Sonic Meditations - Pauline Oliveros

"How and what does one hear? In order to answer this question, the mind must relax, as a muscle must relax, or the appropriate state of expectation must be present in body and mind in order to become receptive to both internal and external stimuli"

A long out-of-print text regarded as a seminal work of avant-garde music thought receives a brand new reissue this month. ‘Sonic Meditations’ is a collection of “word pieces” by Pauline Oliveros — a pioneering American composer who was central to the development of post-war experimental and electronic music in the 20th century.

Originally published in 1971, ‘Sonic Meditations’ was designed to develop readers’ listening skills and appreciation of sounds (both real and imaginary) through the practice of meditation and group participation. By deviating from standard musical notation and instead offering a series of text scores, Oliveros aimed to help people realise the social power of sound while enriching lives and expanding consciousness — without any need for traditional musical training.

Prior to her death in 2016, Oliveros was fascinated by the roles of sound and consciousness in daily life — notably coining the term ‘Deep Listening’ in 1988 to signify a practice of healing and transformation rooted in musicianship. More recently, Ignota Books published a collection of her work titled ‘Quantum Listening’ in 2022 — described as a manifesto for listening as activism, and a foundation for “a radically transformed social matrix” built on compassion and peace.

Deep LIstening, 2023
English
Softcover, 128 pages
152mm x 228 mm