John Lewis-Stempel's argument for the value of quietness and its impact on our lives
In the heart of London, the estuarine Thames offers a hypnotic rhythm of water that resembles the hum, a sound reminiscent of the cosmic hum heard in remote auditoria such as the Grizedale Forest or the mountains of Wales's 'roof'. This hum, composed of gravitational forces and the silent sound of nature's life processes connecting, is not just a background noise but a testament to the rhythm of life itself.
Similarly, in the realm of music, John Cage, an American composer, challenged traditional definitions by radically redefining silence as a meaningful part of music. His groundbreaking composition, "4'33''", directed performers not to play their instruments for a total of four minutes and thirty-three seconds. This radical act turned silence into an active and integral musical element, inviting listeners to appreciate the ambient sounds and silences occurring in the performance space.
Cage was inspired by the birds' mastery of silence in music and his interest in Zen Buddhism. The work challenges traditional Western notions of music, which focus on notes and deliberate sounds, by inviting listeners to appreciate "negative space" — the unintentional environmental sounds and the silence between notes. This concept encourages a heightened listening experience where the everyday sounds around us become a kind of spontaneous, natural composition.
In relation to Zen Buddhism, "4'33''" reflects its philosophy, which emphasizes mindfulness, presence, and finding profundity in ordinary experiences. The piece promotes awareness of the present moment and the natural flow of sound without judgment or the need for traditional musical structure. This aligns with Zen concepts of emptiness and the beauty of silence as a space for contemplation and awakening.
Meanwhile, in the world of nature, animals like the wounded sheep and the fox have their own ways of embracing silence. The wounded sheep will not bleat to avoid betraying its state to a predator, while the fox pads softly on muffling, furred feet, moving with a quiet grace that mirrors the hum of the Thames.
In England, various habitats offer solitude and silence for those seeking a connection with nature. From the heathery North Yorkshire moors to the iconic Lake District, home to great piscean survivors of the Ice Age, these locations provide a soothing environment for meditation, much like Richmond Park's deery glade.
John Lewis-Stempel, a British author and two-time winner of the Wainwright prize for nature writing, discusses the various forms of silence in his new book, 'England: A Natural History', which explores 12 distinctive habitats of England. His work also delves into the silence understood by animals and the silence in music, offering a unique perspective on the beauty of silence in our everyday lives.
In the end, whether it's the hum of the Thames, the silence of the North Yorkshire moors, or the radical redefinition of silence in John Cage's "4'33''", the pursuit of silence is a journey of self-discovery and a means of finding harmony with the world around us.
John Lewis-Stempel's new book, 'England: A Natural History', discusses the significance of silence in various English habitats, including home-and-garden settings where one might cultivate an outdoor-living lifestyle. This reflects the importance of silence, not just in music as redefined by John Cage, but also in our daily lives as a means to connect with nature and seemingly inanimate objects like the hum of the Thames.
