Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord • Hacker News Board

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#51

Post by wgjordan » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 5:51 AM UTC

SOLAR_FIELDS wrote: post #35

omoikane wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

John Cage's 4'33" is probably one of the best jokes in music. I personally learned about 4'33" in a music class, where it was performed live -- basically it was 4'33" of ambient noise, but there was a lot of tension if you didn't know what to expect. During the final exam for the class, the professor would play some recording and we were supposed to identify the music, and all of us would start writing "John Cage's 4…

Is there a test of originality for copyright? I wouldn’t call myself vehemently anti copyright but when the idea of “let’s just not play and the ambient sound of the orchestra sitting there is music instead” is the basis for the copyright it does make me question the validity of it. When someone who has done XYZ drug of choice and can come up with that idea in their drug addled state of mind as a pretty good first pa…

I think 'idea-expression dichotomy' is the legal concept you're looking for.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#52

Post by jjulius » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 5:56 AM UTC

dustyleary wrote: post #49

noman-land wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all music is pleasant, nor should it be.

I would still argue that this is not music. It's definitely Art, in that it is making a statement, provoking a response, etc. But, it's just a nearly continuous sound, except for the pitch change every few years. It's a Sound, but it's not Music. If you were to argue that it is Music, I would ask, "Which part of the piece is your favorite? Why do you prefer it to the other parts?" Trying to answer these questions wit…

>If this is Music, then is it possible to make an art installation which has making Sound as its primary focus, and have it not be Music?

Yes.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#53

Post by 8bitsrule » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 6:04 AM UTC

hilbert42 wrote: post #39

spencerflem wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its fun! Why are people so excited about eclipses or cicadas? I don't think everyone is being performative or doing it for attention (what attention)

Total eclipses have no equal—on earth anyway. I've had the great privilege of having seen three over the course of my lifetime. They're not normal experiences, they're something else again.

If you're viewing with a crowd of hundreds or thousands, the reaction to the moment(s) of totality can be be a total trip.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#54

Post by 8bitsrule » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 6:12 AM UTC

wayeq wrote: post #17

It isn't 639 years but.. Radiohead - Pyramid Song 800% slower ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiKWfcy-Z70 )

When I first found a routine that would slow music down without any of the pitches changing, I spent hours slowing down favorite songs to see for how long they'd still be recognizable.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#55

Post by colordrops » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 6:43 AM UTC

Was a bit disappointed to find that the organ is manually manipulated. I was under the assumption that it was automated.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#56

Post by aidenn0 » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 6:56 AM UTC

mminer237 wrote: post #46

inimino wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're misinterpreting it. It's not a descriptive title at all. It's a tempo indication and like all such is meant as an instruction to the player, also being a play on "as fast as possible" which is a perfectly legitimate tempo marking. Referring to a piece of music by its tempo marking is common.

One can play infinitely more slow than he can fast though.

Not really. If I wanted to finish playing this piece on my own, I'd have to play it at least 10x as fast

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#57

Post by verisimi » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 7:37 AM UTC

koolba wrote: post #8

> His most famous piece, 4'33", is designed to be played by any combination of instruments - but musicians are instructed not to play them. This is even better played back from a digital recording. You need those gold audio cables to truly appreciate the silence.

You've got to respect high level trolling, it's an art form.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#58

Post by jacquesm » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 7:42 AM UTC

coldtea wrote: post #5

> The longest - and slowest - music composition in existence had a big day on Monday - it changed chord for the first time in two years. That's faster than some pop "music" acts change chords.

Hehe, that's funny :)

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#59

Post by globular-toast » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 8:10 AM UTC

colordrops wrote: post #55

Was a bit disappointed to find that the organ is manually manipulated. I was under the assumption that it was automated.

Actually that makes it considerably more funny for me. There is already an automated piece called Longplayer in London.

Re: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

#60

Post by rvense » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 8:16 AM UTC

ahazred8ta wrote: post #33

omoikane wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

John Cage's 4'33" is probably one of the best jokes in music. I personally learned about 4'33" in a music class, where it was performed live -- basically it was 4'33" of ambient noise, but there was a lot of tension if you didn't know what to expect. During the final exam for the class, the professor would play some recording and we were supposed to identify the music, and all of us would start writing "John Cage's 4…

In Cage's original performances, he had a page turner. No joke.

And he performed it on Times Square in New York.