In the note for the work 4’33” John Cage lists two timelengths for the three movements, each with the direction: “TACET”. The first is 33″, 2’40”, and 1’20”. The second is 30″, 2’23”, and 1’40”. He ends the note by writing “the movements may last any lengths of time.” I assume with the understanding that the total time of the three movements equals 4’33”.
The text below was written using an interpreted programming language ( https://supercollider.github.io [ from 2.x, actually ] ), but you don’t need to know programming to understand what the text does!
(
while ( { a != 273 } ,
{ x = 273.rand;
y = 273.rand;
z = 273.rand;
a = x + y + z;
}
);
[x,y,z]
)
[ 190, 3, 80 ]
The evaluation of the file below, with the slight difference as to where you place the array [x,y,z] posts the values of the ‘while’ function before it arrives at the total time of 4’33”.
( // gives all the values of .rand before a!=273
var x , y , z , a ;
while ( { a != 273 } ,
{x = 273.rand;
y = 273.rand;
z = 273.rand;
a = x + y + z;
[x,y,z].postln;
}
);
)
HinjNoiz 