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Produced by David Behrman

Sidel JOHN CAGE: VAR A! ONS David !udor) Piano

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le77 5he elemen57 o9 5he univer7e ;i5h ;hich one i7 dealin6) ;herea7) in inde5erminacy) li:e 5o 5hin: = = = 5ha5 4m ou57ide 5he circle o9 a :no;n univer7e and dealin6 ;i5h 5hin67 li5erally don45 :no; any5hin6 abou5=8 $ariations II "0>&0( i7 a com<o7i5ion inde5ermina5e o9 i57 <er9ormance) 9or any number o9 <layer7) any 7ound$<roducin6 mean7= !he 7core con7i757 o9 7i/ 5ran7<aren5 <la75ic 7hee57 havin6 7in6le 75rai6h5 line7) 9ive havin6 <oin57= !he7e 7hee57 are 5o be 7u<erim<o7ed) and <er<endicular7 5hen dro<<ed 9rom each <oin5 5o each line= #ea7uremen57 o9 5he7e len65h7 are 5hen u7ed 5o de5ermine value7 9or each o9 5he 7i/ 8<arame5er78: 9reBuency) am<li5ude) 5imbre) dura5ion) <oin5 o9 occurrence and 75ruc5ure o9 even5= n <re<arin6 5he com<o7i5ion 9or <er9ormance) David !udor47 reali@a5ion o9 5he 7core evolved 9rom hi7 ini5ial deci7ion concernin6 5he in75rumen5a5ion= Havin6 <reviou7ly u7ed am<li9ica5ion in 7everal <er9ormance7 o9 Ca6e <iano <iece7) !udor decided 5o ma:e a ver7ion o9 $ariations II 9or am<li9ied <iano) in ;hich 5he 5o5al con9i6ura5ion ;ould be re6arded a7 5he in75rumen5= !here9ore) any 7ound 6enera5ed in 5he 7y75em "7uch a7 audio 9eedbac:( ;ould be acce<5ed and u5ili@ed in 5he <er9ormance= n ;or:in6 ou5 5he 7core) i5 became eviden5 5ha5 5he na5ure o9 5he in75rumen5 ;a7 no5 com<a5ible ;i5h 7<eci9yin6 di7cre5e value7 9or each <arame5er= !here9ore) a95er e/<erimen5in6 ;i5h a con5inuou7 7cale o9 com<le/i5y) !udor di7carded 5he in5ervenin6 value7 in 9avor o9 a conce<5 o9 5;o ba7ic 75a5e7 or condi5ion7) 7im<le or com<le/= +or in75ance) i9 a 5imbre ;a7 7<eci9ied a7 7im<le) i5 mi6h5 be one ;i5h 9e; harmonic7E i9 an am<li5ude ;a7 com<le/) i5 mi6h5 be chan6in6 in a ra<id) a<eriodic manner= !he in5er<re5a5ion o9 each <arame5er ;i5h re7<ec5 5o 5he 5;o 75a5e7 i7 limi5ed only by i57 in5erac5ion7 ;i5h 5he o5her <arame5er7 and by 5he <er9ormer47 ima6ina5ion= !he na5ure o9 each even5 i7 de5ermined by 5he 75a5e o9 each o9 5he <arame5er7E 5he dura5ion o9 each even5 i7 a7 lon6 a7 i5 i7 reBuired 9or 5he <er9ormer 5o carry ou5 hi7 5a7: o9 in5er<re5in6 all 7i/= !hu7) a com<o7i5ion ;hich en5ail7 a <roce77 9or i57 com<le5ion i7 6iven a <er9ormance ;hich i7 i57el9 a <roce77= Since 5he la5e 0>2'47) in 7uch ;or:7 a7 %artridge &#sic, 89or am<li9ied 7mall 7ound7)8 Ca6e and !udor have e/<lored 5he na5ure o9 elec5ronic am<li9ica5ion and i57 ma6ni9yin6 e99ec5 on 7ound7 and on our <erce<5ion7 o9 5hem= n 5hi7 <er9ormance o9 $ariations II, each o9 5he 9our channel7 u7e7 a con5ac5 micro<hone a55ached 5o 5he <iano and a <hono car5rid6e 5o <lay on 5he 75rin67= n addi5ion) con5ac5 mi:e7 and car5rid6e7 are a55ached 5o a ;ide varie5y o9 ma5erial7 "<la75ic7) 5oo5h<ic:7) <i<e cleaner7( ;hich are 75ro:ed) 7cra<ed and 75ruc: on 5he 75rin67= !he varie5y and com<le/i5y o9 7ound7 ;hich David !udor dra;7 9or5h 9rom 5he <iano ;i5h 5hi7 odd array o9 everyday obFec57 i7 a75oundin6= +reed 9rom 5he conven5ional re75rain57 o9 7y75em) 75yle or 5he con5rol o9 5he ra5ional 9acul5y) 5hi7 mu7ic <ar5ici<a5e7 "in Ca6e47 ;ord7( in 8di7or6ani@a5ion and a 75a5e o9 mind ;hich in -en i7 called no' mindedness." !he li75ener) 7imilarly libera5ed) i7 o99ered an e/<erience 5ha5 i7 hallucina5ory) 7<aced ou5 and very beau5i9ul= #il5on Babbi55 ;a7 born in Philadel<hia in 0>0& and rai7ed in Jac:7on) #i77i77i<<i= He received hi7 B=A= 9rom Ne; ,or: .niver7i5y and hi7 #A= 9rom Prince5on) ;here he 75udied ;i5h Ro6er Se77ion7 and ;here he i7 curren5ly Pro9e77or o9 #u7ic= He ha7 been a 9reBuen5 con5ribu5or 5o leadin6 mu7ic <eriodical7 and ha7 lec5ured in 5he .ni5ed S5a5e7 and abroad= Babbi55 ;a7 one o9 5he 9ir75 American com<o7er7 5o em<loy Schoen$ ber647 5;elve$5one me5hod) and he ha7 con5inued 5o e/5end and elabora5e 5ha5 me5hod in5o a com<le/ 7y75em o9 7erial com<o7i5ion= Hi7 Three %ompositions for (iano "0>C1( and %omposition for fo#r Instr#ments "0>CD( ;ere 5he 9ir75 5o5ally 7eriali@ed ;or:7 ;ri55en in 5hi7 coun5ry= Since 5hen) em<loyin6 7uch ma5hema5ical conce<57 a7 7e5 and 6rou< 5heory) Pro9e77or Babbi55 ha7 con5inued hi7 7y75ema5i@a5ion o9 7erial com<o7i5ion and in recen5 year7 ha7 carried over 5he7e 75ruc5ural <rinci<le7 and 5echniBue7 in5o hi7 elec5ronic ;or:7= He ha7 com<o7ed 9our ;or:7 in 5hi7 medium) all crea5ed a5 5he Columbia$Prince5on Elec5ronic #u7ic Cen5er) o9 ;hich #r= Babbi55 i7 a direc5or= n 5he 0>2'47) 5he Cen5er ;a7 5he reci<ien5 o9 5he hal9$million$dollar RCA #u7ic Syn5he7i@er) 5hen 5he mo75 advanced device 9or 5he <roduc5ion o9 elec5ronic 5a<e mu7ic= #r= Babbi55 ha7 made i5 hi7 uniBue <rovince) em<loyin6 i5 5o reali@e all hi7 elec5ronic ;or:7= Ensembles for Synthesizer e/em<li9ie7 5he di75in6ui7hin6 charac5eri75ic7 o9 Babbi5547 com<o7i5ion) no5ably hi7 adherence 5o 5he 5;elve <i5ch cla77e7 o9 5he 5em<ered 7cale) and 5he minimal u7e o9 7ound ma5erial ou57ide 5hi7 domain= !he ;or: demon75ra5e7 5he :ind o9 hi6h$7<eed vir5uo7i5y o9 ;hich 5he 7yn5he7i@er i7 ca<able= ndeed) 5hi7 i7 87<eed8 mu7ic) <i5ch 7ucce77ion7 9reBuen5ly movin6 a5 ra5e7 a<<roachin6 or 7ur<a77in6 5hre7hold7 o9 human <erce<5ion=

