Cacophony examples. Cacophony, what is sound chaos

Perceived as a chaotic and meaningless accumulation of them. Cacophony is formed, as a rule, as a result of a random combination of sounds (for example, when tuning an orchestra) or a cutting combination of sounds in poetry. The antonym of the word cacophony is euphony (euphony).

In modern musical avant-gardeism, elements of cacophony can be used purposefully: “sound clusters” in G. Cowell and J. Cage, a pile-up of sounds in P. Boulez and K. Stockhausen, etc. If the structure of the music does not correspond to the listener’s musical experience, he may experience the impression of cacophony. For example, listeners may perceive music from another culture or era as cacophony; Thus, the Yakut folk polyphony (meaningful and natural for the Yakuts) will seem like cacophony to a listener brought up on tertian chords.

A famous example The use of this term is in the article “Confusion instead of music”, where he characterizes the opera “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” by Shostakovich:

If a composer happens to find himself on the path of a simple and understandable melody, then he immediately, as if frightened by such a disaster, rushes into the jungle of musical confusion, which in some places turns into cacophony.

Cacophony in speech can be created due to the annoying repetition of the same sounds, if their accumulation does not serve stylistic purposes. In this meaning, the term was used by Pushkin: ““To whom was Phoebus from the Russian affections” - the unexpected rhyme “Heraskov” does not reconcile me with this cacophony.” ()

In psychiatry, this term refers to a speech perception disorder with sensory asemia, when everything heard is perceived by the patient as a disordered and meaningless stream of sounds; as well as continuous nonsensical sounds produced at the peak of speech arousal.

Cacophony sometimes used in figurative meaning to denote discord and disagreement. After German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in December 2002 criticized politicians from his coalition who talked about raising taxes with the words “This type of cacophony is absolutely not conducive to cooperative politics.”. , word Cacophony When choosing "word of the year" it took 4th place in Germany in 2002.

...and in front of a large crowd they began to give a concert to the upset and spoiled musical instruments. It was such wild music that no ear could stand it; but carminatives spread a rumor that this is the most fashionable music now and it is called cacophony.
This cacophony began to spread throughout the city, and soon several more orchestras appeared, playing broken and out of tune instruments. The cacophonous orchestra “Vetrofon” was considered especially fashionable at that time. It was small and consisted of only ten short people. One of these little guys was playing tin can, another sang, a third squeaked, a fourth squealed, a fifth grunted, a sixth meowed, a seventh croaked; the rest were published by others different sounds and hit the frying pans.
Music lovers came to the concerts of these fashionable orchestras, listened and returned home with painfully tormented ears, cursing all the cacophony, windphony and their own own existence in addition.

(from the Greek kakos - bad and ponn - sound) - combinations of sounds that are perceived as meaningless, chaotic, chaotic and producing a repulsive, anti-aesthetic. impression on the listener. K. is usually formed as a result of a random combination of sounds or various sounds. melodic excerpts (for example, when tuning an orchestra). However, some representatives of modern music Avant-gardeism consciously uses elements of music ("sound clusters" in G. Cowell and J. Cage, a heap of sounds in P. Boulez and K. Stockhausen, etc.). The impression of K. may also arise due to a discrepancy between the listener’s musical experience and the structure of the music. Combinations of sounds, which are for a certain nationality. cultures and eras were meaningful and natural, they can be perceived by a listener of another country or another era as K. (for example, the Yakut folk polyphony may seem K. to a listener brought up on tertian chords).

A. G. Yusfin.

View value Cacophony in other dictionaries

Cacophony- cacophony, w. (Greek kakos - bad and - sound) (book). An inharmonious, jarring combination of sounds, cacophony (in music, in poetry). “To whom was Phoebus from the Russian affections?”
Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

Cacophony J.— 1. Non-harmonic, ear-harrassing combination of sounds; cacophony (in music, poetry).
Explanatory Dictionary by Efremova

Cacophony- -And; and. [Greek kakos - bad and phōnē - sound, voice] A jarring combination of sounds, cacophony (in music, in poetry).
◁ Cacophonous, -aya, -oe. K music.
Kuznetsov's Explanatory Dictionary

Cacophony- (from the Greek kakos - bad and phone - sound) - combinations of musical sounds, perceived as chaotic, chaotic.
Big encyclopedic Dictionary

Cacophony- - combinations musical sounds, perceived as chaotic, chaotic. In a figurative meaning - strong noise, roar, sounds drowning out each other.
Historical Dictionary

Cacophony- (from the Greek kakos - bad + phone - sound) - combinations of musical sounds, perceived as chaotic, chaotic and unpleasant.
Psychological Encyclopedia

(euphony).

