Re: [microsound] context

[Randal Davis <randal_davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Absolutely correct, Ian, in your fundamental point, which is why, in my
original post, the word "accident" was bracketed.  I do deny the mechanisms
of Reich's historical embedding in the least.  I sought only to sketch a few
possible modalities of what "historical engagement" has meant.

At the same time, I am less sanguine about your conclusion, that "therefore
a historical framework that legitimized his discovery as one of artistic
merit had been established."

Not so many years after his initial tape works, Reich premiered Four Organs,
under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, in the context of a decidedly
non-avant-garde milieu, with results that nearly provoked a riot - see his
own, and MTT's accounts of this.

Again, I think, we see different modes of historical legitimation in
operation.  Yes?

Thanks for your articulate response - I hope the list continues the
discussion in this manner.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ian Reddy" <dr144@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2006 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: [microsound] context


> >Then, too, there are the "accidents," e.g., Reich's discovery of phasing
in
> >tape loops.
>
> To characterize the discovery of tape phasing as 'accidental' does not
> deny Reich's situation within a certain historical 'context'.  In a
> different milieu Reich could have discarded such an accident as something
> that sounded horrible and worthless. His discovery occured in an already
> lengthy and deep tradition of avant-garde exploration amongst artists and
> hence he was able to identify the results of such an 'accident' as being
> potentially relevant to human culture, regardless of whether or not tape
> phasing had any immediate successors or was discovered with any explicit
> intent.  Perhaps a knowledge of history was not necessary to discover tape
> phasing, but the discovery occured at a time when artists were searching
> for such ideas and therefore a historical framework that legitimized his
> discovery as one of artistic merit had been established.
>
>
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