W I R E D Lab

sarah

Henry Cowell - Aeolian Harp piece

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Henry Cowell was also of Varèse’s generation and an influential leader in the conceptual developments of experimental sound. Cowell is also thought to be one of the earliest 20th Century western composers to study African and Asian musics.
These studies are attributed to his developments in “extending the boundaries of compositional practice in areas of rhythm and timbre” and his unconventional treatment of conventional instruments such as the piano. Cowell’s 1929 theoretical text ‘New Musical Resources’ presented a deconstruction of the binary oppositions of music and noise, where he reasoned, “that the latter is always already contained in the former”. Cowell’s work and deconstructive approach was also particularly influential on John Cage’s oeuvre of chance, indeterminate, cross-disciplinary and prepared piano techniques of composition. Cowell perhaps also incited Cage’s investigations of Zen concepts and aesthetics, particularly the Zen concept of contradiction. (Cox and Warner, 2005, 22-27). Cowell and Cage’s cross-disciplinary approach and cross-referencing of ‘other’ non-western cultures extended boundaries and enabled the deconstruction of the conventional (western) application of instruments and music theory. This poly-cultural and poly-disciplinary dynamic has
behavioural qualities much like the challenges the art-like activities have proliferated and imposed on conventions/codes in this current digital and internet age.

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BRADBURY Comment by BRADBURY on May 18, 2008 at 2:23am
This was all driven by technology, tech advances throughout the 20thC. Both careers seem to parralel / follow the advent and proliferation of radio (mass communication) as well as recording technologies. Recorded music; recordings of ethnic or indigenous musics only became available on vinyl in the late 40s early 50s, still then quite arcane. But these records gave Cage etal an insight and inroad into, most notably eastern musical practice... microtonality.
Concurrent with the music came an influx of ideas and philosophies, visiting lecturers and published texts, hence the prolifereation in academic circles, throughout the 50's and onwards, of Zen and other eastern trips.
thru into the sixties, just add drugs....hey presto.

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