an anthology of innovative musical notation
In 1968, composer and musical innovator John Cage compiled examples of music by the best composers of his time: Milton Babbitt, Leonard Bernstein, George Crumb, Luc Ferrari, Igor Stravinsky and the Beatles. They were presented at random, with guidance only from the I Ching (in typical Cage fashion) with only a few words of description. This book became an instant classic, an introduction for the public at large to modern music, and the fascinating, innovative forms of notation that had only just started to emerge.
Notations 21 is a modern compendium and anthology, deriving its inspiration from Cage's seminal work. Thousands of new composers are creating scores, the likes of which Cage could have never anticipated, that are graphic in nature, liberated from the traditional staff, and rival the best visual art in their aesthetic value. The modern music world did not cease its innovations in the 1960's. It will profile the work of 150+ composers from around the world, each one using a unique or graphical notation style.
Theresa Sauer, Musicologist, Editor
**New Article worth reading! "Picturing Music: The Return of Graphic Notation" has been published on New Music Box. Here is a link to the article: http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=5462