Jazz Articles about Herbert Distel

Herbert Distel: Railnotes

by Robert Spencer
September 25, 2003

John Cage once wrote that during a certain period in his life,

I was disturbed both in my private life and in my public life as a composer. I could not accept the academic idea that the purpose of music was communication, because I noticed that when I conscientiously wrote something sad, people and critics were often apt to laugh. I determined to give up composition unless I could find a better reason for doing it than communication. I found ...