In music

A well-known example of the use of this term is the article “Confusion instead of music”, where it describes the opera “Katerina Izmailova” by Shostakovich:

If a composer happens to find himself on the path of a simple and understandable melody, then he immediately, as if frightened by such a disaster, rushes into the jungle of musical confusion, which in some places turns into cacophony.

In philology

Use in other areas

The term can be used in other fields of art

Figurative meaning

Cacophony sometimes used figuratively to denote discord and disagreement. After German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in December 2002 criticized politicians from his coalition who talked about raising taxes with the words “This type of cacophony is absolutely not conducive to cooperative politics.”. , word Cacophony When choosing "word of the year" it took 4th place in Germany in 2002.

Word cacophony used by Nikolai Nosov in the novel “Dunno in the Sunny City” to refer to the “music” performed by the hooligans who appeared in the city - “carminatives”: several of them made their way into the concert hall

...and in front of a large crowd they began to give a concert on out-of-tune and damaged musical instruments. It was such wild music that no ear could stand it; but carminatives spread a rumor that this is the most fashionable music now and it is called cacophony.
This cacophony began to spread throughout the city, and soon several more orchestras appeared, playing broken and out of tune instruments. The cacophonous orchestra “Vetrofon” was considered especially fashionable at that time. It was small and consisted of only ten short people. One of these little guys played on a tin can, another sang, a third squeaked, a fourth squealed, a fifth grunted, a sixth meowed, a seventh croaked; the rest made other different sounds and hit the frying pans.
Music lovers came to the concerts of these fashionable orchestras, listened and returned home with painfully tormented ears, cursing all the cacophony, wind noise and their own existence into the bargain.

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing Cacophony

– All obstacles to the Russians are in vain, let’s go! – Petya shouted.
“But you’re not allowed to: Mama said you’re not allowed to,” said Nikolai, turning to Natasha.
“No, I’ll go, I’ll definitely go,” Natasha said decisively. “Danila, tell us to saddle up, and for Mikhail to ride out with my pack,” she turned to the hunter.
And so it seemed indecent and difficult for Danila to be in the room, but to have anything to do with the young lady seemed impossible to him. He lowered his eyes and hurried out, as if it had nothing to do with him, trying not to accidentally harm the young lady.

The old count, who had always kept a huge hunt, but now had transferred the entire hunt to the jurisdiction of his son, on this day, September 15th, having fun, got ready to leave too.
An hour later the whole hunt was at the porch. Nikolai, with a stern and serious look, showing that there was no time to deal with trifles now, walked past Natasha and Petya, who were telling him something. He inspected all parts of the hunt, sent the pack and hunters ahead to the race, sat down on his red bottom and, whistling the dogs of his pack, set off through the threshing floor into the field leading to the Otradnensky order. The old count's horse, a game-colored mering called Bethlyanka, was led by the count's stirrup; he himself had to go straight in the droshky to the hole left for him.
Of all the hounds, 54 dogs were bred, under which 6 people went out as handlers and catchers. In addition to the masters, there were 8 greyhound hunters, who were followed by more than 40 greyhounds, so that with the master's packs about 130 dogs and 20 horse hunters went out into the field.
Each dog knew its owner and name. Each hunter knew his business, place and purpose. As soon as they left the fence, everyone, without noise or conversation, stretched out evenly and calmly along the road and field leading to the Otradnensky forest.
The horses walked across the field as if walking on a fur carpet, occasionally splashing through puddles as they crossed the roads. The foggy sky continued to descend imperceptibly and evenly to the ground; the air was quiet, warm, soundless. Occasionally one could hear the whistling of a hunter, the snoring of a horse, the blow of an arapnik, or the yelp of a dog that was not moving in its place.
Having ridden about a mile away, five more horsemen with dogs appeared from the fog to meet the Rostov hunt. There was a fresh one riding ahead, handsome old man with a large gray mustache.
“Hello, uncle,” Nikolai said when the old man drove up to him.
“It’s a real march!... I knew it,” said the uncle (he was a distant relative, a poor neighbor of the Rostovs), “I knew that you couldn’t stand it, and it’s good that you’re going.” Pure march! (This was my uncle’s favorite saying.) - Take the order now, otherwise my Girchik reported that the Ilagins are standing in Korniki with pleasure; You have them - pure march! - they will take the brood under your nose.
- That's where I'm going. What, to bring down the flocks? - Nikolai asked, - get out...
The hounds were united into one pack, and uncle and Nikolai rode side by side. Natasha, wrapped in scarves, from under which a lively face with sparkling eyes could be seen, galloped up to them, accompanied by Petya and Mikhaila, the hunter who was not far behind her, and the guard who was assigned as her nanny. Petya laughed at something and beat and pulled his horse. Natasha deftly and confidently sat on her black Arab and with a faithful hand, without effort, reined him in.
Uncle looked disapprovingly at Petya and Natasha. He did not like to combine self-indulgence with the serious business of hunting.
- Hello, uncle, we're on our way! – Petya shouted.
“Hello, hello, but don’t run over the dogs,” the uncle said sternly.
- Nikolenka, what a lovely dog, Trunila! “he recognized me,” Natasha said about her favorite hound dog.
“Trunila, first of all, is not a dog, but a survivor,” thought Nikolai and looked sternly at his sister, trying to make her feel the distance that should have separated them at that moment. Natasha understood this.
“Don’t think, uncle, that we will interfere with anyone,” said Natasha. We will remain in our place and not move.
“And a good thing, countess,” said the uncle. “Just don’t fall off your horse,” he added: “otherwise it’s pure marching!” – there’s nothing to hold on to.
The island of the Otradnensky order was visible about a hundred yards away, and those arriving were approaching it. Rostov, having finally decided with his uncle where to throw the hounds from and showing Natasha a place where she could stand and where nothing could run, set off for a race over the ravine.
“Well, nephew, you’re becoming like a seasoned man,” said the uncle: no need to iron (etch).
“As necessary,” answered Rostov. - Karai, fuit! - he shouted, responding with this call to his uncle’s words. Karai was old and ugly, a brown-haired male, famous for that he alone took on a seasoned wolf. Everyone took their places.
The old count, knowing his son’s hunting ardor, hurried not to be late, and before those who arrived had time to arrive at the place, Ilya Andreich, cheerful, rosy, with trembling cheeks, rode up on his little black ones along the greenery to the hole left for him and, straightening his fur coat and putting on his hunting clothes, shells, climbed onto his smooth, well-fed, peaceful and kind, gray-haired Bethlyanka like him. The horses and droshky were sent away. Count Ilya Andreich, although not a hunter by heart, but who firmly knew the laws of hunting, rode into the edge of the bushes from which he was standing, took apart the reins, adjusted himself in the saddle and, feeling ready, looked back smiling.

