next at at 2 20th; next at 1 30th; next at 2 40th; next at 1 50th; next at 1 60th; sounds, etc., heard, then 4 beats after 4, etc., always alternating; or (freely or alternating; always etc., 4, after beats4 heard, then sounds, etc., Prose Collection Christian Wolff’s scoreforFitsandStarts,fromthe 01 sud newy eey 1 et, omitted beats, 21 every underway: sound a (1968–71) 49 Writing, Music Writing,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The events in motion that will, eventually, become woven into the performance itself. performance the into eventually,woven will, become that motion of in events chain singular a sets This it. with do to what about ideas various and text the reading of ways different any be always will In there performers, committed piece. with event, to piece from vary might used method The stated? clearly is what rigidly,only more doing language the take one does or piece’, the of ‘spirit glean legal a reading reach a settled interpretation of am the score. I that feeling the scholar,legal haveto or judge woulda as trying, and Constitution?), US (the document sometimes I music, of kind this on something of the flavour of the readings to which the piece has to submit. Working give to and be, will score the of reading the close how just demonstrate to attempt spite of their extreme polyrhythmic complexity, can sound quite natural, before:evenlayeringa gentle.ofindividual pulses, making organically complex patterns that, in according tothemusicofone’s ownrhythms. of Wolff’s text – his permission to leave the instructions behind in order to proceed it becomes possible to understand what is meant by the last, most elusive sentence the realization develops. It is only after one has worked on the piece for a while that one will probably make a whole chain of adjustments to the sound as rehearsal one’sIn forth. sense so of and altogether pitch without or pitch any at volume, any at way,any about just in produced anything, almost be might It used. be to sound of in this case becomes a carrier for the pulse, now understood as an ‘articulation’. a marker of the pulse. But the duration of the sound can also be considering(much) longer,duration, whichthe simplest being a sound lasting no more than here2.5it concerns only the parameter seconds,of duration. There are as actually a few options in ‘sound’? a is piece this has what understand to carefully read to information necessary to stay within the boundaries of the piece. One will also have keep trackofaninvolved countingprocedure(suchasthatof#3). to order in points pulse numbered the out write a to need to will they clear that performer become might it themselves, sequences the out trying In available. be will sequences) two (or sequence which decide to have will group the players, 20 has one if piece; the of start the near another to sequence one from switch must has, say, three performers, the implication will be that at least one one If of represented. the performers be will sequences which out work to order in ensemble the of members the amongst coordination implies This sequences. only six the with of five or begin four to have you that remember to order in reread to have may you of kind the from different reading onedoeswhenhastoactuponinstructions. very obviously is sense for does one reading of kind The out. it try you until functions score the how out find really not do you that is music that can emerge from them. One of the characteristics of this music generally of kinds the of and strategies writing of array impressive an represents collection This somewhat lengthy summary of the procedure of working on the piece is an heard has one anything unlike be can right, everything goes when result, The Nothing at all is said about the instrument, pitch, colour or indeed the character the of all through sift to order inagain, and again score the to backsent is One with instance, For when you get to the end of your first reading, first your of end the to get you when Starts and Fits N othing is said about this until the fourth sentence, and sentence, fourth the until this about said is othing 50 Should one read for intent, attempting to not been defined. For instance, what in what instance, For defined. been not Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 possible, inmostcases,toproducemusicrightaway. voice, everyday objects or some kind of simple instrument. The score also makes it is the It anyone: low.about just to quite available are that music, sources sound classical use to possible most usually to compared is, it, perform to need might one technique or training musical previous of amount the of terms in level, entry well as – whenproseisusedincombinationwithWolff’swork Wolff’s other othernotationalpractices. of lot a informs clearly writing of kind This reading. Wolff’sof practical and analytical repeated to up stands that prose creating in skill reminded am I group, performing a with pieces these of one rehearse I time Each 22 Example 2.9 way manyofusencounterthesepieces forthefirsttime,in working with Pauline? all at written be should the fact, score in is, which instructions, verbal of set loose a a as givencouldn’t be – just it such why wonder even might One it. the in of is doing Oliveros, by it like many so and piece this of significance The possible. the minimalresources:theirearsandmind,voices andbodies. and music of conceptions sound. These sophisticated pieces often begin by very getting people to listen explore and to make sound to with score text the of device Another feature of these prose pieces is that nearly anyone can do them. The them. do can anyone nearly that is pieces prose these of feature Another In Example 2.9 the language used is simple and direct, with as little artifice as artifice little as with direct, and simple is used language the 2.9 Example In the uses meditations’, ‘sonic of series ongoing great, her in Oliveros, Pauline One can also make the pieces very difficult, finding ways of doing them that would that challenge even themostvirtuosicmusicians. them of doing ways finding difficult, very pieces the make also can One ice on Meditation Sound Circle toward the center of the circle. After relaxing and and relaxing After circle. theof center the toward easy breathing, listen then sound. Alternate between between sounding. Alternate and listening sound. then listen breathing, easy the DeepListeningPieces (1978) Circle SoundMeditation Lie on your back with your head your with back your on Lie 51 , Pauline Oliveros, from 22 Writing, Music Writing, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The 23 et His text. whoregularly writeperformed.textbe to Robert Ashley hasflooded his work with resonates practice, poetic Cage’s with throughout hiswork fromthatpointonwards. mixed sometimes talk, composed the of genre This occur. they which in environment the of situation sonic the reinforce sense simultaneously become to the mediating of way a has deliveryvacillateto text allowing of – information of between or sound, and sense structure This time. that from Cage of works other like duration, and structure proportional does it as only using compositional, called be can that way a in performance and text combines (1950) Nothing on Lecture the composerandmomentofperformance. andthe area where so much music actually direction, takes place: between and the outward situation structured by inward of pattern everyin appear breath the of rhythm version. We ourselvesfind grey that in again the circle, The well. as it to However, when one has done the piece a few times, one finds a certain consistency sees theincredible One group. the of efficiency ofOliveros’s notation. behaviour the by influenced time, same the at is, one because – performed being others