Well, martle, I suspect something rather different.

With regard to your a), what checks are in place to confirm that the data are i) random, and ii) real?

With regard to your b), what criteria exist (if any) to verify the qualitative assessments of random participants concerning "artistic qualities" experienced on a BUS JOURNEY or a TRIP TO THE SUPERMARKET (inter alia).

With respect, therefore, I have to assume that a Music Graduate (from a leading Conservatoire) has more B*LLS than this!

Baz

Those are the sorts of things it would be interesting to hear him comment on, Baz; and I guess he may not be too concerned with things like 'checks' and 'criteria' for this part of the project, but again I don't want to put words in his mouth. I'd like to hear what he says himself! Wouldn't you?

(And, he's not yet a graduate it seems - this is his final year.)

YES! 

(Because - again I make the assumption - he is surely interested in how we might perceive the slight skewering of mundane, everyday actions as at least very modestly 'artistic' events, if only because he has suggested that they might be. This is well-established methodolgy in the field of psychology, for instance. And it has a tangential precedent in music - )




Are You Ready?




4'33''!!!!

I'm rather saddened when a composer invites people "behind the scenes" to participate in the "making" of a piece - whatever you think of that piece of the composer's approach - and in response a herd of rhino then trample the thing into the dust?   

I really wonder what you all "gain" from this...  some kind of sense of superiority?  Or are you bastioning yourselves against the fear of the unknown?

Deeply depressing to read all the above     Being judgemental after the event is one thing - but damning the thing before it's even happened seems an extraordinarily uptight response.   What is it that you all find so "threatening" about someone getting on a bus?

I come fresh from TOP, where a coterie of members are busily slating Kenneth Branagh's film of MAGIC FLUTE before it's even begun shooting

Martle - the "Project" has been discribed in full detail: here, over at musicandsociety, and on his website. The information we have is "complete". I am not of a cynical or depressing disposition (believe me!). BUT...

Why does a 22-year composer (no doubt needing to make a living, and publishing new music, and getting performers together for public concerts, etc. etc...............) offer something like THIS? Who's interested?

If I walk down to Tesco, it will be ONLY to buy food for the family while listening to Bach on my iPod. If I go on a bus, it will be ONLY because I have  a "freedom pass"" and feel able to stand the stress; if I walk down the road, it will be ONLY because it's easier than driving.

None of this has any causal link whatsoever with ART, or with anybody else whatsoever. It is, in my view, pretentious in the extreme for ANYONE to suggest otherwise - especially a composer who claims my time in doing this is somehow "needed" for his "composition".

If you cannot see it that way, then sorry.

Baz

NAME: ANOther

OCCUPATION: Composer

AGE: 22 years X months

FUNDING AMOUNT APPLIED FOR: £6,500

PLEASE WRITE BELOW A PERSONAL STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF YOUR APPLICATION

I wish to apply for funding to complete a new Project that will take about 8 months to complete. It unites both Music and Sociology, and involves the creation and assessment of the personal experiences of all those who take part. There will be SIX identified undertakings as follows:

The first event takes place on January 21st 2008 and there is an event every day (with exception to Saturday 26th) with the final event being on Sunday 27th January.

Performers are free to execute their performance at any point during the day and in each event have to follow through a task. These tasks range from clapping hands once, to simply not thinking about the length of time one will ride a bus for.

Events call for certain times and durations to be recorded and sent to the composer; these timings and durations will go to writing a new piece of music in late 2008.

Event four (supermarket) calls for receipts to be kept, it is hoped that performers will send their receipts to Matthew through the post or scan and email them to six_events@yahoo.co.uk

Performers should constant [sic] listen to the sounds around them, they are hearing a very unique composition. Also, anything at all of interest should be documented, if something happens (someone accuses you of acting suspicious, a pigeon sits on your head, you fall asleep, you trip up....) please write this down and email to the above address.

NB: you do not have to take part in every single event, you can choose just one if you so wish

It is particularly important to note that those who take part need only take part in one event - and even then only if they wish to.

When these "experiences" have been suitably logged by participants (who, incidentally, need no experience, qualification, or liaison whatsoever) and fed back to the applicant via email, it will then be possible to use the data as the basis for an entirely new and ground-breaking composition. This will be completed by 31st July 2008.

It is anticipated that this work - including all necessary secretarial and postage expenses - will be easily funded by £6,500.

Please let me know by next Friday how you will be paying the £6,500 into my account.

Yours etc......................

I'm sorry Reiner but you miss my point I think. Modern music is not my love, anyone who knows me knows that. I do however appreciate that if a person sits down ( or even stands and walks about) and produces with someone who is making so called musical noises  having been advised how and when to do these actions.. in my opinion with music written down ... even in graphics, I can accept that the noise which ensues can , to some,  be said to be music.

I cannot in any way understand how one can hear a receipt from a supermarket that is sent to someone who is supposedly composing music and who wasn't there when this amazing musical event took place ( I shall certainly comment on this tomorrow morning at tescos) At what point is it not necessary for the musical composition actually to be the making of some noise or other that is listened to by others.
I could 'write' a piece ( I really could ... believe me) about the sound made by a washing machine in Ardwick as it is doing its final spin then regurgitating its clean washing into the hands of the desparing housewife.... but honestly... why the heck should I? Isn't music supposed to be an experience of some pleasure or stimulation?
 How you can put Beethoven and Faure in the same breath as this stuff is completely above me... have I lost the plot? - - If this is the case I think perhaps I am glad !!!!!!

A

Reiner and Bryn, I do sympathise with you, on the surface some of us are treating Matthew harshly, but he has posted on our forum just one subject and we are entitled to question his composition 'technique' in which he requests participation, in a method which is hardly new or innovative, and not 'unknown', it's just an arty game.

I'm going to try and be helpful in suggesting now that an entrirely different and original approach to music-making be devised by Matthew which might interest us all. Considering our responses here, and there is a danger that his exam judges will have the same mixed feelings and lead to a poor result/mark.

I wish more of today's composers would just sit down and write some music - the majority of young people today only respond to 'serious' new music like the Harry Potter theme music (which I was listening to right now on CFM), yes I know Hedwig's Theme is not very original either  

One thing I enjoyed recently was listening to music accompanying a Honda commercial where a choir made all the clunk and swishing noises of a car on a journey, and the conductor contributed a timely stamping of foot; I thought that was original (tell me if I'm wrong, and indeed tell me who the composer was if you can)

John W