Reading Response 1

1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.

I chose the article "The Art of Noises" by Luigi Russolo.  I chose this article because I believe it best exemplifies the message of the Drift project.  In the article, which is a letter Russolo wrote to a composer friend, extols the value of noise as opposed to music.  I feel as though this is the essence of the Drift, as we are encouraged to tune out the traditional sounds we encounter in every day life and seek out that which is unique and interesting, like the noise described by Russolo.

2. What are the main points of the essay?

Russolo's main point is that man must begin to look past music as the main source of auditory enjoyment and begin appreciating the power and intricacy of noise present all around us.  In Russolo's opinion, conventional music is simply boring:  "The first bar brings the boredom of familiarity to your ear and anticipates the boredom of the bar to follow." Noise, on the other hand, offers a whole new world of exciting sound possibilities.  For noise is not necessarily loud or discordant.  Russolo goes on to list several pleasant and enjoyable noises, such as "the whistling of the wind, the roar of the waterfall, the gargling of the brook" etc. Russolo concludes with the idea that he has brought about a renewal of music with "The Art of Noises."

3. How are the ideas or arguments in this article relevant to your own practice as a media artist?

Russolo's letter all but lays out the practices of the modern media artist.  The idea of noise as an art opens up almost infinite possibilities to a fledgling media artist, as I aspire to be.  Russolo's argument against the conventional musical arrangement of sounds provides excellent guidance for the Drift project, as well as for my future in the world of art and media.