Cornelius Cardew Treatise at Spectrum · H A N S   T A M M E N ·
Channel: warnesgroup
Date: 2020-02-29

Pages 75-92: Ras Moshe, Laura Feathers, Andrew Drury
Pages 175-193: Kurt Ralske, Damien Olsen, Matthew Ostrowski 

Sunday, February 23rd, 2020, 6pm (sharp)
Spectrum
70 Flushing Avenue, Garage A, Brooklyn, New York 11205

Cardew, June 14th, 1963: “Visual communications. How to develop a visual presentation through logic. How to show continuity in a diagram; in a series of stages, or by reading left to right, etc. In Treatise, the same problem: Which lines are happening continuously, and which are instantaneous events; where to set the borderline? This should be solved. Otherwise work lapses into constant evasions. If one interpretation proves trouble - some or unsatisfactory we slip into another; but this must be watched and conscious.”

This performance is the next iteration of my Anniversary Series at Spectrum, after “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Theme and Variations” 2014, “100th Anniversary of Dada” 2016 and “50th Anniversary of HAIR” 2018. We will present the entire score in about 3hrs, using a changing cast of approx. 40 performers. The score is projected on the wall, so you know where we are. Prof. Dr. David Hyman will deliver a lecture as in the past.

[Hans Tammen]
Cardew, Feb 6th, 1963: “A composer who hears sounds will try to find a notation for sounds. One who has ideas with find one that expresses his ideas, leaving their interpretation free, in confidence that his ideas have been accurately and concisely notated.”

In 2002, while we were on tour in Europe, Keith Rowe showed us the score of Cornelius Cardew’s Treatise, maybe the largest-scale graphic notation ever written. Not sure why it escaped me until then, as it is a stunningly beautiful and unique work of art. It was written over 50 years ago, consisting of 193 pages of elaborate shapes, forms, lines, numbers, and even the occasional musical symbol. Put all the pages on the floor in order (or check out some of the visualizations on YouTube), and the overall structure becomes apparent, revealing transitions and shifts between sections. 

Cardew does not tell you how to interpret the pages, there is no indication for pitch, timbre, dynamics, etc.; Treatise is not written for specific instruments, and doesn’t tell you how long you have to play. Pages can be played individually (I often have my students interpret a single page), or as sections (there are many examples of artists interpreting a number of subsequent pages on YouTube). Due to the sheer number of pages, presenting the entire score isn’t happening often.

Cardew himself later disavowed his work, and felt that it gave the composer too little influence over the musical outcome. But as every serious performer of graphic scores knows, lines and shapes can have meaning if you work on it, and one can see the composer’s influence in the overall structure of, and relationship between the elements.
https://tammen.org/Cardew-Treatise