Cobra (Zorn)
Encyclopedia
Cobra is an unpublished but recorded and frequently performed musical composition
by John Zorn
that was conceived as a system with very detailed rules but with no pre-conceived sequence of events, or game piece
, for a group of musical improvisors and a prompter. Zorn completed Cobra on October 9, 1984. The composition consists of a set of cues notated on cards, and rules corresponding to the cues that direct the players what to do. The number of players, instrumentation, and length of the piece is indeterminate. Because there is no traditional musical notation
and the players improvise, the piece may sound radically different from performance to performance.
As was commented upon in some length in a 2004 interview, Zorn has, with his own words, "deliberately chosen not to publish (or even write down) the rules" to his game pieces, being concerned with the importance of personal instruction. Despite this, photocopies circulate among musicians internationally, and there is even a clean printing of all the cue categories in a CD booklet (see recordings).
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
by John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
that was conceived as a system with very detailed rules but with no pre-conceived sequence of events, or game piece
Game piece
Game piece is a concept of experimental music having its roots with composers Christian Wolff and John Zorn. Game pieces may be considered controlled improvisation An essential characteristic is that there is no pre-arranged sequence of events. They unfold freely according to certain rules, like in...
, for a group of musical improvisors and a prompter. Zorn completed Cobra on October 9, 1984. The composition consists of a set of cues notated on cards, and rules corresponding to the cues that direct the players what to do. The number of players, instrumentation, and length of the piece is indeterminate. Because there is no traditional musical notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
and the players improvise, the piece may sound radically different from performance to performance.
As was commented upon in some length in a 2004 interview, Zorn has, with his own words, "deliberately chosen not to publish (or even write down) the rules" to his game pieces, being concerned with the importance of personal instruction. Despite this, photocopies circulate among musicians internationally, and there is even a clean printing of all the cue categories in a CD booklet (see recordings).
Sources
2 photocopied pages with cue categories and explanation of form. First page signed John Zorn (C) Oct 9 NYC. Second page titled "IMPROVISATION. John Zorn - "COBRA", annotated by SB".Recordings
- Radio City Studios, NYC (1986) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1985), released as a double CD entitled "John Zorn - Cobra" on the Hatology Label of Basel, Switzerland (2nd ed, 2002)
- CobraCobra (album)Cobra is a double album featuring a live and studio performance of John Zorn's improvisational game piece, Cobra recorded in 1985 and 1986 and released on the Hathut label in 1987...
(1987)- includes a large table of the cues in color. - John Zorn's Cobra: Live at the Knitting FactoryJohn Zorn's Cobra: Live at the Knitting FactoryJohn Zorn's Cobra: Live at the Knitting Factory is a performance of John Zorn's improvisational game piece, Cobra, performed at The Knitting Factory in 1992. The album resembles the missing link between John Zorn's work with Masada and Naked City...
(1992) - John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94 is a live performance of John Zorn's improvisational game piece, Cobra recorded in Tokyo in 1994 featuring Japanese musicians and instruments...
(1994) - Cobra: John Zorn's Game Pieces Volume 2Cobra: John Zorn's Game Pieces Volume 2- Track listing :# “Pendet” - 4:49# “Tabana” - 10:47# “Uluwati” - 7:27# “Tamangiri” - 7:50# “Paras” - 6:07# “Sangeh” - 11:26# “Penganggahan” - 10:44# “Raksasa” - 4:44# “Goa Gajah” - 6:50*Recorded at Avatar- Personnel :* Derek Bailey - guitar...
(2002) — includes a copy of the cues