4'33" and absolute what?

[grip at netcom.com]

On Thu, 16 May 1996 MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu wrote:

> grip writes:
> 
> >I expected someone to mention the source of the values, 4 minutes and 33 
> >seconds, but no one did. Is it because it's such common knowledge 
> >everyone assumes it is known?
> >
> >At the risk of saying the obvious, 4'33" = 273". The temperature at which 
> >all molecular motion ceases is -273 C. Hence the silence.
> 
> 
> Hey grip, if I am going to be--rightfully--called to task for continually forgetting that 
> 4'37" is not the same as 4' 33", I guess I am allowed to point out that 273 is not the 
> same as -273. Hence the lack of silence.

Sorry,

I didn't think I was taking any one to task, just pointing out the origin 
of the value. The negative comes in to play as the performer silently counts 
backwards, (i.e. negatively) from 272  to 0, as part of the performance. 

<grin>

grip