Musicworks
Encyclopedia
Musicworks is a Canadian avant-garde music
magazine
, launched January 1978 by Andrew Timar (editor) and John Oswald
(design and production).
art journal published by Victor Coleman. It was then published quarterly by Toronto's Music Gallery, with funding from the Canadian Council
, the Ontario Arts Council
, private donations and paid advertisement. The journal's offices were located inside the Music Gallery on 30 Saint Patrick Street, Toronto.
In 1980, John Oswald
summed up the birth of the journal in an editorial titled The Story of Musicworks:
"Four years ago, interested parties at the Music Gallery, an experimental music performance facility in Toronto, and Only Paper Today, an art publication, initiated a magazine of new musics as a supplement to OPT. This was accomplished with volunteered contributions of materials, editorial time, and print space in an existing magazine with existing distribution. The first four Musicworks issues were published in this way."
In 1982, composer Tina Pearson, then instructor at the Ontario College of Art and Design, became editor and launched the first companion cassette with issue #23, 1983. Pearson and Timar were both members of contemporary music collective New Music Co-op, along Miguel Frasconi
, Paul Hodge and Robert Stevenson
.
and graphic score
s. Genres covered included avantgarde composition, ethnic music, Acoustic ecology
, special tunings and microtonality, improvisation
, women's music, genre hybridation, etc. Typical composers interviewed or analysed in the 1978-1987 period were Raymond Murray Schafer, Udo Kasemets
, Lou Harrison
, Pauline Oliveros
, Annea Lockwood
, Philip Glass
or John Cage
, with a lengthy interview published issue #17, 1981.
With issue #48, published 1990, the journal turned to a 68 pages magazine with color cover, while starting to focus more on Canadian electroacoustic music
and new technologies. The first companion CD appeared 1992 with issue #52. Today, the magazine is published three times a year by Musicworks Society of Ontario Inc., the official publisher since 2003. Public funding has been maintained through the years.
Avant-garde music
Avant-garde music is a term used to characterize music which is thought to be ahead of its time, i.e. containing innovative elements or fusing different genres....
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, launched January 1978 by Andrew Timar (editor) and John Oswald
John Oswald
John Oswald may refer to:* John Oswald , Scottish philosopher, writer, and revolutionary* John Oswald , British general...
(design and production).
History
The first 4 issues came as a supplement to Only Paper Today, a TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
art journal published by Victor Coleman. It was then published quarterly by Toronto's Music Gallery, with funding from the Canadian Council
Canadian Council
Canadian Council may refer to:In aviation:* Canadian Airports Council, the Canadian trade association for Canada's airports* Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council, a public consultative body involved in creating the Canadian Aviation RegulationsIn other fields:* Canadian Broadcast Standards...
, the Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to promote and assist the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of all Ontarians...
, private donations and paid advertisement. The journal's offices were located inside the Music Gallery on 30 Saint Patrick Street, Toronto.
In 1980, John Oswald
John Oswald
John Oswald may refer to:* John Oswald , Scottish philosopher, writer, and revolutionary* John Oswald , British general...
summed up the birth of the journal in an editorial titled The Story of Musicworks:
"Four years ago, interested parties at the Music Gallery, an experimental music performance facility in Toronto, and Only Paper Today, an art publication, initiated a magazine of new musics as a supplement to OPT. This was accomplished with volunteered contributions of materials, editorial time, and print space in an existing magazine with existing distribution. The first four Musicworks issues were published in this way."
In 1982, composer Tina Pearson, then instructor at the Ontario College of Art and Design, became editor and launched the first companion cassette with issue #23, 1983. Pearson and Timar were both members of contemporary music collective New Music Co-op, along Miguel Frasconi
Miguel Frasconi
Miguel Frasconi is an American composer who often uses improvisation, electronics, and experimental musical instruments. He is well known for his use of new glass instruments, and was a founding member of The Glass Orchestra from 1977 to 1986. In 1979, he received his B.F.A...
, Paul Hodge and Robert Stevenson
Robert Stevenson
Robert Stevenson may refer to:* Robert Stevenson , United States* Robert Stevenson , first head men's basketball coach at DePaul University...
.
Contents
Musicworks claimed to be "the first attempt at a national periodical of new music [providing] information about experimental music in Canada". Until 1990, Musicworks emphasized post-Cage-an music practices, performance artPerformance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
and graphic score
Graphic notation
Graphic notation is the representation of music through the use of visual symbols outside the realm of traditional music notation. Graphic notation evolved in the 1950s, and it is often used in combination with traditional music notation...
s. Genres covered included avantgarde composition, ethnic music, Acoustic ecology
Acoustic ecology
Acoustic ecology, sometimes called ecoacoustics or soundscape studies, is the relationship, mediated through sound, between living beings and their environment. Acoustic ecology studies started in the late 1960s with R. Murray Schafer and his team at Simon Fraser University as part of the World...
, special tunings and microtonality, improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
, women's music, genre hybridation, etc. Typical composers interviewed or analysed in the 1978-1987 period were Raymond Murray Schafer, Udo Kasemets
Udo Kasemets
Udo Kasemets is an Estonian-born Canadian composer of orchestral, chamber, vocal, piano, and electroacoustic works. He was one of the first to adopt the methods of John Cage, and is also a conductor, lecturer, pianist, organist, teacher and writer.Kasemets was born in Tallinn, Estonia, and trained...
, Lou Harrison
Lou Harrison
Lou Silver Harrison was an American composer. He was a student of Henry Cowell, Arnold Schoenberg, and K. P. H. Notoprojo Lou Silver Harrison (May 14, 1917 – February 2, 2003) was an American composer. He was a student of Henry Cowell, Arnold Schoenberg, and K. P. H. Notoprojo Lou Silver Harrison...
, Pauline Oliveros
Pauline Oliveros
Pauline Oliveros is an American accordionist and composer who is a central figure in the development of post-war electronic art music....
, Annea Lockwood
Annea Lockwood
Annea Lockwood is a New Zealand born American composer. She taught electronic music at Vassar College. Her work often involves recordings of natural found sounds...
, Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
or John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
, with a lengthy interview published issue #17, 1981.
With issue #48, published 1990, the journal turned to a 68 pages magazine with color cover, while starting to focus more on Canadian electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
and new technologies. The first companion CD appeared 1992 with issue #52. Today, the magazine is published three times a year by Musicworks Society of Ontario Inc., the official publisher since 2003. Public funding has been maintained through the years.
Cover art samples
Editors
- 1978-1982: Andrew Timar
- 1982-1987: Tina Pearson
- 1987-2007: Gayle YoungGayle YoungGayle Young is a Canadian composer and author.Young is an adherent of microtonality who has invented a number of musical instruments and notational systems. She began writing for Musicworks magazine in 1978, becoming its managing editor in 1987. She has also written a biography of Hugh Le...
- 2007-2009: David McCallum
- 2009-present: Micheline Roi
External links
- Musicworks' article at The Canadian Encyclopedia