[silence] Music and Food?

[Cory P. Mathews]

Interactive sound installation artist Liz Phillips hosted sonically  
interactive dinner parties called "TV Dinners" from 1971-1999.  Each  
subtle movement of each diner caused different sonic reactions for the  
duration of the meal. No known recordings that I know of, but if you  
contact Liz, she may have audio/video documentation of a few of them  
(at least one that I know of).  For example, she held an "Electronic  
Banquet" at Charlotte Moorman's Annual Avant Garde Festival of New  
York in 1972 (for example, see "Electrified Spaghetti on Avant Garde  
Fete Menu" by Tom Buckley, New York Times, October 29, 1972, pg.
70).

It seems to me that Allison Knowles also did something similar, but  
right now I can't even remember where to begin looking for that  
documentation.  There are also many examples from 1960s (performing)  
artists working within the "event" or "happening" disciplines that  
included food. The main aesthetic object was not necessarily sonic,  
but you may find something interesting.  Maybe you could do a  
toned-down version of Carolee Schneemann's "Meat Joy" (1964) using  
jello and marshmallows or something?  You're bound to get lots of  
sounds from that!


But you're probably looking for something a little more mild, like Telemann's
"Tafelmusik" (Table Music or Musique de Table).  If so, recordings  
abound on Amazon.com.

Enjoy!


Cory

-- 
cory mathews
PhD candidate, musicology
university of california, santa barbara
cmathews@umail.ucsb.edu
http://ucsbmusicgrads.net

Music gives us alternative imaginative geographies for the places we inhabit.
                                                Simon Critchley


Barry Grant <bgrant@runbox.com> wrote:

> Folks,
>
> At the school where I work we are doing a week on food. I'd like to   
> pull together an hour or so presentation/workshop on music and food   
> for 6-8th graders. Does anyone know of instruments made out of food,  
>  or music made from food, or music designed specifically to dine by?
>
> I know of the Sonic Catering Band, who make music from cooking   
> sounds. Cage did some pieces in which he amplified the sounds from   
> his throat while eating and drinking. Do I have this right? Are   
> there recordings?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Barry
>
> Barry Grant
> Director
> Sussex School
> Missoula, MT
>
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