Noise, water, meat : a history of voice, sound, and aurality in the arts

An examination of the role of sound in twentieth-century arts.This interdisciplinary history and theory of sound in the arts reads the twentieth century by listening to it—to the emphatic and exceptional sounds of modernism and those on the cusp of postmodernism, recorded sound, noise, silence, the fluid sounds of immersion and dripping, and the meat voices of viruses, screams, and bestial cries. Focusing on Europe in the first half of the century and the United States in the postwar years, Douglas Kahn explores aural activities in literature, music, visual arts, theater, and film. Placing aurality at the center of the history of the arts, he revisits key artistic questions, listening to the sounds that drown out the politics and poetics that generated them. Artists discussed include Antonin Artaud, George Brecht, William Burroughs, John Cage, Sergei Eisenstein, Fluxus, Allan Kaprow, Michael McClure, Yoko Ono, Jackson Pollock, Luigi Russolo, and Dziga Vertov. In This, Interdisciplinary History And Theory Of Sound In The Arts, Douglas Kahn Reads The Twentieth Century By Listening To It - To The Emphatic And Exceptional Sounds Of Modernism And Those On The Cusp Of Postmodernism, Recorded Sound, Noise, Silence, The Fluid Sounds Of Immersion And Dripping, And The Meat Voices Of Viruses, Screams, And Bestial Cries. Focusing On Europe In The First Half Of The Century And The United States In The Postwar Years, Kahn Explores Aural Activities In Literature, Music, Visual Arts, Theater, And Film. Placing Aurality At The Center Of The History Of The Arts, He Revisits Key Artistic Questions, Listening To The Sounds That Drown Out The Politics And Poetics That Generated Them. Artists Discussed Include Antonin Artaud, George Brecht, William Burroughs, John Cage, Sergei Eisenstein, Fluxus, Allan Kaprow, Michael Mcclure, Yoko Ono, Jackson Pollock, Lugi Russolo, And Dziga Vertov.--jacket. Listening Through History; Prelude: Modernism; Explanations And Qualifications -- Pt. I. Significant Noises. 1. Immersed In Noise. 2. Noises Of The Avant-garde -- Pt. Ii. Drawing The Line: Music, Noise, And Phonography. 3. Concerning The Line. 4. The Sound Of Music. 5. Ubiquitous Recording -- Pt. Iii. The Impossible Inaudible. 6. John Cage: Silence And Silencing. 7. Nondissipative Sounds And The Impossible Inaudible. 8. The Parameters Of All Sound -- Pt. Iv. Water Flows And Flux. 9. A Short Art History Of Water Sound. 10. In The Wake Of Dripping: New York At Midcentury -- Pt. V. Meat Voices. 11. Two Sounds Of The Virus: William Burroughs's Pure Meat Method. 12. Cruelty And The Beast: Antonin Artaud And Michael Mcclure. Douglas Kahn. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "In this, interdisciplinary history and theory of sound in the arts, Douglas Kahn reads the twentieth century by listening to it - to the emphatic and exceptional sounds of modernism and those on the cusp of postmodernism, recorded sound, noise, silence, the fluid sounds of immersion and dripping, and the meat voices of viruses, screams, and bestial cries. Focusing on Europe in the first half of the century and the United States in the postwar years, Kahn explores aural activities in literature, music, visual arts, theater, and film. Placing aurality at the center of the history of the arts, he revisits key artistic questions, listening to the sounds that drown out the politics and poetics that generated them. Artists discussed include Antonin Artaud, George Brecht, William Burroughs, John Cage, Sergei Eisenstein, Fluxus, Allan Kaprow, Michael McClure, Yoko Ono, Jackson Pollock, Lugi Russolo, and Dziga Vertov."--BOOK JACKET. Contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 13 Part I: Significant Noises 31 1. Immersed in Noise 36 2. Noises of the Avant-Garde 56 Part II: Drawing the Line: Music, Noise, and Phonography 79 3. Concerning the Line 83 4. The Sound of Music 112 5. Ubiquitous Recording 134 Part III: The Impossible Inaudible 169 6. John Cage: Silence and Silencing 172 7. Nondissipative Sounds and the Impossible Inaudible 211 8. The Parameters of All Sound 235 Part IV: Water Flows and Flux 253 9. A Short History of Water Sound 256 10. In The Wake of Dripping: New York at Midcentury 271 Part V: Meat Voices 301 11. Two Sounds of the Virus: William Burroughs's Pure Meat Method 304 12. Cruelty and the Beast: Antonin Artaud and Michael McClure 333 Notes 371 Index 457 This text is an interdisciplinary history of sound in the arts, that reads the emphatic and exceptional sounds of modernism and those on the cusp of postmodernism. It explores aural activities in literature, visual arts, theatre and film