Is playing football or tennis a form of music?
I know you are probably thinking, “What on earth is she going on about?” but let me ask you….does music have to strictly represent rhythm, time and a melody? Who dictates what we hear (a random bunch of sounds) and who says that bunch of sounds doesn’t create meaning and purpose?
John Cage, an American composer, posed the idea that silence and random sounds do create meaning and music. Look at John Cage’s 4’33” for Piano, composed in 1952. This piece of music consists of a pianist sitting in a performance position, playing the piano in silence for four minutes and thirty-three seconds.
See the performance here:
Each and every single person hears and interprets music differently and this ultimately is the reason behind the composition of this work. While the piece is commonly referred to as four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence, it actually enables the listener to hear the sounds of the environment allowing them to construct their own meaning, understanding and interpretation of the ‘music’.
When you listen to Mozart, Beethoven, or even contemporary artists of today, they all have their own unique sound and their music is generally recognisable before you even know they composed the piece of music. This is not the case with John Cage’s 4’33” because each time it is performed, each listener experiences something different.
Next time you are outside, playing football or tennis, and you hear various sounds, I challenge you to question yourself and ask….can I create my own musical interpretation of the different sounds I am hearing?
After all, your imagination and creativity allow you to question the impossible and make it a reality.
As John Cage says, ”When we separate music from life we get art!”
I have attached a clip below that shows the method behind John Cage’s madness.
Happy weekend,
Sarah
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