But in the contradiction between its congealed written state and the fluid state it signifies, music shares in the ambiguity [Scheincharakter] of developed art, even though it does not pretend to offer any other reality than its own--or if it does, then only intermittently. What is fixed in the sign and is really there, appears in terms of its meaning, as process. The language of words shares something of this quality. Just as all new art rebels against illusion [Schein], music rebels against this particular version of it. Looked at from this point of view, its most recent development should be seen as the attempt to discard fictive dynamism, that is to say, to make itself as static in its acoustic form as it always was in its written form. Aleatory music, in which successive sounds can be interchangeable, does in fact go as far as this. Conversely, the loosening of the notation to vanishing point envisages a music which really achieves a stasis to which it could only aspire in the past. This reduction to object status refuses to pretend to be process when in fact all is decided by the notation in advance. It is therefore left with the choice of either ruthlessly realizing the decision taken in advance by downgrading what follows, or else transforming itself into an authentic process.

Adorno, Vers une musique informelle, p. 296

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Written music = signifier
Fluid state = that which is being signified.

Didn't that Guy Debord fellow once ask (something to the effect of) Of what use are half truths and simulacrum?

Did we ever get the answer to that?

Mind you, he also said Young people everywhere have been allowed to choose between love and a garbage disposal unit. Everywhere they have chosen the garbage disposal unit.

Give me convenience or give me death! as it were.

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New art rebels against illusion

Is that still true? You know they say the poles are shifting. Does anyone feel like with said pole shift, "new art" (and music) has come to embrace illusion--that illusion (i.e. shifting consciousness away from present reality to something wildly airbrushed and diffused) is what's hot right now? I am asking, but it seems to me that things have gotten pretty "disco" out there. Lots of turn-tables, beats, retro-patches on the what ever the fuck you call it machine.

The Power of Lard as it were.

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Fictive dynamism.

I love me some Ethel Merman (I'm just wild about Haaaary, and Haaaary's just wild about meeeee!) in much the same way I love me some Sousa and the music from the immortal Broadway chestnut Oklahoma. Fuck ya bra--Fuckin' giver!

But oohhh how I hate fictive dynamism in 'this music.' The David Sandborne factor. "Jizzing" is what we used to call it back at the all girls drama academy. And by "Jizzing" I mean playing those "jazz face" licks and patterns (the two triad thing, the McCoy fourths thing, the pentatonic thing, etc) when the situation called for something else.

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Conversely, the loosening of the notation to vanishing point envisages a music which really achieves a stasis to which it could only aspire in the past.

Now hold on...if the music of the past aspired to a stasis that can be realized by getting rid of all that goddamn paper and flow charts and dice and lacrosse sticks and gestures, then, well, well, then, uh, then, then...

Dixon often spoke about a music where the listener couldn't tell if it was written or not. If I had to guess, I would say that interest is a central theme/strategy/problem-solution set on Son of Sisyphus. You do have that recording, right? Ok, so good. Grab it, give it a listen, and see if you can figure out what is written and what isn't.

What if I told you all of it was written?

What if I told you none of it was written?

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Downgrading what follows.

Dixon also used to say Ascension wasn't his recording of choice for air travel.

While not all music is of an authentic process, that doesn't mean there isn't room for it. What trip to Florida is complete without hearing Margaritaville? Who doesn't feel cheated when they've payed 70 bucks for parking and 140 bucks for 2 drinks and still don't get to hear Caravan with a drum sola?

So here's to more walls--may Margaritaville never again be sullied by authentic process, may the high rollers at the Jazz Club(tm) never have to confront illusion free music.

In return, here's to a day when authentic process and illusion free music can function without molestation and those time wasting meddlesome interferences clearly detailed in Listen Little Man.

You do all have a copy of Listen Little Man right?