okay, so I said it... I don't like the music of John Cage! It's dissonant, its senseless... What does chance have to do with making music? My less than traditional education would have me believe that not liking the strange works of Cage is just closed minded. My more traditional senses tell me I like what like and thats not 4'33" !
But, is it music?
Theoetically, the rules of music are not followed. Where is the form? I can't recognize a sonata form, a rondo or even a mazurka in there. What about the resolution of dissonaces and for heavens sake where are the consonant harmonies? To me it seems John "Caged" the consonance when he imancipated the dissonance. What about meter, sure it may fit into some relative time frame, but it's not exactly got the strong and week beats of four-four or six-eight time.
But, is it music?
Cage's "song books" certainly don't pay tribute to the tradition of Bel Canto singing. In fact they're not all song. Rather they are performed by a "singer" but does turning on a radio, bouncing a ball on a wall, or carrying a flag while shouting sloagans about anarchy count as "singing"?
And, is it music?
I've heard of a bassoon, but a bath tub? A flute, but a frying pan? When did a flower pot or a rice steamer become an instrument. Does a rubber duck even really make a sound? Certainly it's entertaining and even comical...
But, is it music?
Well perhaps I will answer that question in the same way I think Mr. Cage would; with another question.
Does it matter what label we give it? Performance art, noise, sound effects, music? It doesn't change the function, the influences, the history and the effect that it has on the future of "music" So does it matter? It is still there, does calling it something other than music somehow discredit it, or make a person like me, who doesn't like it feel better because they can rule it out of that catagory and pay it no regard? I don't think calling it something else will get rid of it. So is it music.
Just for the sake of argument here is how wikipedia defines music -- I open this disscussion in the hope that we can each contribute a new definition of music; our own or from a reputable source. How do these definitions differ, how are they similar and do they fit our ideals of music?
"Music is an art form whose medium is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture. The word derives from Greek μουσική (mousike), "(art) of the Muses".[1]
The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of music vary according to culture and social context. Music ranges from strictly organized compositions (and their recreation in performance), through improvisational music to aleatoric forms. Music can be divided into genres and subgenres, although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to individual interpretation, and occasionally controversial. Within "the arts", music may be classified as a performing art, a fine art, and auditory art.
To people in many cultures, music is inextricably intertwined into their way of life. Greek philosophers and ancient Indians defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres" and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to. However, 20th-century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music, saying, for example, "There is no noise, only sound."[2] According to musicologist Jean-Jacques Nattiez, "the border between music and noise is always culturally defined—which implies that, even within a single society, this border does not always pass through the same place; in short, there is rarely a consensus.… By all accounts there is no single and intercultural universal concept defining what music might be, except that it is 'sound through time'."[3] "
1. Mousike, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, at Perseus
2. John Cage, 79, a Minimalist Enchanted With Sound, Dies
3. Nattiez 1990: 47-8, 55
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Dannica,
ReplyDeleteI don't think any less of you for not liking John Cage. You can't help what you like--your gut-level reaction to a something is formed by parts of your psyche you can't necessarily control. I always go back to what my eighth-grade English teacher told our class about Shakespeare: "You don't have to like it, just appreciate it." Give Cage a fair shot--try to find similarities between his music and the music you perform regularly. You might be surprised at some of the things you discover.
I know there is a temptation to feel defensive about your position, so I'll open myself up to criticism too: I'm playing percussion in the opera right now, and I'm not particularly fond of the music. I'm sorry, but I don't like Donizetti. After leaving the performances, I'm always very eager to listen to something (ANYTHING) that doesn't end with I-V-I-V-I-V-I-V-(repeat ad nauseam). To me, the whole bel canto thing seems so forced: "Let's take an interesting story, and then make all of the entertaining dramatic elements subserviant to opportunities for virtuosic singing" (don't get me wrong here--there are some VERY talented singers in this opera who deserve to showcase their talents. I just wish the big numbers were woven into the action a little more organically). But, regardless of my opinion, bel canto opera fulfilled an important role in a specific place and time, and its influence continues to be felt, just like Cage's. If nothing else, they both deserve our appreciation.
On Appreciation:
ReplyDeleteforget appreciating the music for a minute, a topic wholly too large to tackle anyway. How about some unsolicited appreciation for the performers?
Anyone who has known me for more than 3 or 4 hours is well aware of my opinion of opera. Nevertheless, I had appreciation sweep on me like a hoard of flying monkeys from Oz last week at the Tibetan new year celebration at Natasha's. Damn those girls can sing!!! I've been in plenty of classes with the opera folks (if anyone has yet to take a class with Eric Brown, make sure you take one so you get your lifetimes's worth of laughs in...), and you know they're all great kids. But everyone has heard them belting in the practice rooms or the Niles Gallery and been all "what the hell are they doing?" under their breath. Don't lie, you know you do. Percussionists get it too.
But last week I finally heard. I listened and was moved. Not because of the music, that was whatever. But serious skill level involved. And not in a gimmicky, one-trick pony sort of way. I mean, that's a skill that is versatile and valuable from a market standpoint, and I wish I had some iota of ability to sing (although the shower certainly helps) so that I could impress my wife with my ability to belt out old skool Metal tunes as if I were Siegfried or Peter Grimes. But it ain't gonna happen. I'm gonna keep bangin away and call it music (or, since I like Cage, just sit there and let you listen to me do nothing and still call it music).
I don't like opera, or a lot of other music, but I do try to appreciate talent and skill. Opera singers usually have that. hat, doffed.
It is a valuable skill the way the Philip Glass ensemble has a valuable skill regarding the ability to concentrate for hours or the Michael Gordon Philharmonic can play at 5 different tempos at once without a conductor. Sure the music is specialized, but the skills are pretty useful from a musical versatility toolbox standpoint. Kind of like Jazz.
I'd like to point out, I never said it wasn't music! I posed the question? Sure I started out by saying I don't like it, but I never assumed it had no place in history or that it was unvaluable. So to bring it back to point. WHAT IS MUSIC? WHAT DIFFERENTIATES MUSIC FROM SAY PERFORMANCE ART?
ReplyDeleteI realize everyone has a different definition and thats whats interesting. What are those definitions? Thanks to those of you who have already shared your thoughts!