Furor over 4'33" copyright

I have no idea if this is a joke, but here it is, as it appears in
http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=307449

Big noises at odds over the sound of silence

By David Lister Media and Culture Editor

21 June 2002

'The Sound of Silence' may have prompted engaging harmonies from
Simon and Garfunkel – but a more literal appreciation of the absence
of noise has prompted one of the more curious copyright disputes of
modern times.

Mike Batt, the man behind the Wombles and Vanessa Mae, has put a
silent 60-second track on the album of his latest classical
chart-topping protégés, the Planets. This has enraged representatives
of the avant-garde, experimentalist composer John Cage, who died in
1992. The silence on his group's album clearly sounds uncannily like
4'33", the silence composed by Cage in his prime.

Batt said last night: "I've received a letter on behalf of John Cage's
music publishers. I was in hysterics when I read their letter.

"As my mother said when I told her, 'which part of the silence are they cla=
iming you nicked?'. They say they are claiming copyright on a piece of mine =
called 'One Minute's Silence' on the Planets' album, which I credit Batt/Cag=
e just for a laugh. But my silence is original silence, not a quotation from=
his silence."

John Starrett speaking: If this is true, then perhaps Batt should claim tha=
t his silence is in BlackJack or JI, whereas Cage's was firmly rooted in 12t=
et.

John Starrett

----- Original Message -----
From: "jdstarrett" <jstarret@carbon.cudenver.edu>

I have no idea if this is a joke, but here it is, as it appears in
http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=307449

I heard about this a few days ago on another list,
sounds real.

* David Beardsley
* http://biink.com
* http://mp3.com/davidbeardsley

--- In tuning@y..., "jdstarrett" <jstarret@c...> wrote:
> I have no idea if this is a joke, but here it is, as it appears in
> http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=307449

I believe this article gives a little more background:

http://www.andante.com/magazine/article.cfm?id=17428

Cheers,
Jon