John CAGE
“Empty words”

Four parts. Four times 2 hours and 30 minutes in mp3.
Sylvia Alexandra Schimag (speaking voice).
“begins by omitting sentences,
has only phrases, words, syllables and letters.
The second part omits the phrases,
has only words, syllables and letters.
The third part omits the words,
has only syllables and letters. And the last part …
has nothing but letters and sounds.”
“A mix of words, syllables, and letters obtained by subjecting the Journal of Henry David Thoreau to a series of I Ching chance operations.
What was interesting to me was making English less understandable.
Because when it’s understandable, well, people control one another,
and poetry disappears.
A transition from language to music.
It’s bewildering at first, but it’s extremely pleasurable as time goes on. And that’s what I’m up to.”