Klarinet Archive - Posting 000727.txt from 2001/09

From: Virginia Anderson <assembly1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Jeering about Cage
Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 11:38:50 -0400

on 20/9/01 9:15 am, SDSCHWAEG@-----.com wrote:

> I've been fascinated with Cage since I was about 13, and read his book
> "Silence" one summer (picked out at random from the music section of the
> public library). I didn't know quite what to make of it then, and still
> don't, I guess, but it certainly sparked a lot of challenging thoughts.

Snap! I was 13 as well, and trying to teach myself music by reading through
everything my local place had. I've got to admit that I liked Cage's
anecdotes first, as much of the rest wooshed over my brain, but it was a
deeply profound experience which has affected pretty much every musical
impulse I've had since.

> When I taught a general music class to junior high students, I used to include
> a performance of a 1-minute "excerpt" from 4'33" as an introduction to
> contemporary music. Ahead of time, I would recruit the biggest ham in the
> class to perform the work, and give them a big introduction. The kid would
> always play along famously, taking a bow before taking a seat at the piano,
> staying absolutely motionless and quiet for exactly 60 seconds, and bowing
> afterwards. The class reaction was always interesting - they were usually
> confused, then uncomfortable with the extended silence. The discussions
> afterwards were often the best we ever had, as we argued about whether the
> piece was "music" or not.

Gosh, Sue! That's brave! To do this with junior high kids is amazing! It
took great care on my part to get this across when I used to present it to
first-year performing arts students at university (and I used to cut it down
to about a minute as well for the more fidgety groups). You are indeed a
great teacher.

Cheers,

Virginia
--
Virginia Anderson
Leicester, UK
<vanderson@-----.uk>
Experimental Music Catalogue: <http://www.experimentalmusic.co.uk>
...experimental music since 1969....

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