Écoute - Miroslav Sebestik, 1992

Some of the world’s most daring composers and musicologists probe the nature of sound and hearing in this unique documentary. The sounds of a rabbit sleeping, the rhythms of a tugboat on water, and the music inspired by industrial machines are among the sounds explored. Includes insights from John Cage, Luciano Berio and Knud Victor. In the spirit of John Cage’s historic and revolutionary composition 4’33’’--which challenges the boundaries of traditional music through four and a half minutes of intentional silence--Miroslav Sebestik’s fascinating documentary LISTEN explores the very nature of sound and hearing. Utilizing interviews with composers, musicologists, and theorists--including Luciano Berio, Knud Victor, and Cage himself--as well as sounds of rabbits sleeping, tugboats, industrial machines, and other unconventional forms of music, Sebestik raises vital questions about the aesthetics of listening.