the to way some in relates which network of rhythmic rates and durations based on their own breathing – a network own their establishes person each that fact the to due structure, rhythmic layered multi- a and techniques vocal extended of variety a score: contemporary complex write outwhateveryone did in traditionalnotation.Itcouldlookveryto much like a were one if like, look really would score the what about thought occasionally of moments transforming have I Oliveros, by it personally like others in and piece, this sometimes in Performingawareness. sonic layered, of host a group, size simple decent a in generate, apparently sounding, and listening These breathing, relaxing, lying, activities: complex. extremely experience, my in is, piece a out. such written being ‘This by say: emphasis to ability extra the an has Language given is exercise, training ear an like tool. music that makes it feel like it is always on the verge of song. It raisesalwaysquestionvergesong.theIttheisof on itlikefeel music makesthat it meditation storyorpoem it ismore– philosophical inorientation perhaps– itcould becalled a combinationsof the Beat era. But the genre of the text is musicambiguous. and poetry Itof issimilar kinds not reallyfrom much depart a to seem not might it first At accompaniedsomethingby likebackground music fortabla, synthesizer andpiano. Itis a short step from Cage’s initial work to the practice of many other composers Cage’s John pieces. its of finds performance also Prose the into way miraculous Such a score, to be sure, relies upon improvisation on the part of the performer. musical a as language of power the demonstrate scores such think However,I many ofJohnson’s works, isplanted intotheperformanceofpieceitself. Johnson’s brilliant and hilarious piece the hilarious and by brilliant Johnson’s for asked is what of subject Tom the is situation the between with this reconciling of difficulty the walkand composer tightrope inherent the and situation, This omething apparently simple like this, which might appear to be something be to appear might which this, like simple apparently Something rvt Prs Te Record) (The PartsPrivate . There is also something in the style of the text, the reading and the persistent sound. The silences imbedded in the lecture the in imbedded silences The sound. and (1977) is a spoken text, written by Ashley and Ashley by written text, spoken a is (1977) something.’ In fact, the performance of performance the fact, In something.’ is 52 Failing (1975). The prose of the piece, as with as piece, the of prose The (1975). 23 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 would be likely to have in a simple reading. simple a in have to likely be would Deleuze’s text along with the piece and develop a deeper relationship to it than one read can One text. of pages three about through get to minutes 90 about takes it – written-out with spoken/sung is here text entire instrumental accompaniment. the The result stretches the – time of reading considerably cycle song of kind a for 28 its combination of artistically rendered colloquial talking (and swearing waysthatofsomethingAmericanspoken. Thereis Englishbeunmistakable can in as asetofhintedatmotives andharmonies. musical identity as well, something that often lurks in the background of the music 27 26 25 of the work of Bob whether, as in some sound poetry or even in some popular music (for example, some 24 eponymous section from Gilles from section eponymous Richard’sMike music. the of part a as sung or spoken texts, philosophical actual lines with these work interesting Along some music. been of has there context the in follow to complex too considered be about four centuries after the advent of the Practice’,following‘Third a of speak to oughtwe Perhaps herenow?). I am (who narration self-referential its and drugs) on (philosophy discussionphilosophical part due to their narrative structure – also quite radical. quite also – structure narrative their to due part in is This works. structured highly of timing and feeling the have operas the yet, troupe sing-speaks is beyond the resources of traditional musical notation. musical traditional of resources the beyond is sing-speaks troupe regular a Ashley’swhich with and naturalness and rapidity The language, style. the knows spoken that ensemble nearly or spoken prioritizes that situation a to choice of rhythmic figures and melodies). The openness of the notation is conducive fixed number of beats at a certain tempo), with a few a have will sketched typically line musical the (where lines indications numbered with (a text as written are They (in score form) have something comparable to the lineation of the an extension of the resources of what was once called recitative. Many of the operas as understood be can and prose, eventually,of and, singing speaking the writing, One might almost call Ashley’s use of language orchestral in its sense of the number With this heritage it becomes possible to work with ideas that might otherwise might that ideas workwith to possible becomes it heritage Withthis ot f slys ok rm hs on o ses o rw iety rm the from directly grow to seems on point this from work Ashley’s of Most A complete recording with the text can be found at this web address: in thecontextofscenea hospitalinwhichtheyoccur, isheartbreaking. My favorite renderings of swearing occur in occur swearing of renderings favorite My as ThomasPynchon,DavidMarksonandJosephMcElroy. work in film or the revolutionary re-evaluation of the novel carried out by writers such Ashley’sGodard’sJean-Luc to comparison bear to me reworkingto seems opera the of in thesepieces.Thevoices never have tostrainbeunderstood. Much of what happens in this direction is also attributable to the use of the microphone (ed.) Morris Adalaide in Innovative PoeticsandAcousticalTechnologies found be can acoustics and poetics between chapter, this although of it outside borders part, it most at many the points. for lies, An poetry excellent discussion sound of so-called the of intersection discussion the score, graphic the of history the with As emphatically,YES. is, question this to answer The D ylan), written text can in fact be a kind of music. Deleuze’s 53 seconda prattica Spinoza: Practical Philosophy Practical Spinoza: (ChapelHill,1997). (2002) takes the takes (2002) 1–4 Affections Affects, (2000): ‘fuuh’ and ‘shiih’. Their use, Their ‘shiih’. ‘fuuh’and (2000): Dust 28 Richard has a created a system of system a created a has Richard defined by Monteverdi. 26 But they have a strong a have they But Writing, Music Writing, Lecture on Nothing. http://www.archive. 