Subject: Re: sometimes behave so strangely From: Hugh McDERMOTT <hughm@xxxxxxxx> Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:58:24 +1100 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY><HTML dir=3Dltr><HEAD>=0A= <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dunicode">=0A= <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2900.2995" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>=0A= <BODY>=0A= <DIV id=3DidOWAReplyText16670 dir=3Dltr>=0A= <DIV dir=3Dltr><FONT color=3D#000000>=0A= <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 12pt 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=3DEN-AU = style=3D"mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><FONT face=3DArial><FONT = size=3D2>Recently I have had occasion to observe yet another fascinating = auditory phenomenon. As December 25<SUP>th</SUP> draws near, the = repetition of certain profound and valuable contributions to the Western = musical tradition seems actually to reduce my ability to perceive them = unambiguously as “music”. This effect appears to be enhanced = in some environments, such as frantically overcrowded supermarkets and = department stores, in which even such undisputed masterpieces as = “Jingle Bells” seem somehow to lose an essential musical = quality.<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>=0A= <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 12pt 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=3DEN-AU = style=3D"mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>I = have also found, however, that another significant milestone in the = development of Western music, namely John Cage’s = 4’33”, can compensate easily for the above distressing = experience. To gain the best effect, it may, of course, be looped and = repeated to your heart’s (and ears’) = desire.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>=0A= <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 12pt 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=3DEN-AU = style=3D"mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><FONT face=3DArial><FONT = size=3D2>Wishing everyone a happy Christmas and a pleasant and = productive 2007!</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>=0A= <DIV dir=3Dltr><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000000 = size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>=0A= <DIV id=3DidSignature19231 dir=3Dltr>=0A= <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hugh McDermott</FONT></DIV>=0A= <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></DIV><font = color=3D"#000000" size=3D"-2">This e-mail and any attachments may = contain personal information or information that is otherwise = confidential or the subject of copyright. Any use, disclosure or copying = of any part of it is prohibited. The University does not warrant that = this email or any attachments are free from viruses or defects. Please = check any attachments for viruses and defects before opening them. If = this e-mail is received in error please delete it and notify us by = return e-mail. The University does not necessarily share or endorse the = views expressed in this email.</font></BODY></HTML>