[microsound] blocks 'O text redux

[Kim Cascone <kim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 28, 2008, at 4:38 PM, microsound-digest-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> right! that was the point of what i said...
I see it a little differently

> from the side of the creation of things, the composer should have  
> in mind
> the context where his work will be performed.
sometimes, depending on the music, the composer has little control  
over the context of where their music is performed

> an artist who creates a max
> patch for a sound installation which never stops, for example, does  
> this
> knowing that the composition must allow the listener to get in and  
> out of it
> at any moment.
disregarding the absolutes of 'must' and 'should' in your statement I  
will say this:
what you seem to be suggesting (I could be wrong here) is that all  
composers who compose works of longer time-spans
do so by second guessing the listener
that they 'must' either allow the listener entry and exit by  
providing a 'doorway' or a lull in the narrative
or keep the narrative 'static' so that they won't miss anything by  
not sitting through the whole piece
it becomes less musical and more textural

while many composers know that a work of indeterminate length will be  
stepped in and out of like a river
I don't think they craft the work in order to placate the listener

each listener creates their own narrative/meaning by framing an event  
of undetermined length
some people might spend 3 minutes listening to the work while others  
stay for 8 hours

a piece of indeterminate length can be considered an 'open work'
and usually ends up defying any intention the composer might have had


> in that sense, these compositional values are a whole different  
> thing that
> those of a filmmaker.
> different sculpting ways...
it depends on the filmmaker and the narrative structure used
Lynch works like a musician as well as a painter
for different part of the creation process
using both musical structure and painterly textures

Eisenstein derived much of his theory of montage from musical  
structures/properties
many editors cut to music which imparts a certain rhythm and form
and many composers compose for a place/atmosphere that moves them
so I'm not sure that there is as much of a firewall between film and  
music as you think



> hah I think I'm moving the discussion to some other point with  
> this, but i
> find it extremely interesting.
agreed