24 27 on States: Sound as the text the as ), its quasi- 25 And Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 list pieces I know is Jürg Frey’sJürg is know I pieces list it organized, wonderful most and oddest the of often One juxtapositions. unforeseeable of multitude are the lists that know which all We one. in unusual very a way be can categorical the of Because poem. a 9 and minutes 45 between hours, withsilencesoccurringbetween thesoundingsections. duration any into put be can that gestures or words calme étendue exploration, thus its appropriateness for experimental music. summary,Aa listis openingvastanalsobecaninto abutexperiencerealm of and many,howbut way,done, thehasalong resonancesexploredhaveresult?thethat 29 era in which philosophical prose is used as the basis for extended experimental extended composition would appear tobejustgettingstarted. for basis the as used is prose philosophical which in era The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The inherent in freezing. could spend an entire cold winter exploring and recording the resonancesubway possibilities stations or of bays or bells could indeed be assignments for a lifetime.thebetter day, part a of month realize.week a to Oror Exploringone the resonance of take could list the suggestions.onHowever, elementofeach series essentially a – sounds the recordingmade. of Like and many to listeningof of waysLucier’s and performance,scores, of locationspossiblethe instructions appear rather unassuming paragraphssomelistfew that afollowed by–sound makingthem ways of of and various elements by appearing to give each one an equivalentdeceptivelylistis a ofexplicit ansimple. is amountdeviceIt creatingfor similarity of space.amongst making of lists: of notes or sounds, of The durations,compiling of ofchance instruments events in theand realization so on.of a pieceThe by structureCage often involves the The list microstructure. its translation) English the in (even appreciates the that and of text turn each on meditate to time takes that one reading, of kind alternate an of discovery the like something is thought, its of rhythm the in and content poetic its in text, the of opening resultant The network’. symbolic ‘secondary a calls he harmonic and melodic motives that thread their way through the text – something 30 As one might learn from Whitman’s from learn might one As to score The material. performance actual the into their way find also can Lists Alvin Lucier’s score for org/details/mmm027 (accessed9September2008). own passage through passage own Beuger’s Antoine with along work, This entire Fifth Book of the environmental sound. of frozen experience vivid apparently a also an but danger, on only not ice involve could of this know, crack would lake sudden the experienced has who one any As mathematical numberingsystem usedbySpinozatostructurethebook. (1996–97) by Antoine Beuger consists essentially of vast lists of notes, 30 A body of art can be created from exploding as Cai Guo-Qiang Spinoza’s Ethics is read, with a piano counterpart that is derived from the Chambers (1996). The work must be seen and heard to heard and seen be workmust The (1996). Lovaty Ethics (Book 5) (Book Ethics (1968) begins with lists of resonant environments 54 , a list of words is nearly is words of list a Grass , of Leaves am étendue calme called -list of a dictionary creates a creates dictionary a of ur-list Reading Spinoza. Reading ws h isiain o my for inspiration the was , In my piece, the piece, my In 29 An Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 niiul ae al edrd in rendered all – an name given been individual has which of each mountain on, so a and pasture of valley,a a sides of parts as hill, a such or landscape, local a of features meaning Flurnamen, starts and appearance of descriptions character). In retrospect it is clear that the list was speaking bird, and then suddenly and onomatopoeia concomitant its of all (with birds of language human the to become had one acclimated how understood not the of event main the is composition (Example2.10). in) minutes 35 (about piece the of section large second the of beginning funny.The inexplicably are that passages are there and fatigue, information, of and one senses this. While listening amount one passes through times of concentration significant and a represent they Lucier) with rather (as look lists but The simple, beginning. the at dense and fast quite feel work the makes per minuteto40minute. wordsfrom 30 tempo regular the of acceleration subtle sudden but occasional and voice of the first. The only other variation that occurs in the reading of the list is the a kindofsoloreading.Therolethesecond speaker istooccasionallydouble the words: also an area where a series of one-syllable place names is used. These are incredible organization, large-scale this within is, There Basel. near ending and Jura, the and the through on Oberland, Berner the and Alps the through Lötschental, of areas adjacent through movement by created part large references – wordslike – references might which – include words like‘complainer’ or‘screamer’ or‘thief’ (inGerman). name their of part a as ‘insults’ have that birds colours or havenames their that in birds together group that subsections also are There ‘–eulen’. ‘–gänse’or ‘–vögel’, with example, for ending, – birds indicate clearly that names mostly contains list this of part second The ‘language-crafter’.) like something or ‘Sprachmeister’ called example, for one, is (There suggestive. quite are names the a that such is of many names although birds, with wouldn’tthem German-speaker connect bird necessarily of list the of half first the instance, For recognition. of in words, the of similarity/dissimilarity,sounds phonemic degrees and with length also their and of the terms with works he general In ways. of variety a in lists 32 come all which birds, of is from a list single source. first The words. 2,200 about of total a to coming of how the piece uses its materials. The score consists of two lengthy lists of names, indication some give will description short a perhaps here but comprehended, be 31 The start of the section beginning with ‘Siten’ works as a kind of shock. One has names the of complexity linguistic the and by go words the which at rate The often is It performers. two by list the of reading a of consists performance The ih h pae ae, ry o te ot at goe ovos geographical obvious ignores part most the for Frey names, place the With Place nameswere drawnfromvarious mapsofSwitzerlandat 1:25000scale. Friedrich (5thedn,1905). G. C. von VogelartenEuropas sämtlicher einschlieslich Vögel Deutschen der Naturgeschichte speaking place , a completely different language – one that is more direct and to Loo, ÜechDyGalmZälg–onecouldeasilyquotethewholelist. 31 The second is of small locations – what in German are called Waldor (forest, lake, mountain). The order is in is order The mountain). lake, Berg(forest, or See isGra dialect. Swiss-German 55 witzerland – from the from – Switzerland 32 ry raie the organizes Frey Writing, Music Writing, Seeland Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Example 2.10 An excerptfromLovaty (1996),JürgFrey. Italics indicate thefastertempo Alpenamseln Rostdrosseln Falkensperlinge Karminhanflinge Bleikehlchen Fichtenammern Sperbergrasmiicken Arabische Steppenhiihner Arabische Diademwiesenschmatzer Rosengimpel Orpheussanger Danische Nachtigall Danische Sprosser Schwedische Rohrs Grosse anger Sternfalke Lerchen Grosse Blaufalke Gierfalke Steppentauben Weidenblatter Grosse Edelfasane Kaspische Reiher Kaspische Sandflughiihner Blassdrossel Seeschwalben Bleigraue Sprosser Ungarische nihr Teufelssturmvogel Unsichere Rotbriistige Sager Wasserhiihnchen Kleinste Bellhennen Ellernhiihner Uralkauze Wanderne Albatros Wanderne Lachseeschwalbe Schwarzbriiste Welssbindenkreuzschnabel Russsturmtaucher Eulenkdpfe Le jis ru Strandlauferchen Graue Alke Fluglose Goldohren Kleine Multen Tonu Siten Halsbandgiarole Harlekinsenten Zwergbrachvdgel Tupfelsumpfhiihner Fa 1 ben Birbe Nyffel Hamu Jaggu Fail Furli Joneren i 56