Side % # *!ON BABB !!: ENSE#B*ES +OR S,N!HES -ER


(BMI10:38)

HENR PO.SSE.R: !RO S V SAGES DE Voi/ de la ville * EGE "01:2'( 3*4Air e5 l4eau 3 3+or6e7 8 believe 5ha5 5he u7e o9 noi7e 5o ma:e mu7ic ;ill con5inue and increa7e un5il ;e reach a mu7ic <roduced 5hrou6h 5he aid o9 elec5rical in75rumen57 5ha5 ;ill ma:e available 9or mu7ical <ur<o7e7 any and all 7ound7 5ha5 can be heard=8 !hi7 75a5emen5 ;a7 made by John Ca6e a7 lon6 a6o a7 0>?1= ,e5) ;i5h a 9e; 8<re$hi75oric8 e/ce<5ion7) i5 ;a7 no5 un5il 5he develo<men5 o9 ma6ne5ic recordin6 5a<e around 0>2' 5ha5 5he 9ul9illmen5 o9 5hi7 <ro<hecy be6an 5o be 5ruly reali@ed= !he e75abli7hmen5 o9 5a<e 75udio7 in Pari7) Colo6ne) #ilan) Ne; ,or: and el7e;here enabled com<o7er7 5o crea5e 9ini7hed ;or:7 direc5ly on 5a<e) u5ili@in6 bo5h elec5ronically 6enera5ed 7i6nal7 and live 7ound7 recorded 5hrou6h micro<hone7= n bo5h ca7e7) 5he 7ound7 could be 9ur5her <roce77ed by elec5ronic modi9ica5ion or 5a<e mani<ula5ion7= Henri Pou77eur47 Trois visages de Liege ele6an5ly illu75ra5e7 5he re9inemen5 ;hich can be achieved ;i5h 7uch 8cla77ic8 75udio <rac5ice= Ai5h 5he aid o9 7uch ne; mu7ical re7ource7) com<o7er7 have <ur7ued 5;o increa7in6ly diver6en5 in5ere757) 5he 9ir75 leadin6 5o;ard inven5ion and di7covery o9 8any and all 7ound7 5ha5 can be heard)8 5he 7econd 5o;ard <reci7e con5rol over mu7ical ma5erial7 beyond 5he limi57 o9 5he human <er9ormer= !o 9acili5a5e 7uch con5rol) <ar5icularly over rhy5hmic <roblem7) 7o<hi75ica5ed <ro6rammin6 device7) 7uch a7 5he RCA #u7ic Syn5he7i@er7) 5he #oo6 Syn5he7i@er7 and hi6h$7<eed di6i5al com<u5er7 have been em<loyed= Enablin6 5he com<o7er 5o 7<eci9y <reci7e value7 o9 9reBuency) am<li5ude) dura5ion and 7ucce77ion o9 all 7ound even57) 7uch device7 <roduce a com<le5ed 5a<e com<o7i5ion reBuirin6 li55le or no edi5in6= #il5on Babbi5547 Ensembles for Synthesizer i7 an eminen5 e/am<le o9 ;or:7 in 5hi7 6enre= !o com<o7er7 ;ho7e demand7 had already e/ceeded 5he ca<abili5ie7 o9 mo75 in75rumen5ali757) 5he elimina5ion o9 5he <er9ormer ;a7 mo75 ;elcome) a77urin6 a <er9ec5 8<er9ormance8 every 5ime= !o o5her7) more in5ere75ed in Bue75ion7 o9 <roce77 and chan6e) chance and inde5erminacy) <lu7 5he ac5ion7 and in5erac5ion7 o9 human <er9ormer7) 5he medium o9 9i/ed 5a<e mu7ic 7eemed increa7in6ly 8deadly=8 !hu7) in 5he la5e 0>2'47) a number o9 mu7ician7 be6an e/<erimen5in6 ;i5h 8live8 elec5ronic <er9ormance7= +oremo75 amon6 5he7e ;ere John Ca6e ";ho7e live elec5ronic ;or:7 ac5ually e/5end bac: 5o Imaginary Landscape No. 1, o9 0>?