ABSTRACT
Pierre Schaeffer's reaffirmation of the acousmatic and the particular way he established the practices of musique concrete continued the aesthetic line. This chapter examines this approach based on 'reduced listening' and – more importantly – some of the many and various rebellions against, and reactions to, its strictures. A simple comparison of different genres of electronic and acousmatic music which have upset traditional definitions shows this clearly. The 'identity of the work' is not something fixed and unchanging if we compare 'traditional' acousmatic composition, laptop improvisation and 'electronica/IDM'. The 'search engine' of our perception system is only minimally engaged. However, the acousmatic condition that recording emphasized slowly reengaged this faculty as part of an aesthetic engagement with a new 'sonic art' not based on any agreed sound sources. The games that acousmatic music plays re-engage some of the same faculties. The English word 'play' contains an ambiguity which illustrates precisely this dynamic relationship.
