Monday 14 September 2015

Inscriptions

Gradual progress.

All good furniture should have an inscription.

The best piece of furniture ever, Rietveld's Red and Blue Chair, was inscribed,

Wenn Ich sitze, möchte Ich nicht
sitzen, wie Mein Sitzfleisch möchte
sondern wie Mein Sätzgeist sich,
saäze er, den Stuhl sich flöchte.
(Morgenstern)

This is probably not too distant from Sometimes I sit and think and sometimes I just sit. Attributed to Milne, used by Courtney Barnett and much older than both.



For the new rack, I'll paste in Daphne Oram's motto from Francis Bacon. I first cited this in a 2009 blog,

Quoted from Sound on Sound April 2008.

Wee have also Sound-Houses" became the Radiophonic Workshop's motto. Taken from The New Atlantis by Francis Bacon, it was rediscovered by Daphne Oram, and for many years was pinned to the Workshop's office wall. It is an extraordinary piece of writing, seemingly a vision of some recording studio of the future; yet, incredibly, it was written in 1624.

Wee have also Sound-Houses, wher wee practise and demonstrate all Sounds, and their Generation. 
Wee have Harmonies which you have not, of Quarter-Sounds and lesser Slides of Sounds. 
Diverse Instruments of Musick likewise to you unknowne, some sweeter than any you have; 
Together with Bells and Rings that are dainty and sweet. Wee represent Small Sounds as Great and Deepe; 
Likewise Great Sounds, Extenuate and Sharpe; Wee make diverse Tremblings and Warblings of Sounds, which in their Originall are Entire. 
Wee represent and imitate all Articulate Sounds and Letters, and the Voices and Notes of Beasts and Birds. 
Wee have certaine Helps, which sett to the Eare doe further the Hearing greatly. 
Wee have also diverse Strange and Artificiall Eccho's, Reflecting the Voice many times, and as it were Tossing it; 
And some that give back the Voice Lowder then it came, some Shriller, and some Deeper; 
Yea, some rendring the Voice, Differing in the Letters or Articulate Sound, from that they receyve. Wee have also meanes to convey Sounds in Trunks and Pipes, in strange Lines, and Distances.

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