Philip Corner: On creativity as discovery—a conversation with Hanna B. Hölling, Aga Wielocha and Josephine Ellis

In this interview, composer Philip Corner discusses his artistic practice and approach to musical interpretation, describing his work as existing on a spectrum between extreme minimalism and maximalism. He also addresses his famous Piano Activities (1961), often misunderstood as an act of destruction, emphasizing its nature as a precisely written concert piece that allows for transformation and creative reinterpretation. Corner describes his artistic approach as research-based rather than creative, focused on discovering what exists in the universe rather than self-expression. His work spans multiple media, including music, visual art and calligraphy, with scores often functioning as both instructional documents and aesthetic objects. He embraces varied interpretations of his work while maintaining that performers should respect the fundamental definitions within his scores. The interview also touches on his collaboration with Alison Knowles and his current involvement with a museum dedicated to his work. Throughout, Corner emphasizes the importance of love and personal connection in the perpetuation of art over concerns about posterity.