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6 - “Page 52” of Cornelius Cardew
The Art
The Music
English experimental composer Cornelius Cardew (1936 – 1981) is regarded to be one of the most innovative and musicians of his generation who is “widely acknowledged as a pioneer of indeterminacy, graphic notation, free improvisation and performer involvement. As well as extending the boundaries of music in unprecedented directions, he enquired deeply into its social relevance and meaning. His passionate and untiring quest for wider social significance led him eventually to become a political activist” (http://www.pytheasmusic.org/cardew.html).
This work of Cardew's was inspired by Austrian philosopher Wittgenstein’s “Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus” (1918) and “Philosphical Investigations” (1945). To that end, Cardew was interested in creating a score that would be interpreted by the performing musicians, who would develop their own systems to consistently interpret the symbols in the score. How fun is that?!
Cornelius Cardew writes...
“Treatise is a long continuous drawing – in form rather similar to a novel. … composed according to musical principles … However, indications of sounds, noises, and musical relationships do not figure in the score, which is purely graphic… Each player interprets the score according to his own acumen and sensibility”.
*Cardew, C. 1971: p. xii; Treatise handbook, including Bun no. 2 and Volo solo. London, Edition Peters.
And .. To the musicians, Cardew's instruction is, “Interpreter! Remember that no meaning is yet attached to the symbols. They are however to be interpreted in the context of their role in the whole”. (IBID, p.iii)
Project 52.
The Artists
1 - Kathryn Portelli
2 - Helen Hiebert
3 - Petrus Spronk
4 - Ann Lewis
6 - Cornelius Cardew
7 - Bronle Crosby
10 - Casey Klahn
11 - Maggie Ruley
12 - Jim Carpenter
13 - Gerda Tobler
14 - Pete Goodlet
15 - Kathleen O’Brien
16 - Cynthia Morris
17 - Mark Payne
18 - Juli Cady Ryan
19 - Shakespeare
20 - Jack Fisher
21 -Nanci Hersh
22 - Padraig McCaul
23 - Laurie LeBreton
24 - Sophia Khan
25 - Linnet Hunter
26 - Lisa Call
27 - Brenda York
28 - Holly Wilson
29 - Dariusz Klimczak
30 - India Flint
31 - Chris Maynard
32 - Mauricio Paz Viola
33 -
35 - Patty Sgrecci
The Music
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I recently came across this work through Ian Parsons, a radio presenter for PBS Melbourne What a goldmine of information! Thank-you Ian. It’s been fascinating learning about Cardew’s work and influences, with specific focus on his 196 page graphic score “Treatise”.
I studied the whole score and looked for repeating graphic motifs so I could get a sense of the whole – part – whole regarding the page 52. (I’d selected this page for obvious reasons). I decided not to listen to anybody else’s versions of this work until I’d improvised my own recording of “page 52”.