The following is excerpted from a 1974 interview in Music and Musicians (issue #263, v.22, #11). Thanks to Josh Ronsen for the quote!!


"At the end of the '50s and the beginning of the '60s came the happening movement from America. I was interested in an ambiguous way. I made some happenings--you know my piece for 100 metromonomes?--but I had the feeling I am not a happening person. You know the Fluxus group? I am not belonging there. After a time I had the feeling they take their job too seriously. And I am not serious like people like LaMonte Young and Geroge Brecht or even Cage. I will tell you exactly what is between me and these happening people. They believe that life is art and art is life. I appreciate very much Cage and many people, but my artistic credo is that art--every art--is not life. It is something artificial. And for me all the happenings are too dilletante. You see, I want, if I am the audience, to see a perfect music, or a perfect painting. I don't want to take part in it. I don't want that this fence between the piece and the audience be abolished. I don't want to get involved. It's the feeling of distance. I am not saying that my opinion is for everybody."


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