The bulk of artistic and philosophical discussion generated by our intellectual fascination with John Cage_s orchestral work Atlas Eclipticalis (1961_62) centres around its application of aleatoric processes such as the elements of chance and indeterminacy in the stages of composition and performance. That which underlies Cage_s advocacy for and championship of aleatoric explorations is his musical philosophy of nonintentionality. In his views, intentionality stood against genuine artistic expression, or rather, the true expression of the Self through music. This resistance against prevailing musical convention remains relevant in contemporary practices. However, we have often overlooked the role and implications of Cage_s employment of an arbitrary graphical source in the composition of Atlas. The use of a graphical source to determine musical parameters draws tantalisingly close to the creative notions behind graphical scores, graphical notation and musical imageries. Common to all o.....

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