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In Reply to: RE: Could be posted by rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com on October 29, 2014 at 07:42:52
Your understanding of art seems somewhat petty.
Follow Ups:
Your understanding of art seems somewhat petty.
That seems a little harsh. I'd argue that it's less petty than the facetious remarks that 4'33" seems to attract from folk apparently unaware that Cage was not without a touch of humour. Besides, Rick's in pretty good company - talents as diverse as Schoenberg (who taught Cage), Boulez and Stockhausen were, probably rightly, dismissive of his compositional ability. He himself admitted to having a poor understanding of harmony. And so on.
In 2012, the London Sinfonietta "performed" 4'33" at a televised BBC Promenade Concert that we happened to watch; its effect was very much as radiodaddy's post suggests. It was clear that the "performers", the conductor and the audience alike enjoyed the piece - IOW, they not only listened to the "silence" but had fun. So did we. Cage had made an important musical/philosophical point in, well, under five minutes.
I'm not qualified to comment on his stature as a composer; I find such works as I've heard attractive but not earth-shattering. That said, I'm adamant that was he an important musical thinker and not, as Rick suggests, a showman and a bit of a charlatan.
But then I like Jackson Pollock too. Anyway, thanks to all for an interesting thread, esp the link to Kazimir Malevitch whose work I had not seen before.
Gary Moore: “Inevitably, Mr. Cage, these are nice people, but some of them are going to laugh. Is that all right?”
John Cage: “Of course. I consider laughter preferable to tears.”
is that the Cubists and other early- and mid-20th century modern artists like Malevich or Mondrian or Bauer have had a profound and lasting effect on our lives. Just look at any rectangular steel-and-glass office building, or the Beatles' White Album. And you can probably say the same about Philip Glass -- or John Cage.
middleground: "Your understanding of art seems somewhat petty."
+1
The word petty seems to upset you.
I used it as a translation of the French "étriqué".
English is not my mother tongue.
I still maintain that people who think that modern art is nothing more than a gimmick meant to separate the bourgeois from their coinage are simply wrong. As for those who have mentioned the sense of humour of modern artists pushing the limits, yes one sometimes finds humour in art. Some artists may express humour, but that hardly makes their artistic endeavours a joke.
Pioneering artists are condemned to being on the leading edge of their art and to creating original works and the thinking that goes with such creation. That is far from a novelty act in search of paying suckers.
Middleground, I don't know if your reply is addressed to me. "+1" means I agree with you in addition.
I disagree with rickmcinnis that Jackson Pollock is not merely "show business." His work can be art at the highest order, regardless of genre.
For example, that cubist work of Malevich that you linked to reminds one a lot of the Beatles' White Album, doesn't it? That similarity isn't coincidental.
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