Ryoanji1990

The cinematic challenge here was to create a visual image of musical glissandi. In his notes on Ryoanji, composer John Cage requested that the glissandi be “non-vibrato and as close as possible to the sound events found in nature rather than those occurring normally in music. The score is otherwise a ‘still photograph’ of mobile circumstances.”

The images are put onto this film by hand. Rather than a series of photographs one after another, the image on the screen is of lines etched along the entire length of the film, providing a sustained, continuous image. This establishes a visual continuum. Also, using images of nature, I take these moving images and stack-print them onto each other six, twelve, or even twenty-four times to create another kind of movement.

The film is treated as another soloist in the ensemble. The score is recorded three times. In performance the live vocalist, for example, will interact with three other versions of the song. The same holds true for the other instrumentalists as well. It is quite a full garden of sound.

Each film in this series was created for a music score, either pre-existing or composed specifically for this project. By way of explanation, music is usually applied to films after their completion, but in this case the filmic images and rhythms have been derived from the music, allowing the music to become a kind of script for the film. This project is envisioned as a lifelong endeavor in collaboration with contemporary composers.

FILMS FOR MUSIC FOR FILM was premiered on April 3, 1990 at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, where all the scores were performed live with the films. This event was part of the North American New Music Festival.

Lawrence F. Brose was responsible for all aspects of film production and post-production.

Music by John Cage

Performed by The Buffalo New Music Ensemble

Countertenor: Scott Gray-Vickrey

Flute: Rosemary Vecere

Oboe: Paul Schlossman

Percussion: Robert Schulz