more esoteric leanings

Music In the recent BBC Trust report, it was suggested that they "do not believe BBC Four’s current remit is sufficiently clear, particularly in relation to BBC Two" and that it has to increase its distinctiveness. If that means the smaller channel will shift back to its more esoteric leanings that can only be a good thing. In 2004, they televised John Cage's "4'33" ...



... a masterful piece of television in which the director still uses the same grammar that would be employed if the orchestra were hammering out a symphony, and Tom Service is on hand at the conclusion to offer a reaction just as he might at a Proms concert. More of that please.

For those interested in hearing the piece again with a retro sound, here it is rendered in Mario Paint:

1 comment:

Ian Jones said...

I organised a performance of 4"33 at school while I was doing my Music A Level. What a dizzyingly pretentious thing to do. But then you're allowed to be dizzyingly pretentious at that age. Or so I like to think.