>( and David !udor= John Ca6e ;a7 born in *o7 An6ele7 in 0>0% and 75udied ;i5h Henry Co;ell) Arnold Schoenber6 and D= != Su@u:i= n addi5ion 5o hi7 ac5ivi5ie7 a7 com<o7er and <er9ormer) Ca6e ha7 ;ri55en and lec5ured e/5en7ively= !he im<ac5 o9 Ca6e47 ;or: on com<o7er7 and ar5i757 5hrou6hou5 5he ;orld i7 ine75imable= !he no5ed au5hor and cri5ic Pe5er ,a5e7 call7 him 85he mo75 in9luen5ial com<o7er) ;orld;ide) o9 hi7 6enera5ion=8 !hrou6h hi7 in5ere75 in Orien5al 5hou6h5 "<ar5icularly -en( and hi7 em<loymen5 o9 7uch idea7 in hi7 ;or:) Ca6e ha7 been a 7i6ni9ican5 ca5aly75 in 5he dra;in6 5o6e5her o9 Ea75 and Ae75= !hi7 i7 increa7in6ly a<<aren5= +or more 5han 5hir5y year7 i5 ha7 been Ca6e47 con7i75en5 concern 5o e/<and our con7ciou7ne77 and enhance our a<<recia5ion o9 5he 7ound73in5ended or acciden5al35ha5 are al;ay7 around u7= !o 5he7e end7 he ha7 com<o7ed ;or:7 9or conven5ional and unconven5ional in75rumen57 ali:e) believin6 all 7ound7 5o be acce<5able mu7ical ma5erial7= n 0>2%) Ca6e 8o<ened 5he door7 o9 mu7ic 5o 5he 7ound7 ;hich ha<<en 5o be in 5he environmen58 ;i5h hi7 4 !!", 8a <iece in 5hree movemen57) durin6 all o9 ;hich no 7ound7 are in5en5ionally <roduced=8 Ca6e47 in5ere75 in 7ound and hi7 ;i7h 5o allo; 7ound7 5o 8be 5hem7elve78 ha7 led hi7 ;or: a;ay 9rom 8idea7 o9 order 5o idea7 o9 no order=8 !hu7) movin6 9rom 5he me5hod o9 8con7idered im<rovi7a5ion8 in Sonatas and Interl#des "0>CD() Ca6e ha7 increa7in6ly a<<lied chance o<era5ion7 5o 5he de5ermina5ion o9 9reBuency) am<li5ude) 5imbre and dura5ion in hi7 mu7ic= n recen5 year7) he ha7 7ou6h5 5o crea5e 7i5ua5ion7 or <roce77e7 ;hich ma/imi@e 5he <o77ibili5y o9 5he une/<ec5ed by com<o7in6 ;or:7 8inde5ermina5e ;i5h re7<ec5 5o <er9ormance= === 5ry 5o :ee< my curio7i5y and a;arene77 ;i5h re6ard 5o ;ha547 ha<<enin6 o<en) and 5ry 5o arran6e my com<o7in6 mean7 7o 5ha5 ;on45 have any :no;led6e o9 ;ha5 mi6h5 ha<<en= And 5ha5) by 5he ;ay) i7 ;ha5 you mi6h5 call 5he 5echnical di99erence be5;een inde5erminacy and chance o<era5ion7= n 5he ca7e o9 chance o<era5ion7) one :no;7 more or

