The most valued sound is the silence anticipating a sound, the space between notes

Evidence

If I had to supply a single answer to that question, my favorite sound in the world would be the sound of anticipation: the silence of a sound about to be heard, the space between the notes. — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 37 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

This is because, I think now, silence in each case—between notes on an organ, between WIMP strikes on an argon nucleus—is what measures out the great emptiness between spatial events. After all, we use time to measure space; time, according to some philosophers, is simply a rhythm we ascribe to distance. — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 295 (#expands, via linked claim)

Silence seems to make music from everything, simply by isolating individual sounds, allowing the sounds time to form temporal relationships. Music is made out of rests and notes. Quiet times and exciting times, silence and sound. We need them both. More than any other sense, hearing unites everything. — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 612 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: The most valued sound can be the silence preceding a sound — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 37; Silence functions as the measure that structures both music and physical space — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 295; Silence enables sound to form musical relationships — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 612 (+2 more)

Related

• The most valued sound can be the silence preceding a sound (similarity 0.94)
• Silence takes its meaning from surrounding sound (similarity 0.89)
• Silence enables sound to form musical relationships (similarity 0.88)
• Silence functions as the measure that structures both music and physical space (similarity 0.85)
• Proscription’s honor makes silence the ultimate acoustic power (similarity 0.82)
• Silence is an active presence that must be experienced, not imagined (similarity 0.82)
• Silence is a positive presence rather than mere absence (similarity 0.81)
• Silence is not the mere absence of something else, but a complex positive phenomenon (similarity 0.80)
• Silence functions as an underrated conversational presence (similarity 0.80)
• Silence is not the absence of sound but rather the presence of unintended sounds, as demonstrated by Cage’s 4’33”. (similarity 0.79)
• Natural silence is a positive presence felt in the body (similarity 0.79)
• Cage’s silence turns out to be not an absence of sound but an opening to unintended yet palpable sounds that saturate our perceptual field. (similarity 0.79)
• Silence carries deeper meaning and value than speech does. (similarity 0.78)
• Silence is nothing merely negative; it is not the mere absence of speech, but has a kind of Being of its own. (similarity 0.78)
• A perfect unchanging sound would be perceived as silence. (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• The most valued sound can be the silence preceding a sound #corroborates (0.95) — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 37
• Silence functions as the measure that structures both music and physical space #expands (0.75) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 295
• Silence enables sound to form musical relationships #expands (0.70) — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 612