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 hr i as smtig neiby otc bu te odn o cran scores, certain prose. the were,in of it as embedded, wording the about poetic undeniably something also is There song. a become can poem a how of theory of kind a itself by – reading/singing of style his is remarkable Also produced. Cage that pieces sounding beautiful most 35 34 the as great as impact he had on music. nearly be to seems sometimes poetics modern on impact Cage’s Poem one, this followed (1997), Freyfeltcapableofinventing hisownwords. that speaker solo for piece list a In or be. word might source words the what idea no has one when even sound, beyond something communicate describe, names the things the from come way deep some in which must meanings, the – sound’ ‘just being of effect the has rarely performance in the point, but which also contains a greater variety of letter combinations. The piece 33 Ono’scollection George Brecht or La Monte Young look as much like poems as anything else. Yoko it. developed really and score action or music as prose/poem the also thework ofFrancisPonge. possibly and Mallarmé of prose-poems the about known have would Cage thing. same the doing were onwards, 1960s the from works short his in Beckett, Samuel and intent: sound in poetic absolutely are Others listening. of kind imaginary an case this in – involves it listening because music as identified is turning’) earth the of sound the like work,writers their and poetry and prose between point tipping the exploring were others and Cage that (1979). Wake Finnegans on work seminal his of basis the forms these of second The (that is, written by others), including four times through Joyce’s through times four including others), by works written other is, through’(that ‘writing of way a as technique this capitalized. used name the Cage of Sometimes letters the with page, the on centred then is which and text, a in embedded is name) or word repeated (or key a which in poem of kind a and music. Perhaps his best-known works in this direction are the many ‘mesostics’: oee, t a te ebr o te lxs ru ta to te ocp of concept the took that group Fluxus the of members the was it However, The very bestareelegant,poeticandalsoquitepracticable: noticing orrespondingtothem.’ may be performed through ambient circumstances (environmental changes) by simply ee fr xml, s snec from sentence a is example, for Here, Mode Records28/29(1992). excellent Weinberger’s poetry: Eliot Innovators andOutsiders Experimental in American position postwar prominent of a anthology given example, for is, Cage (1964) has many such pieces. such many has (1964) Grapefruit 33 (NewYork, 1993). In fact much of Cage’s work seems to lie between poetry 34 The piece itself is remarkable, one of the richest and richest the of one remarkable, is itself piece The Nathalie 35 It is probably no accident that at the moment the at that accident no probably is It arraute, in a worklike a in Sarraute, 57 m o al f n’ obligation one’s of all or ‘Some III: Variations mrcn oty ic 1950: Since Poetry American Roaratorio: An Irish Circus Irish An Roaratorio: EARTHPIECE Tropismesand (1957), Writing, Music Writing, Finnegans Wake Finnegans ome scores by scores Some (‘Listen to (‘Listen Freichten . Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.11 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Example 2.12 Drawgetlost. mapto a MAPPIECE 1964 spring 1964 Buy many dreammanyBuyboxes. Ask your wife to select one.selectAsk wife to your Dreamtogether. PIECE BOX 1964 spring 1964 Box Piece Map Piece , Yoko Ono(fromGrapefruit) , Yoko Ono(fromGrapefruit) 58

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 36 small sectionofMallarmé’s Uncoupdedés: But thisscoreisnearlyapoem: Written a Note for Percussion crucial. are differences small the of some potential, their retain that notions poetic/musical perhaps becausepotentialisoftentherealsubjectofsuchscores. of repertoire a like is years, recent in revived been has which form, short This reason. another or performance a for – one do to decides one Occasionally them. of many so read to and write to choose oneseeBeuger’s einton.eherkurz.sehrleise. specified stylesofreadingor, inmusicalterms,ofhearing. incite to language poetic of power the demonstrates This essence. its in agreeing Each of these seems to have captured the impetus of this set time. of instructions long without a for and softly piano the playing Budd Harold indeed, or,a – sidewalk along unravelled slowly being toothpaste of tube a room; darkened small a in burning slowing candle white a hour; an for floor cement a across dragged being instruments invented of of piece orchestra large a through; peaking an tones with noises be white soft playing might It piece. the perform who people to the of decide minds the in idea specific a unleash to seem words few These very one. unsuccessful an hearing every without renderings, wonderful many of musical orperformanceaction. kind some towards stimulus strong a is appearance, poetic its despite whole, The verywell noise). white might (for ‘white’ word the including ofinstructions indications, musical list specific be The piece). this influenced have must style Tenney’sof friend performance and whose composer a is (Budd dedication the to indication) (performance subtitle the to (instrumentation) title the refer from music: also to words the necessary,but is piece the of word each poem, good a Like It is in part the lineation that creates the poetic effect. I am often reminded of a of reminded often am I effect. poetic the creates that lineation the part in is It Tenney’sJames one allows form the because part in pieces, such with moment a spends One hs caatrsis r as fud n eea wrs yAtie egr To Beuger. Antoine by works several in found also are characteristics These I have been involved in several performances of the piece and have experienced ton. eherkurz.sehrleise. performer and a series of pieces called (1998), ensemble for unanime in thisaspect ofBeuger’sThose interested workhis also wishtolookat might blanchi (blanched, becalmed,furious) share some of the characteristics of this work, but work, this of characteristics the of some share Pieces Postal (1998)isbytheauthorofthis chapter. (1971), make use of musical notation, however minimal. for piano (1998), piano for évantail ins ungebundene 59 étale m o te ics like pieces, the of Some furieux (Example 2.14). (1997–99). This translation of tout à fait solitaire fait à tout Writing, Music Writing, 36 aig Never Having (1998) for one for (1998) Styrofoam l’horizon ein Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 37 n h eiiain f ht i poe wud e eesr gamtcl units. grammatical necessary be would prose, in what, of elimination the in licence poetic of kind a uses necessary.Beuger are that words the only to limited Werder. ever-present environment,suggest thecomplexityofalong-termrelationship. their and them between and each, for process decision-making separate the from arising performers, two the between interactions The considerations. unnecessary with score the by indicated actions clear of set the clouding without – instructions the realizing of ways of multitude a open leaves description the of elegance The The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Example 2.13 Here again we have a situation in which the verbal content of the score has been I will close this section on the poetic score with another recent piece by Manfred ey soft very short time.’ Herewe would have seventeen words toBeuger’s six. a for and softly playedplayers, the between shared tone, one of consist materials ‘The ey long very ery white nearly by JamesTenney For Percussion Perhaps, Or…oneofthePostalPieces F r Percussion or (night) ehp, Or Perhaps, 60 ae Tenney James o Hrl Budd Harold for 8/6/71

37

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.14 ey soft. very once in the second half of each minute: the other performer other the minute: each of half second the in once performer one minute: each of half first the in once short rather tone, one n f h piece. the of end soft very short, rather tone,one uain f h pee a lat 0 minutes 30 least at piece: the of duration piece. the of end the until t oe ie n promr ly te oe omr ad ean sil ni the until still remains and more no tone the plays performer one time some at beuger antoine t oe ie h ohrpromrpas h tn n oe n rmis still remains and more no tone the plays performer other the time some at for two performers two for 1998

