'silence' as Cage used it was a musical term, related to the use of a space=
between gestures. It works in that sense but its interesting to note that =
Cage never meant it to mean 'silent' - it was just an instruction for the m=
usicians or to frame a space.
--- In 404 <> wrote:
>
> yes, silence is too difficult a term. I use "quies" for my work. "rest, r=
epose, quiet" in latin.
> Because like the stories that are related here, quies (or silence, or qui=
et) is not a stable state, it's what happens in between sonic events. the s=
pace between sound if you want. and the space in which sound happens.
> in music, quies is morton feldman to john cage's silence, if that makes s=
ense.
> in nature it's the ... before the storm, or in my experience, that lull w=
hen the wind drops in the desert
> in the theater, it's that split second at the end before the audience bre=
aks out in applause or taboos
> most importantly, it's a state of mind, rather than a state of nature, be=
cause we all know there's never nothing in nature. and besides, whether thi=
ngs are really there or not might not matter all that much, as listening is=
a subjective experience anyhow.
>
> On 06 Jun 2012, at 06:11, soundings23 wrote:
>
> > Clearly "silence" is a contested word, but personally I don't have any =
issue with not attributing it to situations that might better be described =
as quiet.
> >
> > The differing experiences of "quiet" are however very interesting.
> >
> > Years ago, I was standing with a group of people at night (composers/so=
und artists on a course as it happened) by the River Dart here in Devon. We=
were on a sound walk and it was a particularly still August evening. Conve=
rsation fell away and we became still. As we did so I felt a "rushing in" -=
an almost physical pressure. It was quite startling, but I've experienced =
it a number of times since when I've purposefully put myself in similar sit=
uations. Its the sort of experience that is personal and no recording techn=
ology could replicate - but I recognise it in experiences related in this t=
hread.
> >
> > I don't wish to overanalyse, but I'd be intrigued in a wider sharing of=
experiences of such quiet places to see if there's any commonality, or if =
our experience's differ widely.
> >
> > --- In "Jez" <tempjez@> wrote:
> > >
> > > quickly:
> > >
> > > these 'silences' aren't silent. What tends to happen is the extreme q=
uietness combined with the listeners attempts to perceive it lead to a situ=
ation where:
> > >
> > > 1) on a psychological level, one accepts the definition of silence
> > > 2) on a physical level, the ears attempt to adjust to the surrounding=
s & to 1)
> > >
> > > the combination means that 'silence' is the surface perception. There=
are all kinds of sounds present, even in the disorienting stillness of the=
most quiet places on earth (such as deep caves or deserts) but, as is the =
way of us humans, it is easier for us to apply filters to our perception of=
what is there.
> > >
> > > micro / macro listening to these places or recordings of them reveals=
a wealth of sound, all be it on a sometimes very subtle level.
> > >
> > > it's amazing to perceive stillness & amazing to hear whats there at t=
hose times.
> > >
> > > --- In 404 <404@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for this, Raimund. Fascinating stuff!
> > > >
> > > > On 05 Jun 2012, at 19:39, Raimund wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > <But every now and then there's moments where the wind lies down =
and the
> > > > > flies stay away and it's silent. Not quiet. But silent. I'm sure =
that anyone who's ever driven into the Australian outback or desert know wh=
at I'm talking about. I can highly recommend it>
> > > > >
> > > > > Peter,
> > > > >
> > > > > I think I know what you are talking about. I experienced that stu=
nning silence several times shortly after sunset while camping in the Sonor=
an Desert (Arizona).
> > > > >
> > > > > There is a simple explanation for that kind of silence: A strong =
temperature gradient in the air above the ground creates a sonic shadow reg=
ion for each sound source (the ground is still hot, but the air is getting =
cooler at night). See http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/refract/refract=
.html. So, I think there is still some noise around, but it just cannot be =
heard due to these refraction effects.
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > > Raimund
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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