n a de7cri<5ive no5e <re<ared 9or a <er9ormance o9 5he <iece a5 *incoln Cen5er47 Philharmonic Hall) 5he com<o7er ha74 ;ri55en: 8!he 5i5le Ensembles re9er7 5o 5he mul5i<le charac5eri75ic7 o9 5he ;or:= n bo5h i57 cu75omary meanin6 and i57 more 6eneral one 7i6ni9yin6 4collec5ion7G 5he 5erm re9er7 mo75 immedia5ely 5o 5he di99eren5 <i5ch) rhy5hmic) re6i75ral) 5e/5ural) and 5imbral 4en7em ble74 a77ocia5ed ;i5h each o9 5he many 7o delinea5ed 7ec5ion7 o9 5he com<o7i5ion) no 5;o o9 ;hich are iden5ical) and no one o9 ;hich i7 o9 more 5han a 9e; 7econd7 dura5ion in 5hi7 5en$minu5e ;or:HHHHAl7o) in i57 meanin6 o9 47e5)4 5he ;ord 4en7emble4 rele van5ly 7u66e757 5he) 5ru75) 9amiliar <rinci<le7 o9 5onal and 5em<o ral or6ani@a5ion ;hich are em<loyed in 5hi7 a7 in o5her o9 my com<o7i5ion7= 8!he ver7ion <re7en5ed in 5hi7 <er9ormance i7 a 5;o$5rac: reduc5ion o9 5he ori6inal 9our$5rac: ver7ion=8 Henri Pou77eur ;a7 born in #almedy) Bel6ium) in 0>%>= He ;a7 educa5ed a5 5he Royal Con7erva5ory o9 *ie6e and a5 5he Royal Con7erva5ory in Bru77el7) ;here he received 9ir75 <ri@e7 in harmony) 7ol9e6e) or6an and 9u6ue= He i7 <re7en5ly Slee Pro9e77or o9 Com<o7i5ion a5 5he .niver7i5y o9 Ne; ,or: a5 Bu99alo and i7 al7o direc5or o9 5he Elec5ronic #u7ic S5udio in Bru77el7= Pou77eur ;a7 a leadin6 member o9 5he 6enera5ion o9 com<o7er7 5ha5 came 5o <rominence a95er 5he ;ar) a 6rou< 5ha5 al7o included Pierre Boule@) Iarlhein@ S5oc:hau7en) *ui6i Nono and *uciano Berio= +or 5he7e com<o7er7) 5he ;or:7 o9 An5on Aebern 7erved a7 a :ind o9 Cor<u7 Juri7 Canonici) and 5he 7erial or6ani@a5ion and <oin5illi75 5e/5ure7 o9 Pou77eur47 early ;or:7 )Trois chants sacres, 0>20E *#intet in &emory of +ebern, 0>22( re9lec5 5ha5 in9luence= Pou77eur 7oon reali@ed 5ha5 5he arbi5rary a<<lica5ion o9 5he 7erie7 5o all <arame5er7 o9 5he mu7ic 5ha5 charac5eri@ed 85o5al or6ani@a5ion8 <roduced a 875a5i75ical8 e99ec5 no5 unli:e 5he 7imilar u7e o9 chance de5erminan57= He ha7 ;ri55en: 8A <i5ile77 re6imen5a5ion ;ould a<<ear 5o rule over 5hi7 mu7ic) con5rollin6 5he cour7e o9 even57 even in i57 mo75 in5ima5e de5ail7= Bu5) i9 one 6oe7 beyond a 7im<le analy7i7 o9 7uch mu7ic and beyond a di77ec5ion o9 i57 no5a5ion7) i9 one relie7 <rimarily on concre5e hearin6=== i5 o95en ha<<en7 5ha5 one <erceive7 Fu75 5he con5rary o9 7uch re6imen5a5ion= Preci7ely ;here 5he mo75 ab75rac5 con75ruc5ion7 have been a<<lied) i5 i7 no5 7eldom 5ha5 one ha7 5he im<re77ion o9 9indin6 one7el9 in 5he <re7ence o9 con7eBuence7 o9 an alea5ory 9ree <lay= 9 5he charm o9 5he mu7ic i7 undeniable none5hele77) 5ha5 i7 le77 5he re7ul5 o9 a <er9ec5ly clear and 