[CAUT] John Cage, "The Earth Shall Bear Again"

[David Ilvedson]

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I like the concept of "found sound", i.e. the sound something makes in =
itself...hitting it, plucking it, whatever.   I've seen several bands m=
ade up of new instruments...kitchen sink gongs...some amazing sounds.  =
 Put that together with a score and it IS music.   There was a time I c=
ouldn't stand John Cage but I'm finding myself getting more open to try=
ing things for what they are...
I'm less impressed with artists throwning paint at a canvas and calling=
 that art, ala Pollock but I'll probably come around to that also...;-]=

David I.




Original message
From: "Fred Sturm" 
To: caut 
Received: 10/5/2005 5:58:48 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] John Cage, "The Earth Shall Bear Again"


On 10/5/05 11:36 AM, "Jeff Tanner" <jtanner@mozart.sc.edu> wrote:


Question is this:  the instructions give exact distance from the damper=
 to place the screws, bolts, etc.  How much does piano make and model a=
ffect what Cage was after?  (I mean, really, was there really a method =
to his madness? or was this guy just really doing some serious d-basing=
?)  When he says "bamboo", is it a "slice" of large bamboo or a "tube" =
of smaller diameter bamboo (like what he was using to snort coke? maybe=
 a doobie holder?)?  green or dried?  and what is usually used for the =
"plastic" weaved around the low A, Bb, and B?  Drink straw maybe? (see =
snort)

No. I'm sorry. I just can't take this music form seriously.  But some p=
eople want to give it merit.

Jeff



Hi Jeff,
    Cage can be a bit of a puzzle. Sorry, I don=92t know the specific p=
iece in question. Usually the instructions say =93approximate distance =
from dampers.=94 (Sometimes they just say what note). To be =93Cagean=94=
 about it, try it out and see what it sounds like. Then shift it a bit =
and see what that sounds like. Have an open mind and ear, and make a de=
cision based on what works. Yes, of course the make/model/scale (mostly=
 length) will have an effect =96 where along the string the object is, =
what overtones are enhanced/suppressed. I suspect Cage worked at his ow=
n piano, which I guess would have been a small grand, maybe 5=926=94 to=
 6=922=94 (pure speculation on my part). 
    Bamboo I would probably interpret as a piece of cheap chopstick. Bu=
t I=92d need to have the context. Think 40=92s and 50=92s. What was rea=
dily available to folks then? 
    Plastic? A straw would be a good guess. See what effect it has. May=
be something thicker and harder would be needed to have a noticeable ef=
fect. 
    Might be nice to find a recording to see what it sounds like and tr=
y to match. Margaret Leng Tan is an excellent Cage specialist, probably=
 recorded his complete works for piano.
    You might ask Alan Eder, at CalArts, <ReggaePass@aol.com>, for furt=
her advice. You can ask him in person at next summer=92s institute in R=
ochester, but I guess that=92ll be too late for this particular project=
 <g>.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico 

PS A good deal of Cage=92s music, well-played, is great stuff IMO. Ther=
e is a bit of balderdash too, and it got more press, being =93outrageou=
s=94 and whatnot. I=92m particularly fond of his Sonatas and Interludes=
 for piano. 

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