Thursday, September 4, 2008

The Twilight Zone?

After watching that performance in class, I'm not sure what to think. I understand the concept behind it, but it didn't do anything for me. Taking what we consider to be everyday "noise", and trying to make us see it in a new light as "music" is a revolutionary idea. However, by just blaring all of the sounds at once in a sort of random mesh from life, instead of trying to emphasize certain ones at different moments or composing them at all, really doesn't accomplish the task. 
I remember seeing some women in the video holding their heads or faces. It seemed they had a headache, but I don't know, maybe they were just deep in thought. I saw others who seemed a little more carried away by it. They were way too excited about the whole thing, and could this really have been induced by the performance? Others expressions were sort of blank and hazed over, which I can definitely relate to. I must admit I zoned out more than once during the performance. If that was Cages goal, then he was successful. But does Cage really even have goals with his music?
He talks so much about getting rid of individual taste and likes, to go beyond it, but that's not what happens for me. I still retain my likes and dislikes in music and life in general. I still like many of his ideas and concepts, but I'm having trouble actually appreciating his music and getting beyond his method of writing. I feel he takes any artistry out of music by using chance operation. Even in nature there are patterns for bird songs, and they are often used to attract other animals, (not make them zone out or give them a headache.) In our everyday lives, even if we do appreciate the sounds all around us, I find we are often appreciating a recognition of pattern or beat. It isn't the randomness that we can connect with, and I believe with music, that is the ultimate goal. It's not always about learning something new, or opening our minds, though that is a very noble cause, but more often, it is about connection.

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