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Listening report Sebastian Ermer Alvin Lucier: Nothing is Real

 

Alvin Lucier´s piece “Nothing is real” is made up of two distinct parts: Starting off, the piece begins with a classical piano piece, almost reminiscent of a classical orchestral performance. It was certainly unexpected, as it wasn´t exactly what I imagined under experimental or Avantgarde music. At the same time, it was in no way unpleasant to listen to, on the contrary, it was a slow and relaxing but decidedly pleasant experience.

The second of the performance is Lucier creating different sounds using nothing more than a tea kettle, slowly opening and closing it´s lid to control the sounds emanating from the kettle. The sound itself, while certainly unexpected at the start, doesn´t exactly sound too foreign. It reminded me of a few different sounds I had heard before, for one the sound of blowing on bottles, and on the other hand, it sounded quite similar to different kinds of synthwave I have heard in the past.

The entire piece, and especially the second half played on the kettle, reminded me of a certain genre of music I had heard before. Specifically, the Minecraft ambient music. I´m in no way joking in saying that if you had told me that this piece was some unreleased part of the Minecraft soundtrack, I wouldn´t have bat an eye. This is in no way supposed to be an insult to the piece though. On the other hand, at least in my opinion, this is one the greatest praise I could bestow upon Lucier´s work. After all, the Minecraft soundtrack is by many regarded as one of the best video game soundtracks ever created. Just like such classics as “Mice On Venus” or “Living Mice”, “Nothing is real” manages to portray a certain kind of sound that it is completely unique in it´s right. It creates a relaxing, soothing, almost comforting sound, while at the same time also embodying such ideas as loneliness and melancholy, creating an almost eerie soundscape.

On the other hand, all Lucier needs to create such a special, almost surreal, soundscape is a piano and a simple household item. Yet the piece transcends the boundaries of what a simple piano piece could ever hope to encompass, making it truly unique and one of a kind.

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