Cacophony is a random, disharmonious combination of sounds that usually causes the listener to wince and immediately cover their ears.

Meaning of the word

The origin of the word is ancient Greek. The root - φωνή is translated as “sound” and is involved in the creation of many lexemes associated with sound characteristics: megaphone, gramophone, tape recorder, telephone, phonogram, phoneme, music library, and so on. The root κακός in Russian translation means “bad.”

The meaning of the word cacophony is confirmed by the synonymous series in which it is located: dissonance, dissonance, disharmony. Any sounds that grate the ear are perceived by the human ear as cacophony. This is the crazy choir of March cats, and the sounds of instruments being tuned before a performance or concert, and the urban discord of noise, and the cacophonous lines of other poetic verses. The word opposite in meaning to this lexeme is the term “euphony,” which means euphony.

Musical dissonance

Cacophony is a concept most associated with music. In modern avant-garde art, a chaotic accumulation of sounds is sometimes used specifically, with a specific ideological and aesthetic purpose. Back in 1936, Russian critics angrily condemned the “conceptualist” Shostakovich for the intricate sound organization of his opera “Lady Macbeth.” Mtsensk district", calling his work confusion instead of music. The works of the American pianist Henry Cowell, who was distinguished by his own unique style, contain musical polyphonies characterized by dissonant sound. The same can be said about the composer John Cage, who became famous for inventing the so-called “prepared piano”. Before the concert, the musician prepared the instrument by placing small objects between its strings - coins, pieces of paper, paper clips, pins. As a result, the sound acquired unusual colors and timbre. Cage's technique of composing music was based on the principle of chance. The method of chance was brought to perfection by his followers - the German Stockhausen and the Frenchman Boulez.

"Metal" group

Fans of the heavy metal style will gladly tell you that “Cacophony” is also the famous American band, musical compositions which represent a bizarre mixture of Japanese, Arabic and new European melodies. During the three years of its existence (1986-1989), the group released two high-quality albums in the style of thrash metal and neoclassical metal.

In other areas

The noun "cacophony" also applies to other areas human activity. In stylistics, this is what they say about an ugly and unjustified combination of sounds in speech. Psychiatry uses this term in service when referring to nervous disorders in which the patient perceives audible sounds as chaotic noise. Metaphorically, the word “cacophony” denotes differences of opinion and lack of agreement between people. Sometimes it defines the inconsistency and inconsistency of an individual's thought process, feelings and desires. Then they talk about the cacophony of the mind. Cacophony in fine arts and architecture can be called bizarre and piercing combinations of shapes, lines and colors, unusual for the perception of a person brought up on traditional patterns culture.

Speak correctly

You can often hear the concept of “cacophony of sounds.” It is incorrect because it contains a tautology: the noun “cacophony,” as we have seen, already has the meaning of the word “sound,” thus the above expression means “a cacophony of sounds.” Let's use words and concepts correctly so that cacophony never arises in our thoughts and statements.