(trans. MichaelPisaro) ein ton.eherkurz.sehrleise 61 . (1998), Antoine Beuger Writing, Music Writing,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Example 2.15 2008 3 , ManfredWerder 62 eine bergkette a mountain range mountain a bergkette eine ein flussdelta a river delta river a ein flussdelta eine hochebene a a plateau hochebene eine eine tiefebene a lowland a tiefebene eine manfredwerder, eine anhohe a hill a anhohe eine ein fjord a a fjord ein fjord ein tal a valley a tal ein 20083

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 leading up to Cage. It was as a carryover from his work with proportional durations in the worksto challenges presented have to seems itself score the involved, instruction the of simplicity apparent the given it, expect not might one occurs. Although silence or sound of question any before duration, by being into brought is music of content itself will be a sufficient requirement to create a musical situation. It reveals that the will be the time it takes. The piece demonstrates that the performance of the frame 4’33”. The title is, more or less, the work. It says that the material of the composition duration withoutthesubdivisionintorhythmicunits. of consideration the was path this along step equally.next silence The and sound treat to Cage for allowed macro-rhythms and micro- of system proportional the implements it mainly in the use of more typical rhythmic devices. As we have seen, duration itself as a musical material. His music up until 1952 understands this, but of treatment the was Cage John of music the in developments central the of One Duration and again, each time from a slightly different angle, giving a slightly different aslightly giving angle, colouring toanalreadypresentatmosphere. different slightly a from time each again, and richness of reality, subtracted by the action of the music – can be approached again infinite demonstrates the like Werder something is which time. – circumstances of in set rich infinitely sound this that of happening) the (or possibility the and slightest alteration in an environment: the presence of a performer (or performers) the as occurs mostly Werder’smusic exists. already that something to adding of evaluateswhich necessity scores), the the of (givenbrevity time the of period long emphasize the careful, deliberate process of thought, takingplace over a relatively was possible to add a piece to the chain of works stretching back to 1998. The titles this very limited production, tells us something crucial: that in the year indicated, it it, to indicate the order of that piece within that year. The title, within the context of 10 last the years, the over Werdertitle consists by of a work year the it was of written withmost the additionLike of aeach. number nextin to present is )’ sounds ‘( and‘a ‘time’ indications the indication The ‘places’. and between description) a place’(with ‘a ‘place’, betweentime’ difference or the considers one next, the to score one from progress the Following them. between differences the to attention Example 2.16shows,withsomewhatcondensedformatting,threeofthem. make one’s headspin. Brecht’s of reflexivity The title. Some of the pieces by George Brecht and by Yoko Ono consist, in large part, of their Title The decisive transformation in this thinking becomes evident with the title of his ee e ae st f ok ta bcue f hi aprn smlrte call similarities apparent their of because that works of set a have we Here Let us consider the role of the title in some of the recent music of Manfred Werder. 4’33” that he first notated these durations as proportions. It was only between title and action is enough to enough is action and title between TRUMPET 63 Writing, Music Writing,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The 64 20051 manfred werder manfred time zeit sounds) ( place e) g klan ( ort Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 in ort, naturliches licht, wo die oder der ausfuhrende, die ausfuhrenden sich gerne aufhalten gerne sich ausfuhrenden die ausfuhrende, der oder die wo licht, naturliches ort, ein a place, natural light, where the performer, the performers like to be to like performers the performer, the where light, natural place, a 65 Writing, Music Writing, manfred werder manfred sounds) ( ( klange ) klange ( eine zeit eine 20061 a time a Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.16 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The Three piecesfrom2005 and2006byManfredWerder 66 manfred werder manfred sounds) ( ( klange ) klange ( eine zeit eine places places a time a 20062 orte

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 clock durationcanbetakensofarthatitmoves outofthatrealmaltogether. about thinking that demonstration a – limit a and riddle a is work The attention? our escape alwayssomehow to action of nature the in it Is situation’? giventhe be to [is] attention ‘no that score the in says he when means really Cage what this Is duration? real-time a below or time of out somehow is occurrence actual its that and event, the of trace the as experienced be only can event significant a that fact of duration a space in limited time limited in space to musical ideas that might otherwise seem impossible. In Kunsu lead also can It before! it of thought hadn’t people why wonders one notation of and this notation corresponds to that fact. As one becomes accustomed to this way durations. relatively straightforwardlonger a thing Afor is five minutes of silence it when and measure of unit a as bar the with begins altogether dispensing giveduration, to a or ends silence or action an when say simply to one allows It work. durational windowswithinthefixedtotaldurationof work. 40 39 in means electronic and tape with work the with and pieces titles their of as series durations the exact including him, for time productive very a was decade for possibilities the of terms in Cage, for were truly significant. The realization of piece the by raised issues compositional the that retrospect, in clear, abundantly as timeunits. in its second version that Cage simply listed the durations of the three movements 38 Fontana Mix cl cmoiin f the of composition scale 1.’ epne. ae isl rtre i a eaiey aul a t te usin of question the to way casual duration with the number pieces, all of relativelywhich use a time bracket notation a in returned himself Cage responses. Eclipticalis itself: ‘This is ‘This itself: one to make. That Cage was conscious of this connection is made clear by the score difficult very a wasindeed step next clear,the becomes that it work, this with and with only is It stopgap. a of 38 The use of the clock or of the stopwatch has become commonplace in recent in commonplace become has stopwatch the of or clock the of use The ae em t hv considered have to seems Cage h qetos asd y hs wrs ae eeae al id o creative of kinds all generated have works these by raised questions The However, viewed as a question of ‘duration’ itself, ‘duration’ of question a as viewed However, with As within thesebrackets. wishes she wherever sounds the place to free generally is player The given. are time) Here, in general, a starting time span (or single time) and an ending time span (or single individual solutions,whichwould nothave beenimaginablewithoutthescore. more is it fascinating, generate it performed: by raised problems the be that us tells Experience concept. should a than and can piece the that however, add, also would I John Cage,0’00”(Peters Edition,NewYork, 1962). . (1958) and the title here says (almost) everything. This is a piece that posits that everything.piece (almost) a says is here This title the 4’33” 4’33” (No. 2) (No. 4’33” –that is, no experienced duration. experienced no is, –that 0’00” (1994) for solo violin, the use of clock timings allows timings clock of use the violin, solo