5ran7<aren5 46eome5ry4 5han o9 5he more my75eriou7 charm 5o be 9ound in our a;arene77 o9 5he many di75ribu5ive 9orm7 9ound in na5ure: 5he unhurried di7<er7ion o9 <a77in6 cloud7) 5he 5;in:le o9 <ebble7 in 5he bed o9 a moun5ain 75ream) or 5he brea:in6 o9 7ur9 a6ain75 a roc:y coa75=8 !hu7) in ;or:7 7uch a7 &obile for T,o (ianos "0>21$2D( and -epons ";hich i7 dedica5ed 5o John Ca6e() Pou77eur ha7 in5roduced elemen57 o9 chance or inde5erminacy= n hi7 mo75 recen5 ;or:) $otre .a#st, an o<era ;ri55en in collabora5ion ;i5h 5he +rench au5hor #ichael Bu5or) 5he cour7e o9 even57 5a:en by 5he o<era i7 de5ermined by 5he re7<on7e7 o9 5he audience a5 each <er9ormance= Trois visages de Liege "!hree +ace7 o9 *ie6e( ;a7 com<o7ed in 0>&0 in Bru77el7= 5 ;a7 commi77ioned by 5he ci5y o9 *ie6e 5o accom<any an ou5door 7ho; o9 ab75rac5 <roFec5ion7 by 5he Hun6arian$+rench ar5i75 Nicola7 Schoe99er= Ho;ever) a7 5he com<o7er no5e7) ;hen 5he 7ho; be6an) 5he au5hori5ie7 o9 5he ci5y <re9erred le77 unu7ual mu7ic= 8!hey 9ir75 5ried Debu77y) and Bach a la Sto/o,s/i, and 9inally decided on Ger7h;in47 -hapsody in 0l#e, ;hich maybe ;a7 be55er ada<5ed 5o 5he arbi5ary and 9la55erin6 charac5er o9 5he <roFec5ion7=8 !he com<o7i5ion i7 in 5hree 7e<ara5e <ar57: = *4Air e5 l4eau) = Voi/ de la ville) and = +or6e7= !he com<o7er ;ri5e7: 8E/ce<5 9or 5he voice7 and 9or one 7in6le <i@@ica5o chord) 9rom ;hich a 6ood <ar5 o9 5he ma5erial o9 ha7 been derived) all 5he 7ound7 u7ed) ?ven 5he more 4reali75ic4 one7 in ) are <urely elec5ronic= !he ;ord7 u7ed are 5a:en 9rom li55le <oem7 in 5he 9orm o9 children47 rhyme7 by 5he youn6 <oe5 Jean Seau/) ;ho died in 0>&%E 5hey are made u< o9 old) 9ol:lori75ic 75ree5 name7 o9 *ie6e) 6rou<ed by dominan5 charac5er7= n ) u7ed 5he more ha<<y) 6ay and 4danc in64 one7 ";i5h 5he ;ord CoB in 5he middle) ;hich i7 5he coa5 o9 arm7 o9 *ie6e) 7o 5hi7 <iece i7 a 7or5 o9 4bla7on4(= n ) cho7e 5he more drama5ic <oem7) re9errin6 5o 5he ;orld o9 labor and 5he 5radi5ion o9 union7 5ha5 7urround7 5hi7 ci5y) one o9 5he olde75 indu75rial ci5ie7 o9 Euro<e= Ju75 be9ore com<o7ed 5he <iece) 6eneral 75ri:e7 had <araly@ed Bel6ium 9or 7ome mon5h7 and had led 5o "very limi5ed bu5 real( 6ain7 9or 5he ;or:er7=8 3Richard !ei5elbaum
En6ineerin6: +ran: *aico) Ed #ichal7:i All ri6h57 o9 5he manu9ac5urer and o9 5he o;ner o9 5he recorded ;or: re7erved= .nau5hori@ed <ublic <er9ormance) broadca75in6 and co<yin6 o9 5hi7 record i7 <rohibi5ed=

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