When first viewing John Cage’s performance of ‘Water Walk’ on “I’ve Got a Secret” there seems to be something lacking in fluidity. The piece seems stilted and broken in places. Watching John Cage run all over the stage playing with his bells and whistles and bathtubs doesn’t make much for an engaging or enjoyable piece of entertainment. His performance of starting one sound on one end and beginning another sound on the other has him all over the place and enhances the idea of the sounds being all over the place. But whereas other forms of music that are described as going all over the place, such as jazz, have a thread of sense running through them, this piece sounds disjointed and comes off like it’s trying too hard. One wonders if this wasn’t some sort of slight inspiration for the dance show “Stomp” so many of us were subjected to in the ‘90s, an equally dispiriting performance of artists trying too hard to use “interesting” things to make music.
There certainly is validity to the argument that it is the audience’s laughter that leaves the piece interrupted and affected. However, looking at the viewer comments one remarked in response to another’s question of how Cage was able to stand the laughs that Cage “…did not ‘stand’ the laughs – he intentionally incorporated them. They are integral part of the piece.” There is nothing to confirm as to whether this is true or not (Cage does indeed have a secret) but watching the performance with that piece of information is an entirely different experience. What didn’t make sense about the succession of sounds before, come together in a new way with the laughter carrying the piece and bridging all the sounds together.
John Cage made the remark, “I prefer laughter to tears,” and if the performance is watched with a laugh track as part of his preferred set of instruments, the curt music that before looked pretentious, now actually does seem to flow. There’s something about this piece that is always in control, whether the laughter is a part of it or not. Take this piece either way and it is never sloppy. And though, it can’t be said for sure that he’s included the laughter or not it can be said for sure that John Cage knew exactly what he was doing.
One thing to consider is whether Cage even meant for the piece to have flow. By using the watch, he implies that he wants it to have structure -- but structure can be as random as the designer wants it to be. I thought your consideration of how the laughter connected the other sounds was very interesting and made me rethink Water Walk. (What would it sound like without the laughter -- or with grumblings in the background?) Though I wouldn't necessarily sit down and listen to Cage over a relaxing dinner, I think his work makes me rethink my experience of sound -- and, yes, music -- as I walk through the world. When I think of Cage, I tune in more to listen to what I hear as I walk down the street versus tune out.
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