for (1994) Cartridge Music ocr fr in ad Orchestra and Piano for Concert and also Pt. 3 of a work of which of work a of 3 Pt. also and that Cage again picks up this particular thread, particular this up picks again Cage that 0’00” 4’33” (1960). Finally the period includes the large- series. There is also Cage’salso is There series. Piano for Music 67 4’33” Williams Mix Williams f rtn msc Te following The music. writing of ways i ms iprat ic, n i is it and piece, important most his seems to have opened the floodgates oes the piece refer to the to refer piece the Does (1952), 4’33” , itr Music Winter Atlas Eclipticalis Atlas was also something also was Radio Music Radio Writing, Music Writing, Shim’s and expanding 40 to open him to Shim (1956), 39 is Pt. is Atlas Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 yearly calendarfortheintermittentperformancesof work. quartet isneededasetoffourindividualpartsassembledforthepiece. pitch places on the staff, without clef (this is determined by the performer). When a central nine the over needed pitches of number total the of distribution Fibonacci until a using conceived are start parts These end. the until not continue then will but 40, will minute twelve, to nine beats occupying duration four-beat a having of minutes silence. Apart a as five performed being units 55 first remaining the with the – minutes 60 as the scale large the onto map will – rest a having 11units Thus, a part that has part. a that one-unit by duration The beginning used on duration unit 60-minute one part. – the with of the span following the that map also will for and follows, key rhythmic the as used placement and duration of the unit within the bar will be repeated in each bar that is second, one to corresponding unit each with bar, 12-unit a level, rhythmic lowest the On each. minutes five of units 12 into divided is duration 60-minute The structure. macro-rhythmic the in structure micro-rhythmic the replicate to designed is part Every parts. individual The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The proportional subdivisionsofthathour. and (1997) 43 42 41 cycles large two the including Inderhees’spieces, of Many time-keeping. even whenoneisclosetotheinstrument. audibility,of border the at truly is result sounding the that slowly so played tone a produces sometimes This it). of one-sixth to length bow whole a (from time that in used be will bow the of much how over control tight extremely an with work this in combined is This tones. single for more or minutes five of durations create comes back around. This is an experience that will be familiar to aficionados of the aficionados as to such works familiar be will that experience an is one This when around. it back of comes reminded be to only seen, has one what forgetting also includes museum. One is constantly viewing twothe oval-shapedof of each rooms in murals four are there – once at it all them housed in the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris are so large in scale that one cannot see as a question of scale. The magnificent was a preoccupation of Morton Feldman’s. The final works of Feldman treat duration sich (garonne/für Nicolaus Much of Carlo Inderhees’s music springs from the basic principles of human of principles basic the from springs Inderhees’smusic Carlo of Much The question of long duration, as measured in something other than clock time, Christoph artist with project joint Inderhees’s of requirements temporal The STIMMEN de/ (accessed9September2008). website: Wandelweiser Edition the on information more find This project, as interesting as it is, is far too complex to voicesdescribe functionrhythmicallyasonepart,thoughwith individualpitchassignments. here. Those interested can Inderhees sometimes decides to write a homophonic multi-voice piece, in which case all FÜNFUNDDREISSIG MINUTEN SIEBENUNDVIERZIG MINUTEN Other works by Inderhees are often, as in Cage, simply given a durational unit as a title: STIMMEN is a fascinating work. It exists mainly as a procedure for creating for procedure a as mainly exists It work. fascinating a is (1983) or (1983) II Quartet String (2001– ) last exactly one hour and derive their timings from timings their derive and hour one exactly last ) (2001– ) are even more extensive – involving the creation of a of creation the involving – extensive more even are ) (35’)quartetandsoon. (47’) for organ, and remembering, and the viewing experience Nymphéas (or 41 68 (1984). Having the Having (1984). Guston Philip For ZWANZIG MINUTEN Water Lilies) by Claude Monet http://www.wandelweiser. 43 (20’) for piano, 42 für sich für

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 these lines there are many useful considerations concerning what might be left out along think to begins one as soon As parts. of alignment the about or it play can rhythmic values. A score might say nothing specific about what kind of instrument of sense general most the but anything or clefs, leaveout might pieces his of parts Individual duration. total its about nothing say Wolff might Christian by piece A experiences. its rate of movement, but especially in the character and colour of the light that one in sun, the of shape and size the in perceptible, become changes more many limit, a as there is horizon the Because sunset. or sunrise during horizon the at sun the constrain to but sound, them, to narrow the range each of values. I think this for functions like the way wedynamic perceive a indicating by not is complexity this like a vanishinginfinite, point. The smallest changes become perceptible. The way to reach the approaching huge, seem can values amplitude of scale the minutes, the for,say,work Feldman ‘in’late been 40 a of has one Once end. end high the at than low scale the at volume in variation perceived more much simply is there reasons, physiological likely very are what For experienced. as volume to apply constraint applies mostly to the way in which the sound is played, but dynamic cannot The it. really from far – amplitude same the have will sound every that means single typically, a work, late a In soft’. ‘extremely just or possible’ as equal as and low, beginning of the piece, ‘dynamics very low throughout’ or ‘dynamics are extremely of dynamic indications. Early on Feldman got in the habit of simply writing, at the One characteristic of much of Feldman’s music, late or otherwise, is the relative lack Leaving thingsout piece, but in the scale of one’s life that what has occurred early in the piece takes place not just within the scale of the will, one that – clock the forgets sooner that or later forget the scale beginning; that one will a not be able to on anticipate the end time, – in adrift is one that sense 44 in aninfinitemiddle. of this duration seems relatively immaterial – the overriding perception is of being end and beginning forever.The it doing keep will one if as begun, never had it if as unbounded, seem to begins span this hours, nine full the for space the occupies who member audience or performer a For Cologne. in Mauser artist visual the of of planning his of out grows which practice length ofthepiececorrespondingapproximatelytodurationwriting. – the finished was piece the until day after day music the to adding of result the as plan, apparent without durations these at arrived Feldman that sense makes It Much of the experimental tradition concerns what can be left out of a score. a of out left be can what concerns tradition experimental the of Much Beuger’s ‘It is now afternoon, but this morning, long ago, I have a vague memory of having of memory vague a have heard thatmotive.’ I ago, long morning, this but afternoon, now is ‘It at the beginning will apply to the entire piece. entire the to apply will beginning the at ppp calme étendue can last as long as 44 – all of this happens in another durational realm. 