Re: [microsound] being 'political' in non-verbal music

[Exegene <exegene@xxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005, Damian Stewart wrote:

> How do you get across political messages in music which has no lyrics and 
> which has no voice samples?
*snip*

This may be akin to asking "how do I give a moving speech without using 
any words or gestures?" or "how do I build a chair without using my hands 
or any tools?"

It has by now been pointed out enough that context matters. It sounds like 
you are approaching the issue with a nod to the universal, and so refuse 
any ephemera such as the mentioned recording of barcelonans banging away 
in reaction to the most noxious current example of western imperialism 
because, in terms specific to this recording, nobody fifty years ago or 
almost nobody today in the usa or probably nobody in five hundred years 
and so on will be able to pick up on the very precise intended meaning, 
that is, alyrical music requring an understanding of real world context to 
convey meaning is not univerally understandable, is less meaningful than 
it could or is wished to be. But, while it is the rare piece of 
information with popular currency that lasts the ages, there have always 
been and will always be unfortunately disposable ideas and reflections of 
ideas; the specific availablility of identity of an ephemerum(?) may not 
be universal, but the presence of unforeseeable ephemera is. A sample of, 
say, GWB provides the hooks biting into the flesh of the listener strung 
to the artist's intended meaning in a way similar to provision by the 
words you read at this very moment, indeed relevant samples and related 
can be thought of as the words available to modern music.

To return to analogy, a conscious minor restriction in words allowed can 
make for an interesting experiment(Try spending some time in normal 
conversation without saying the words "I", "me", "my", or "mine." Bonus 
points for creativity.), a wordless conversation can make for a fulfilling 
session of expression while causing the casual onlooker to roll their 
eyes, but engaging in more or less normal declaration or discourse without 
any word available in any dictionary is sheer foolishness.

--
Dear Patron Saint,
your lips are lopsided
www.devo.com/exegene

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