Drawing inspiration from John Cage's Notations, Notations 21 features illustrated musical scores from more than 100 international composers, all of whom are making amazing breakthroughs in the art of notation. These spectacularly beautiful and fascinatingly creative visual pieces make not only for exciting music, but for inspiring visual art as well. The scores are accompanied by written contributions from the artists that explore every facet of their creative processes, from inspiration to execution. Contributors include the likes of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Earle Brown, Halim El-Dabh, Joan La Barbara, and Yuji Takahashi, as well as emerging composers whose compositions are visually astounding and important. In the spirit of honoring the 40th anniversary of Cage's seminal book, while furthering it in a 21st century context, a portion of the sales will be donated to the Foundation for Contemporary Performing Arts.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"Notations21" is gorgeous, and worth the wait. It was announced in early 2008, and I had ordered a copy through Amazon in May 2008 and it arrived today (May 9, 2009) -- almost exactly 40 years after John Cage's legendary "Notations" collection, which has been on my shelf since then.
The design of "Notations21" is spectacular ... subtle, lovely, comprehensive, with a wonderful feel, in full color and full-size. Each page is full of ideas from scores and essays through the design of the page itself. (The word "full" keeps coming to mind.)
The Moller/Shim/Stabler "SoundVisions" (published in 2005 and quickly out of print) was an attempt to fill the years since Cage's "Notations", and kept to the square, monochrome format. I was pleased to discover "SoundVisions", but "Notations21" is a very special book, taking advantage of both the technology and the expectations that have changed since 1969.
With 165 composers represented, "Notations21" is at last a worthy and thorough successor to "Notations".
(Disclaimer: I am one of the composers in this book. But whether I had been selected or not, I would still feel this book is remarkable.)
The design of "Notations21" is spectacular ... subtle, lovely, comprehensive, with a wonderful feel, in full color and full-size. Each page is full of ideas from scores and essays through the design of the page itself. (The word "full" keeps coming to mind.)
The Moller/Shim/Stabler "SoundVisions" (published in 2005 and quickly out of print) was an attempt to fill the years since Cage's "Notations", and kept to the square, monochrome format. I was pleased to discover "SoundVisions", but "Notations21" is a very special book, taking advantage of both the technology and the expectations that have changed since 1969.
With 165 composers represented, "Notations21" is at last a worthy and thorough successor to "Notations".
(Disclaimer: I am one of the composers in this book. But whether I had been selected or not, I would still feel this book is remarkable.)
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I eagerly looked forward to receive this book because composer Trevor Bac'a was included and because of my general interest in contemporary music. I must say that the idea intrigued me not only as a interesting compilation of new 'scoring' practices but as a useful reference and entertaining 'cocktail table' volume. However, I found the reproductions of scores to be less than accurate and virtually all of the accompanying write-ups to be almost entirely illegible .... due to poor selections of backgrounds and inks. After working hard to read the material, I finally gave up and sent it on to a musicologist with younger eyes. It could have been a excellent project if well executed ... my final thought, as stated in the title, - a truly super idea gone astray because of too much artsy-craftsy and lack-luster reproduction. Maybe next time!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By P. Paccione
Format:Hardcover
"Notations 21" is a stunning book. In addition to being an excellent compendium/anthology of the different types of musical notation that can be found in many modern musical scores, it is also a book on the "art" of musical notation. The wide variety of musical scores, the essays, the superb reproductions (in both black and white, and in color), the paper on which the scores are printed, the typesetting, the visual layout and the overall organization, all amount to one highly significant contribution to modern music. In an age of highly standardized music copying programs, "Notations 21" is a breath of fresh air - both a reminder and encouragement of the many creative possibilities that are inherent in musical notation. (I was very pleased to have one of my own scores included in such an anthology.) This project was surely a labor of love by both the editor, and the publisher. "Notations 21" is both a homage to John Cage's now out-of-print 1968 landmark collection of musical scores, "Notations," and it is its more than worthy successor.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bad design destroyed a great idea
Designers did not understand significance of this idea and in many cases just destroyed it. There listed several designers and I do not know whose fault it is. Read more
Published 16 months ago by april
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant, imaginative, beautiful work...like no other
I just stumbled upon Theresa Sauer's "Notation 21". What an amazing work this is. Rarely do you find such original research, design, and ideas as these. Read more
Published on February 10, 2011 by David Alan Tussey
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspirational
This is a great book for those interested in modern music and its scores. There is a great selection that really inspire. Read more
Published on December 12, 2010 by Anton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Notations 21
This is an inspirational book. The breadth of compositional styles, approaches and philosophies is wonderfully diverse. Read more
Published on May 31, 2009 by C. Reba
5.0 out of 5 stars
a must!
Notations 21 is a book that must be in any university, conservatory or library. You will enjoy it! congratulations to the author of this beautiful anthology!
Published on May 28, 2009 by M. S. Loyato
5.0 out of 5 stars
Landmark Music Notation Text
Notations 21 is a landmark text in graphic music notation and the aesthetics surrounding the composers who create these types of musical "scores. Read more
Published on May 22, 2009 by B. Hendrix
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