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« on: 23:58:00, 16-03-2008 » |
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Well it's about time. Here is Puzzle 373. Will anybody who participated in this, or any other performance of the work, in this, or an earlier version, please have the good grace to refrain from attempting a solution to the puzzle? Puzzle 373 The Great Learning Paragraphs 2 and 7 (1971; re-released 2002) (Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Classics 471 572).  Good heavens no. That was just excerpts from the published edition. This is something quite different in structure and ethos. I haven't performed in any version of Paragraph 2, but I feel I'm being a little bit sneaky because I have performed Paragraphs 1, 5, 6 and 7. I will suck lemons later as penance (mmmmmm lemons nom nom nom). Is this the Maoist revision of Paragraph 2 of The Great Learning that the Scratch Orchestra performed in 1972? Quite right, hh. In fact, the very end of the Proms performance. Not only was a different translation (by Cardew, rather than Pound) used, but there were specifically four drummers, who, for the final rhythm, played the one which Cardew nicknamed Brabazon, rather than one they each chose for themselves, and it was played in strict canon. Also in complete contrast to the original score and ethos, they ended together, with all but one playing an incomplete cycle of Brabazon at the end. How did this departure (specifically the musical considerations to do with the canon and coordinated ending) reflect his thinking of the time? Were these decisions made strictly on musical grounds or were it a reflection of his political thought at the time? |
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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Bryn
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« Reply #1 on: 00:16:18, 17-03-2008 » |
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Well it's about time. Here is Puzzle 373. Will anybody who participated in this, or any other performance of the work, in this, or an earlier version, please have the good grace to refrain from attempting a solution to the puzzle? Puzzle 373 The Great Learning Paragraphs 2 and 7 (1971; re-released 2002) (Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Classics 471 572). Good heavens no. That was just excerpts from the published edition. This is something quite different in structure and ethos. I haven't performed in any version of Paragraph 2, but I feel I'm being a little bit sneaky because I have performed Paragraphs 1, 5, 6 and 7. I will suck lemons later as penance (mmmmmm lemons nom nom nom). Is this the Maoist revision of Paragraph 2 of The Great Learning that the Scratch Orchestra performed in 1972? Quite right, hh. In fact, the very end of the Proms performance. Not only was a different translation (by Cardew, rather than Pound) used, but there were specifically four drummers, who, for the final rhythm, played the one which Cardew nicknamed Brabazon, rather than one they each chose for themselves, and it was played in strict canon. Also in complete contrast to the original score and ethos, they ended together, with all but one playing an incomplete cycle of Brabazon at the end. How did this departure (specifically the musical considerations to do with the canon and coordinated ending) reflect his thinking of the time? Were these decisions made strictly on musical grounds or were it a reflection of his political thought at the time? I don;t remember Cardew being particularly forthcoming on his reasoning. I took is to be a matter of simplifying and effectively militarizing the close of the performance. Correction, it was the rhythm Cardew nicknamed, "Hearts", not the "Brabazon" one, which just happened to have been my favourite when I first got to learn the rhythms. I should have looked at the score, rather than relying on a faulty memory.  |
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #2 on: 00:21:36, 17-03-2008 » |
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militarizing
That's an interesting choice of word there Mr Bryn. I suppose it connects vaguely to that Brian Eno article (it's in Durham, not here) where he talks about the way in which the recording of Paragraph 7 (and Jesus' Blood) fade out rather than have 'endings'. I suppose it was his way of producing a context-specific ending that the audience would 'get'. On paper it's my least favourite Paragraph and (as I've said above) I've never performed it. |
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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Bryn
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« Reply #3 on: 00:32:36, 17-03-2008 » |
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militarizing
That's an interesting choice of word there Mr Bryn. I suppose it connects vaguely to that Brian Eno article (it's in Durham, not here) where he talks about the way in which the recording of Paragraph 7 (and Jesus' Blood) fade out rather than have 'endings'. I suppose it was his way of producing a context-specific ending that the audience would 'get'. On paper it's my least favourite Paragraph and (as I've said above) I've never performed it. I was I the audience for the first public performance of Paragraph 2, and sung in the second (the next day). I was quite bowled over by both experiences. That did not stop me making a friendly dig at it, along with one at neo-Malthusian population politics, in a little piece, "Hum-Drum", that autoharp has in turn 'paid tribute' to/satirized in one of his one-minute pieces to be played on Tuesday. I like each of the Paragraphs, in their different ways. I suppose Paragraph 5 would stand out as my overall favourite, but I would find it very hard to choose a 'least favourite'. |
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #4 on: 00:36:38, 17-03-2008 » |
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In my experience of performing the other paragraphs, the appeals of the individual pieces came out through preparation (on paper, Paragraph 6 isn't exactly inspiring but it was a real joy to perform - two bass clarinets in case you were wondering), so I suppose I should perform it before slagging it off!
