Mobilising John Cage: the design and creation of score generators for the complete John Cage variations I-VIII

Hope, Cat

QR Code Link :
Type :	Article
Subject :	ML Literature of music
ISSN :	2232-1020
Main Author :	Hope, Cat
Additional Authors :	Vickery, Lindsay Wyatt, Aaron James, Stuart
Title :	Mobilising John Cage: the design and creation of score generators for the complete John Cage variations I-VIII
Hits :	10

Place of Production :	Tanjong Malim
Publisher :	Fakulti Muzik dan Seni Persembahan
Year of Publication :	2013
Notes :	Vol. 2 No. 2 (2013): Malaysian Music Journal
Corporate Name :	Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun
PDF Full Text :	You have no permission to view this item.

Abstract : Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun

The John Cage Variations provide a useful snapshot of a range of score writing techniques employed by Cage throughout this career. From very complex preparations and realisation of parts required in Variations I and II, to the almost non-existent scores of VII and VIII, the complete Variations provide a range of opportunities and challenges. In 2011, Western Australian new music ensemble Decibel developed a software-based score maker and player for the works and presented a series of concerts of the Complete Eight Variations. The performances have led to the development of the John Cage Complete Variations App for the iPad tablet computer, developed in conjunction with Peters Edition. Drawing on the ensemble_s experiments with realtime and scrolling computer score generation and performance, and their unique make up of performers, composers, sound artists and programmers, the group has made the realisation of these works more accurate and possible in real-time for the first time. This paper discusses the approach taken by the group for the concept, design, creation and eventual performance of the scores for John Cage_s Variations I _ VIII, including the packaging of the works into an application. It will also cover the challenges presented by the range of different score formats to the packaging of the collection as a whole. Keywords John Cage, graphic notation, real-time scores, screen scores, music performance, music computing.

References

Behrman, D. (1976). What indeterminate notation determines. In B. Boretz & E. T. Cone (Eds.),

Perspectives on notation and performance. New York, NY: Norton.

Cage, J. (1960 [1958]). Fontana Mix [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1960). Variations I [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1960). Aria [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1961). Variations II [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1963). Variations III [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1963). Variations IV [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1965). Variations V [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1966). Variations VI [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1972 [1966]). Variations VII [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Cage, J. (1978) Variations VIII [Score]. New York, NY: Peters Edition.

Decibel ScorePlayer App, Apple iTunes. Retrieved 28 August 2013 from https://itunes.apple.

com/us/app/decibel-scoreplayer/id622591851?mt=8

Decibel (2012). The Complete John Cage Variations [Performance]. Cage 100 Festival, Curva

Minore, Goethe Institute, Palermo, Italy, February.

Decibel (2012). The Complete John Cage Variations [Performance]. Scale Variable Chamber

Music Series, Western Australian State Museum, Perth, March.

Decibel (2012). The Complete John Cage Variations [Performance]. The Cage in Us Festival,

Judith Wright Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane, Australia, April.

Decibel (2013). The Complete John Cage Variations [Performance]. Cage 101, Sultan Idiris

University, Tanjung Malim, Malaysia, August, 2013.

Gresser, C. (2007). Earle Brown’s ‘Creative Ambiguity’ and ideas of co-creatorship in selected

works. Contemporary Music Review, 26(3).

Hope, C.A. (2011). Longing. [Composition] for five sustaining instruments.

Hope, C.A. (2009). In The Cut [Composition] for two strings, bass clarinet, bass guitar and

turntable with subwoofer.

Hope, C. A., & Vickery, L. (2011). Screen scores: New media music manuscripts. 2011

International Computer Music Conference (pp.224-230). Centre for Research in New

Music, University of Huddersfield, UK.

Hope, C. A., & Vickery, L. (2011). Visualising the score: Screening scores in realtime

performance. IM 7: Diegetic Life Forms II Conference Proceedings. Retrieved September

2, 2013 fromhttp://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/nass/issue7/pdf/im7-proceedings-article-05-

hope-vickery.pdf

Hope, C. A., & Vickery, L. (2011). The Talking Board. [Composition]. For small ensemble and

electronics.

Hope, C., Vickery L., James, S. (2012) New digital interactions with John Cage’s Variations

IV, V and VI. Interactive: The Proceedings of the 2012 Australasian Computer Music

Conference (pp.23-30). Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland.

Kim-Boyle, D. (2010). Real-time score generation for extensible open forms. Contemporary

Music Review, 29(1), 3-15.

Kim-Boyle, D. (2013). Extended non-linear applications and the visual aesthetics of real-time

scores. In A. Verano (Ed.) IDEA: International Computer Music Conference, 2013, (pp.

277-282). Perth, WA: Edith Cowan University.

Lochhead, J. (1994). Performance practice in the indeterminate works of John Cage. Performance

Practice Review, Claremont Graduate University, 7(2) Fall. Retrieved 5 September, 2013

from http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1141&context=ppr

Miller, P. D. (2009). Indeterminacy and performance practice in Cage’s Variations. American

Music, Spring, 60-86.

Various. (1993). Cage/Uncaged: A rock/experimental homage to John Cage. Cramps Records.

Created by Alanna Heiss.

Vickery, L. (2012). The evolution of notational innovations from the mobile score to the screen

score. Organised Sound, 17(2), Cambridge, UK, 128-136.

Vickery, L. R. (2011). The possibilities of novel formal structures through computercontrolled

live performance. In J. Coulter (Ed.), Organic Sounds in Live Electroacoustic Music

(pp.112-117). Auckland, NZ: Australasian Computer Music Association.

Vickery, L. (2010). Mobile Scores and Click-Tracks: Teaching Old Dogs. Engagement:

Proceedings of the Australasian Computer Music Conference 2010 (pp. 63-70), Canberra,

ACT.

Wyatt, A., Hope, C., Vickery, L. (2013). Animated notation on the iPad (Or: Music stands just

weren’t designed to support laptops), (pp.201-207). In A.Verano (Ed.) IDEA: International

Computer Music Conference 2013. Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA.

This material may be protected under Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials.
You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research.

Back to search page