69 nine hours for a single performance – a Ein TagEin atelier the eventsat day] [One one of this of course of this of None Writing, Music Writing, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The or recorded sound on an instrument or through language. This process can be fairly raw represent to intent: specific a is the there pieces many In around transcription. of process revolved has Ablinger Peter of work recent the of part significant A Transcription music thatIhave beenconsideringhere. the of much of theme implicit an represent and – music recent in often asked are questions of kinds These score? the in is what with sounding is what reconciling played more subtly if the performer can concentrate solely on the be sound instead of will that things there Are performance? the in clarity of sense a create score a of clarity looking resultant Willthe result? the of complexity the increase acomplicated actually rhythm, as such specific, something out leaving that Will play who instrument? those just of instead player, committed any to available be will it of openness with regard to instrumentation allow for a better performance because Willscore. a of creative?more process performance the make it Will kind certain a own. making of the group has begun to shape, and which appears to grow almost on its keeps working, a version begins to develop, something that the collective decision- one as But indistinguishable. be to seem improvisation and composition which in situation a first, at is, It analysis. than immersion through more learns one behaviours that of – set complex a has that one organism, specific a presents situation each if as almost is It beautiful. or acceptable equally is decision every that say to at attempt an not experience: is This found. alwaysbe will answer an seems, it odd which, in divination musical very a is This play. will others the what of sense develops a loose method for making decisions, even if one doesn’t have a conscious one pieces the playing In harmonize? we do How remains: question basic the But deployed. are sounds the which in patterns the or for asked sounds sustained of kinds the restrictions, durational the performers, of number the varying by angle: 2.17 showsoneexample. harmony functioning Example result. of should that harmonies specific the about anything saying without kind a for conditions create to attempts works these group, of a as titled, pieces, 34 of series a wrote I question, answer this to attempting In piece. this in be to appeared it as easy as be could it harmony,when beautiful and logical creating in spent be to had energy and time much so centuries, the why,over wonder to began I result this first noticed I When rules. harmonic break to enough imaginative someone by and – they way do the just sound to composed been had they if as – way miraculous a in tone). sustained any is, (that However, tone in performance sustained after performance the a resultant harmonies come on together decrescendo and crescendo a making of procedure the on focus to performers the asks score The independent’. and ‘free be should they that is play should they pitches the about ensemble the In James Tenney’sJames In ah ic i te eis prahs h qeto fo a lgty different slightly a from question the approaches series the in piece Each Swell Piece for Alison Knowles Alison for Piece Swell 70 (2004–2006). Each (2004–2006). series harmony (1967) the only thing said to said thing only the (1967) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 Example 2.17 Winds and perhaps bowed strings should alternate sound and silence (entering and leaving as leaving and (entering silence and sound alternate should strings bowed perhaps and Winds from cents 20 than more no altered i.e., slightly, retuned be may tone the section new each With imperceptibly as possible) for the duration of the playing time, in order to avoid fatigue. avoid to order in time, playing the of duration the for possible) as imperceptibly pitches respective their playing begin performers the 9thminute the before time some At clear. very soft, very pure, very are Tones of number any repeated be may section the but section, one least at of consists minutes. 10 is performance A section) (of each duration The Solittle to do simultaneously and hold them until the end of the 10 minutes is reached. The entry point(s) for for point(s) procedure. entry chance The a using reached. is beforehand minutes 10 determined the of be end should the until group the them hold and simultaneously tone. previous the tuning). (any tone one plays performer Each ended). has previous the after immediately beginning section new each (with times for six or more performers playing sustained tones sustained playing performers more or six for hroysre o 6] no. series [harmony Michael Pisaro The scorefor Thereis so little to do t T Mont oung Y te n o M a L To r tte e L So littletodo[harmony series6](2005), , and somuch time to do in.it 71 aur/eray 2005 January/February, Writing, Music Writing, ere Brecht George — Michael Pisaro Pisaro Michael Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 on. so and from entertainment politics, come art, all from voices figures well-known The of piano. recordings found and disc compact for pieces eighty around of graphic imagestowards sound. calls process Ablinger –a ‘phonorealism’. image sonic the of reflection grainy a into assembled re- then are squares These for that. of transcription a sound making then and quadrant each median a identifying a ‘photo’, sonic creating a or of grid squaring, temporal involves and frequency principle basic the Here ). (1995– Quadraturen to c to a clear and simple set of rules. The space traced is within an octave from middle garde pianomusiconemighthave seenintheDarmstadtyears. can manipulate sound data. The score often looks surprisingly like a kind of avant- acoustical information, a process made possible by the ease with which a computer a coarse-grid [digital] photograph’. The writing here is actually the transcription of Ablinger describes the piano part as a ‘temporal and spectral scan of the voice, like The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music Experimental to Companion Research Ashgate The 48 47 Angela 46 Borges, Luis Jorge Apollinaire, Guillaume examples: some 45 over aspecificlengthoftime. writing’), verbal transcriptions of the sequence of sounds in a specific environment the from pieces the in as simple, minutes todraw. piece the of C large each proportions: large using practice out carried be by. can go little procedure they This as letters the a hear can one listening, With English! in anything spell could Lucier vocabulary simple this Using glissandi. with traced are lines Curved tones. sustained by represented stages, sometimes with several versions of a drawing being made, until a form of form a until made, being drawing a of versions several with sometimes stages, by described composer.As the by to spectral transcription. This instrument can, with the aid of a computer, skip the score stage and go directly realm, with a recently developed player piano that 45 Alvin Lucier’s Alvin Another principle of transcription reverses the procedure, moving from simpler The The recent music of Chiyoko of music recent The Transcription has also been carried over by Ablinger into the purely mechanical c A recording of the voice is played and then accompanied by a live pianist. live a by accompanied then and played is voice the of recording A octaves andoccasionalotherintervals. unisons, with occur may that beating the with play to designed patterns from created Here, as with Still Lives , sweeping sine tones do the drawing and the violoncello part is September 2008). all: and accent German voice, of sound the create to alone piano the allows that piece incredible truly a including method, this use that Ablinger by works of website: set a is his There on heard and seen be can http://ablinger.mur.at Ablinger (accessed9September2008). by works other and this of Much Feldman, MartinHeidegger, BillieHoliday, MaoTse-tung, PierPaolo Pasolini. 