The Put On of the Century, or the Cage Centenary

[Mirror Image]

(i have a hard time thinking of any music by daniel asia that has "survived the test of time" btw)

As it stands right now, I doubt many people have even heard a work by Asia.

[Mirror Image]

We don't need to 'define' real quality with words necessarily .. there are countless examples of it within the legacy itself. Asia points this out too ..

Yet another vague comment from the expert on what defines quality.

[dyn]

it's the culture we live in (sadly), he addresses all that ..

you can dismiss the entire culture in which you live as morally bankrupt, degenerate, etc, but such statements do inevitably have the effect of making you sound like a harmless lunatic.

it also raises the question of why he continues to live in that culture instead of adopting a different one that is more congenial to his sensibilities.

[Mirror Image]

ATTENTION GMG: JAMES IS RIGHT AND WE'RE ALL WRONG!!!
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

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It's not vague at all actually. Go back and read Asia's article.

I've read it and all I could find is that it's a self-righteous pile of horse dung.

[Mirror Image]

Again, not really .. but again Asia addresses all of this succinctly and accurately.

Yeah and we all believe him.

[some guy]

James,

In writing instruction, assertions that are unsupported are called empty. Repeating empty assertions and trying to deflect attention away from them with references to "history" and "the legacy" does nothing to fill them with any content.

They are still empty.

Give us some content sometime maybe? We'd be content with that!*

*Pronunciation not included

[Karl Henning]

The opinion that John Cage's music is not of "real quality" is out of step with the judgement of history.

Bingo.

James,

In writing instruction, assertions that are unsupported are called empty. Repeating empty assertions and trying to deflect attention away from them with references to "history" and "the legacy" does nothing to fill them with any content.

They are still empty.

Bingo some more.

[some guy]

    

Come on, everybody! Let's bingo some more!!

[Karl Henning]

I Ching Bingo! Everybody, into the choppers!

[Mirror Image]

False .. in a nutshell it's all covered in that article which is nowhere near empty.

Another empty statement.

[Karl Henning]

Not really, it is all in reference to the article posted .. no deflections, no empty assertions, no instructions. The article sums it up perfectly, so read carefully and really think about what he's saying there ..

LOL … Return of the Son of if you'd just read, and if you just thought a little …

LOL

[Mirror Image]

Not really, it is all in reference to the article posted .. no deflections, no empty assertions, no instructions. The article sums it up perfectly, so read carefully and really think about what he's saying there ..

I've thought about it and I disagree with it. Now what? More empty from your side of the pond?

[Mirror Image]

Well .. what was it that you disagreed with? Be specific.

What I find most reprehensible about the article is the tone in which he uses. The tone of the article, for me, is preachy, snobbish, one-sided, and completely ignorant. That's as specific as I need to get. John Cage, even though I dislike a lot of his music, is still a forward thinker and an important 20th Century figure. I may disagree with one of his theories about music, but it doesn't mean that I don't respect the man. I think to suggest 'what people should be listening to' isn't the right attitude when it comes to music. I'll tell you what I'm not going to do: read any more of Daniel Asia's drivel.

FYI, there are some Cage works that I find incredibly beautiful. In A Landscape, for example, is something that I find moving:

http://www.youtube.com/v/XF1DoVdHM9M

[Mirror Image]

Figures .. it's just his tone? So you've never considered what he's actually saying .. too bad, but not out of sync with regards to what Asia mentions too. And I bet your experience with Cage is less than 1%.

And regarding the piano piece, .. the performance elevates it .. but in the end, Erik Satie was so much better.

How many times do I have to tell you that I HAVE READ THE ARTICLE? The question for you is CAN YOU READ? It doesn't matter if my experience with Cage is 1% or 80%, my point is that Asia's article does a great injustice to the man and his music by smearing it with obnoxious snobbery. Also, how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a Cage fan? I respect the man greatly, but you continue to wave your little finger and telling everybody that they're somehow wrong for believing what history has already acknowledged him as one of the great innovators of the 20th Century. Whether you disagree or not, go read some books on the history of the 20th Century that are steeped in the facts and I can assure you that Cage is in that book. I own three books on classical music history and in all three books Cage is acknowledged as one of the greatest composers of his time.

[Karl Henning]

Sucks to Mr Asia.

[Mirror Image]

Sucks to Mr Asia.

It sucks even more to believe what Asia is writing is somehow the holy truth.

[Karl Henning]

It sucks even more to believe what Asia is writing is somehow the holy truth.

Nah, it's more like Here's a guy whose cultural blindspots and prejudices align perfectly with mine, isn't he a geeenius?

[Mirror Image]

Nah, it's more like Here's a guy whose cultural blindspots and prejudices align perfectly with mine, isn't he a geeenius?

Hah! I love it! A geeeeennnnniiusss! Sounds like something James would believe no doubt.

[Karl Henning]

I always fancy I see Wile E. Coyote lurking in the wings during these discussions . . . .