> >as i understand it, cage conceived of that piece based on a study that >measured the average attention span to be...you guessed it...4 minutes and >33 seconds. the idea is that early on in the piece the audience would be >enthralled by the idea and as time wears on (about 4 and a half minutes) >they would become downright uncomfortable.
This is probably true, but I remember Gordon Mumma, who was close to Cage, saying that the length also represented something like an "average" length of a sonata movement, or other pieces you might hear in a typical concert. The idea being "the things that are going on in your head and body while you sit here for 4'33" are the same things that are also going on while you listen to a movement Mozart." In other words, the piece was an encouragement for more audience involvement/self-awareness. Ken _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
