John Cage: Sonatas and Interludes: Sonata V [NAWM 203]
- suite for prepared piano
- sounds like a mix of African drums and tin cans because of the mutes between the strings
- right hand melody sort of goes up and down a few notes
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Music of Changes: Book I [NAWM 204]
- chance composition for piano
- honestly just sounds like really random piano playing (notes, chords, etc.)
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Edgard Varese: Poeme electronique [NAWM 206]
- electro-acoustic tape piece
- no score: piece composed out of sounds recorded on audiotape
- uses pure electronic sounds, nontraditional sounds such as sirens, and traditional sounds such as voice in new sonic environments
- sounds like scary electronic horror movie music
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Milton Babbitt: Philomel: Section I [NAWM 207]
- monodrama for soprano, recorded soprano, and synthesized sound
- begins with an uncomfortable ringing and a woman’s voice singing “ee” along with some futuristic sort of electronic sounds
- then becomes more voice dominated as a woman, along with an eerie recording, sings in a high register (though there is also lots of odd high-low-high-low in the “melody”) about tears and trees and walking through the forest and other poetic stuff
Paige's Music History Blog 