It may be the sheer number of performers that are implied in the score that puts me off. Also it's looks like it's going to be very noisy. I'm not brontophobic or anything (though I have been quite sensitive to noise for the last 4 years) but the idea of massed drumming and chanting doesn't exactly press my buttons.
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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Bryn
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« Reply #5 on: 00:59:42, 17-03-2008 » |
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Oh, it's loud alright. Very loud. Well, not by heavy metal standards, by for just a few drums and voices ... Not sure I can hear Paragraph 6 living up to the text with just two performers. It's the social interactions of a group of players which seems so important in such a work, to me. "singly and all together" is hard to relate to a duet. Of course, if you are including the audience members, albeit unknowingly to them, in the performance, ... |
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autoharp
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« Reply #6 on: 16:29:40, 17-03-2008 » |
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The least attractive aspect of Paragraph 2 is finding somewhere suitable to perform it (because of the balance problem between drums and voices). Unlike much of the rest of The Great Learning, it doesn't work well in a church. The most satisfying place I've experienced (only for a rehearsal unfortunately) was outdoors in a closed-in square courtyard.
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #7 on: 23:27:28, 19-03-2008 » |
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Oh, it's loud alright. Very loud. Well, not by heavy metal standards, by for just a few drums and voices ... Not sure I can hear Paragraph 6 living up to the text with just two performers. It's the social interactions of a group of players which seems so important in such a work, to me. "singly and all together" is hard to relate to a duet. Of course, if you are including the audience members, albeit unknowingly to them, in the performance, ... I'd have to go back to the score in order to talk more about why we made the decisions that we did. I think that it's fair to say though that I accept that a duet was not according to the spirit of the notation, however given that it didn't violate the letter (as far as I recall), I felt that it was incredibly valuable to put together a performance that had integrity, intimacy, and in which I could trust the other performer to take the notation seriously. It created a very focused soundworld following on from Paragraph 1. |
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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Chichivache
Posts: 128
The artiste formerly known as Gabrielle d’Estrées
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« Reply #8 on: 08:05:45, 01-11-2008 » |
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Music Matters, today (1st Nov): 'Plus author John Tilbury talking about his controversial biography of composer Cornelius Cardew'.
And just aired on "Breakfast" -Well Well Cornelius
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wotthehell toujours gai archy
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time_is_now
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« Reply #9 on: 09:36:03, 01-11-2008 » |
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Music Matters, today ... author John Tilbury talking about his controversial biography of composer Cornelius Cardew
Yes, I meant to mention that. On my way out of Broadcasting House on Tuesday I bumped into Michael Finnissy on his way in. We chatted for a few minutes and it turned out he was about to record a review of that book for Music Matters. He didn't mention that Tilbury himself was also due in the studio, although MF was with a man called Steve who I didn't recognise, who he said was his co-reviewer. I'll be listening out for it, anyway.  |
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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Bryn
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« Reply #10 on: 20:29:55, 02-11-2008 » |
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Got back from the launch of Tilbury's Cardew biography about half and hour ago. Steve (Beresford) was in attendance. As John greeted him with "Thanks for the kind words", someone, whose identity I will withhold, commented "but only the kind ones". Good to see so many old friends in attendance. I had a flick through the tome on the coach back home. I am racking my brains to recall some of the comments attributed to me in it, especially regarding the relative weakness of Paragraph 4 of Cardew's "The Great Learning", but JT says it was in a letter I sent him in 1984, so I guess I must have put forward such an opinion, and come of think of it, in relative terms, I do think it the weakest, though still strong. By the way, anyone worried about the physical viability of a 1,100 page paperback need not worry. It is fully stitched, not simple perfect binding. Hurry while stocks last. |
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autoharp
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« Reply #11 on: 09:54:43, 03-11-2008 » |
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I missed these words from Steve Beresford. Please enlighten me.
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time_is_now
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« Reply #12 on: 16:44:24, 03-11-2008 » |
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I missed these words from Steve Beresford. Please enlighten me.
I just posted the link on another thread - I couldn't remember where this one was. The link is here, autoh. |
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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Turfan Fragment
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« Reply #13 on: 17:30:16, 03-11-2008 » |
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I am a big fan of Moe! Staiano, who uses hum-drums. The exclamation point is part of his name.
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Bryn
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« Reply #14 on: 18:01:37, 03-11-2008 » |
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I missed these words from Steve Beresford. Please enlighten me.
I just posted the link on another thread - I couldn't remember where this one was. The link is here, autoh. Drag the slider to 32 minutes into the programme. |
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