In “The Art of Noise,” I like Luigi Russolo’s stance on noise being a revolutionary art form. Whereas traditional music is boring, limited within the boundaries of harmony and melody, he encourages artistic expression outside of these norms. He proposed a futurist orchestra that uses various types of noise such as roars, whistles, grunts, buzzing, etc. Through these elements, musicians can explore and experiment with the infinite acoustic possibilities that noise offers, which traditional instruments could not achieve. Something I do not like, however, is figuring out what/which kind of noise is considered artistic. To one person, noise may have the power to evoke a range of sensations and emotions, while to another it may be meaningless and nothing. This ambiguity makes it difficult to implement Russol’s ideas in a way where noise and music is balanced.
Previously, I have not thought of sound as art. However, after reading about noise, I believe art can be whatever or whoever a person chooses, as long as there is an explanation and/or meaning to it. From the Ubu page, I picked George Lewis, who created eight different tracks titled “Voyager Duo,” numbered 1 through 8. Personally, I do not like what I chose. This type of noise does not follow music conventions, with a melody or pattern, but rather various sounds that seem rather random and abrupt. It creates a feeling of uncertainty and fear, which fits the title voyager of stepping into something new and unknown. The quick paced yet long saxophone/trumpet solo adds onto the feeling of a never-ending journey from this experience.