and that is / poetry / as I need it.”
- John Cage, “Lecture on Nothing”
Music and I have met a few times, but we remain strangers at best. And though we have even worked together, we remain indifferent to each other, not comfortable with each other, not understanding one another, not communicating. The chemistry is just not there.
Now, we are being forced to work on a film together.
On earlier films, I would bypass the problem by ignoring Music altogether. This time though, it seemed impossible. How could I possibly make a music video without Music? Is there such a thing as a piece of music without Music?
And then I remembered John Cage’s 4’ 33”.
4’ 33” is John Cage’s famous (or notorious) “silent” piece. The performer comes on stage, picks up his instrument and proceeds to do nothing with it for the next 4 minutes and 33 seconds. At the end of which, he puts down the instrument and leaves.
But 4’ 33” is not a silent piece. The music consists of all the sounds present at that time in that space, including the sounds made by the listeners themselves.
It’s not Music, the stranger I have never really got to know.
But then I have nothing to do with Music, and I am doing it.
"Performing 4'33" by John Cage",
silver gelatin print. (c) John Neff, 2002.
From an exhibition at Suitable Gallery, Chicago.