1 . An octave cluster in the piano is a verticalline. a is piano the in . octavecluster An Voices and Piano and Voices 48 Letters (1998– ) is a more complex work. It is a projected series projected a is It work. complex more a is ) (1998– 47 (1992) transcribes capital letters onto the score according score the onto letters capital transcribes (1992) These works are part of a large series that Ablinger calls acse 9 (accessed http://ablinger.mur.at/txt_qu3schoenberg.html zlavnics involves transcribing drawings made drawings transcribing involves Szlavnics zlavnics, the drawing process itself is done in done is itself process drawing the Szlavnics, Weiss/weisslich 72 (1994– ) series (‘sitting and (‘sitting series ) (1994– 11b Nancarrow would have envied. (2002) takes six takes (2002) Curtis Charles traight horizontal lines are lines horizontal Straight Schoenberg’sspeaking English 46 vs Morton Davis,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 moment the piece shown in Example 2.18, based on a text by Rajzel Zychlinski. samethetime,atgivenis meaningnewcontoursthe by tune.the ofConsider a for which,text, the waitfor in lyingweremelody the if as is surprising:it is tune and from melodies liedern den called pieces, these of seriesworks.A completed for basis the as material this using bydoing, is Beuger what fact in is this andpiece a potentialfor a as seen be he created for this purpose. Having no particular instrumentation, each melody can observedprogressbecomposer’scanthe by musicalwebsitecheckingfriends bya regularly.somewhatlessto, add continued tohasrepertoire Beugerlarge that The very a became quickly Thisshorthand. notational of kind day,a everyusing each few months, starting in August 2007, Beuger composed ten melodies of four phrases of mathematics. to that can feel as if a new world has been created – as though we were finally getting space and time of plasticity conveysa tones sine and ensemble chamber for (2006) harmonic scheme in just intonation. The sounding result in a work such as a to in coordinated goals of series a to tones, sine or glissandi wayinstrumental of the greatthemesofCage’s writing. of one was society in life to related work of kind this how of question The music. making of conditions the of all to committed is one if especially composer, the of It is, of course, work – and, as I have tried to indicate, this is only a part of the work the writing of experimental music harmonize with the life of the people writing it? does How score. the of performance wasthe score the of making the words, other In instructions. the of obligation the fulfilled itself score the of writing amplified Cage’s for score text The Writing asprocess the and instrumental the to situation. drawing tuning the of structure linear the align to used is convincing’. and ‘strong is that emerges it 49 50 composer. the of life the to parallel runs that own its of life a on takes project individual an life. For some composers this is made explicit in the working process itself – where hear some of the outlandish conceptions of worlds to be found in the far reaches One such ongoing project by Antoine Beuger is called The ongoing work of many of the composers discussed here is (or was) a way of The work canbeseenandheardatwww.plainsound.org (accessed9 September 2008). the of Will OnlyMakeMatters Worse) his in again and now up pops that something is It

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 18:09 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315172347, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315172347.ch2 52 51 which performers, using which sounds, for how long, in what performance location for is, (that performed pages was of set previous the how of idea haveany first, at as all of the previous pages, but even so, in most cases, one will generally not, whatever at the duration least of the performance will be. Each page follows for the page, same per rules minutes eight at enough, – pages of set next the provide can he that so composer, the with contact in be to has one works, the of one play to order In each event mustbeenteredontothescore. and consulted be must chart a work– real is required, are they when pages, the of production The hours. 533 of time hours. total a for duration, second 12 same the having 400 of time performance total a _ The for silence, of seconds six by followed seconds, six of duration a having each actions, 120,000 of total performance. a of single consists a 1998 for limit the transcend easily that length a of works series of pieces for from one to nine performers (_ ausführende ), Werder has created his Werder.both Manfred With by designed those are projects the lifesituationofcomposerand(experimental)musicw and conditions working the to parallel runs that history (im)personal an creates it There is something about the project that suggests a kind of organic Markov chain: specific. situation and date are they site-specific, only not are units individual The occurred. The piece already grows have organically without that any things conception the of a by whole influenced or an time, end. over developed and shaped are transformed. reappear these but Aunit, a governsconstitutes concepts what of set might or another in used be might piece one from continuity.’)Material ‘discrete specific set of performers for a single date. (The poet Oswald Egger would call this a for piece a producing of necessities the and work, and thought composer’s the betweenintersection the of of result continuum the the is that piece a piece; one as series the within occur that variations the all understanding by work composer’s is thoughtratherthandescription. halting rhythm thus created brings something new to the poem – the sense that this by virtue of the structure of the melody and the irregular pattern of the text. But the pattern: thus the piece the thus pattern: #ddmmyy a using designed to reflect the date of its one title (and only) performance. a The titles are has created and occasion, specific a for composed is series the in piece Each work. infonietta) on the 20 February 2003. February 20 the on Sinfonietta) Each piece, however, is conceived to be part of a single, intermittent performance. compositional and situational long-term, the of ambitious most the Perhaps The meeting of text and music here breaks the sentence in unexpected places, unexpected in sentence the breaks here music and text of meeting The James 9 September2008). the series) is given on James An updated list of versions with the titles and performances (and more information on the durationofsong. two or none) of the pitches from the phrase and plays it softly and for a long time over This is a piece for voice and chamber orchestra: each of the instruments chooses one (or ausführende udr’ series Saunders’s series consists of nine pieces, each of which has 160,000 actions, 160,000 has which of each pieces, nine of consists series 20– i as a ogig modular ongoing, an also is ) (2000– #[unassigned] Saunders’s website: 51 52 The series acknowledges the continuity of a of continuity the acknowledges series The 75 was performed (by the London the (by performed was #200203 http://www.james-saunders.com (accessed Writing, Music Writing, and the and 1998 stück orld. stück

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