[silence] The percussion Number Pieces of John Cage

[Glenn Freeman]

John Cage wrote:

> "Six time-brackets for the 'left hand' and eight for the 'right'.
> Bracket times are in light face when they overlap adjacent brackets.  
> At
> such points, the performer must find a solution that accomodates one
> bracket with the other. Either hand may help the other. Numeral on
> staves are cymbals and/or drums chosen by the drummer. The sounds to  
> be
> made are either long (a tremolo with individual attacks that are not
> noticeable) or very short (without resonance, completely stopped).
> Dynamics are free. Only one sound per bracket."

Yes, I also ended up performing a single cymbal sound (loudly and very  
short) with a soft mallet. Alexandre Popoff, however, is correct. This  
one sound can be perceived as a struck note, allowed to ring. But  
listen closely and you will hear it is actually the reverb of a very  
large recording space (Basilica), not the very short sound. I'll blame  
it on the engineer!

Are you defining "very short" to ALWAYS mean what is provided in  
parentheses "(without resonance, completely stopped)"? If so, then why  
are these descriptions/examples in parenthesis? This issue might come  
down to whether one person perceives what is in parenthesis as  
examples/suggestions, or strict law.

> In what sense do you feel counterpoint in such pieces (especially in
> One4 which only has a solo line) ?

I was referring more to Three2 and Six, but even with One4 sounds can  
overlap from time to time. Also, One4 is actually a number piece  
composed for 2 hands (so One4 is a quasi-Two?). Counterpoint in  
Wikipedia ...

"the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in  
contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony". in latin, simply  
"note against note".

Again, I use the term chance counterpoint because any interdependent  
nature would arise from chance ... and this is also up to the listener  
to hear, or not hear.

Glenn Freeman
OgreOgress productions
http://cdbaby.com/group/ogreogress