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From: malik@delphi.DEC (Karl Malik ZK01-1/F22 1-1440)
Newsgroups: net.music,net.music.classical
Subject: cage and listening
Message-ID: <381@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-May-84 17:01:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.381
Posted: Mon May 21 17:01:42 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 23-May-84 08:05:39 EDT
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 36

SUBJ; LISTENING

	Jeff Winslow recently said - 'If I am right about Cage, I am already 
"listening", and I don't need his kind of stuff to do it.'

	It could very well be that you are listening. I have no reason to
assume that you aren't.

	But, this seems like a nice opportunity to discuss just what
'listening' means (especially in the context of a discussion of Cage).

	Our mind is a wonderful filter. We tend to see, hear selectively,
according to what we think is important at any given moment. Stop a second
and listen to the sounds going on right now. You probably were not aware
of them before I brought it up.

	Relatedly, I have a cheap FM radio in my car. Several times, I
have caught myself happilly listening to a piece of music (that I know),
when I 'woke up' and noticed that the reception was TERRIBLE. Static,
hiss, distortion, and I hadn't even noticed it. I was hearing what I
expected to hear - my mind conveniently filling in missing notes and
blocking out the noise.

	I think that this kind of selective ignore-ance is what Cage
is trying to get us to be aware of. This is also the link between
Cage and Zen - living in the 'now'. Hearing what's really going on
now - record scratches, crying babies and all.

	If you come to Cage's music with a mind-set that's prepared to
hear melodies, harmonies, drama, developement, etc., you're bound to
be disappointed. There nothing there! Well, there's plenty there, just
as there is plently going on around you now, you just aren't prepared
to hear it.

	
						Kordially, Karl