4 ms·
A major element of 4'33" is that it is impossible to experience silence. It was partly inspired by Cage's experience in an anechoic chamber. He'd expected to he
by grodin 3y ago
A major element of 4'33" is that it is impossible to experience silence. It was partly inspired by Cage's experience in an anechoic chamber. He'd expected to hear silence but could still hear sounds that were coming from himself (the story is that a sound engineer told him the sounds were his bloodstream and his nervous system, but I find it very hard to believe that what he heard was actually either of those things).
4'33" is intended to be "performed" for an audience, and the sounds created by the audience, and any other ambient sounds are the music. Another major aspect of the work is that it blurs the lines between composer, performer and audience. In traditional classical music, the performer interprets the written work by the composer and the audience just listens, but there's no particular reason that all music has to work like that.
- circuit10 3y ago> his bloodstream and his nervous system, but I find it very hard to believe that what he heard was actually either of those things Sometimes if it's really quiet I can hear something that seems to pulse at about the right speed that it could be blood flowing, so I don't find that very hard to believe? Or am I hearing something else?
- jawilson2 3y agoI can definitely hear my pulse at night in bed, or after working out. This is definitely not too far-fetched.
- InitialLastName 3y ago> the story is that a sound engineer told him the sounds were his bloodstream and his nervous system, but I find it very hard to believe that what he heard was actually either of those things Have you ever spent meaningful time alone in an anechoic chamber? Your ears are similar to your eyes, in that they have mechanisms to adjust to ambient noise (/light) levels. If you are in very deep silence for a long enough time, your brain starts trying to make sense of the sounds you are hearing (which indeed includes your blood flowing in your ears [0]), potentially causing auditory hallucinations. It can be a profound experience. [0] https://nypost.com/2023/02/02/inside-the-worlds-quietest-room-at-microsofts-headquarters/ https://nypost.com/2023/02/02/inside-the-worlds-quietest-roo...
- genman 3y agoThis is exactly how you sell the bullshit - with cleverly worded bullshit that makes the reader feel smart. He was able to pull it off because he was already famous and accomplished.
- space_fountain 3y agoWhat is art but cleverly composed stimulus? Idk it’s a bit silly and I think the critique that an unknown wouldn’t be able to do it is fair, but that too is true of most art