Conceptual Art: A Critical Anthology - uncopy

compositions for audio structures
christine kozlov
The numbers on the left indicate the different sounds. The horizontals corresponding to each
number indicate both placement (in relation to the other sounds) and duration in counts of
sound (the numbers on top of the horizontals). In structure number 1, for instance, number
1’s first duration is 12 counts of sound, stopping for 1 count, continuing for 11, stopping for
2, continuing for 10, and so on.
The sounds sounding together are realized by reading downward until the soundindicating
numbers repeat; so that again in structure number 1, the first 6 counts of sound,
sound 1, 3 and 5 (the constant) are sounding; at the end of count 6 sound 4 enters lasting for
121 ⁄2 counts, or until the middle of sound 1 and 3’s second duration; after sound 1 and 3’s first
stop and until sound 1 and 3 start again sound 2 is sounding.
The structures are concerned with symmetry, asymmetry, progression, or with their own
intrinsic logic.
The structure’s development in sound would incorporate either constant sounds, or
sounds with equal beat durations or both.
This text appeared in the catalogue for the exhibition “Nonanthropomorphic Art by Four Young
Artists,” held at the Lannis Gallery in New York City in February and March 1967. Unpaginated.