Water Music
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- Water Music
- Vodná hudba
- 1970
- typewriting, pencil on paper
- 29,5 × 20,7 cm
Milan Adamčiak, with Róbert Cyprich and Jozef Revallo, played the legendary concert entitled “Vodná hubda” [Water Music] in Bratislava in 1970. It is no coincidence that the happening has the identical name of John Cage’s “Water Music” (1952). Its manner of presentation, literally under the surface of water, radicalizes its performative component. What we cannot fathom are the acoustic qualities of the covered swimming pool area: for example, the natural echoes on the water surface and the smooth tiles. Unquestionably, the specific qualities of the chosen space played their part in the happening. It is well known how significantly Cage’s work influenced the artists associated with the Fluxus Movement, and, we are reminded in this connection of the so-called event scores as “Drip Music” (1964) by George Brecht, several works by Yoko Ono included in the book “Grapefruit” (1964), the following work, “Event for Twilight” (1963), by Mieko (Chieko) Shiomi with the instructions: “Steep a piano in the pool. Play a piece of F. Liszt on the piano.” In “Water Music,” in contrast to the works mentioned above, Adamčiak does not use a written text as a method of notation, but nonetheless his work is premised on the musical composition noted in a graphic score. D.G.