Cardew

Cardew is an English surname. The name is most prominently associated with Cornelius Cardew (1936–1981), an English experimental composer and pianist who was a central figure in the British avant-garde music scene of the 1960s and 1970s. Cardew is best known for his graphic score Treatise (1963–66), a non-traditional work consisting of pages of lines and markings intended to be interpreted by performers rather than performed from conventional musical notation.

In addition to his compositional work, Cardew played a significant role in developing collaborative and participatory approaches to music. He co-founded the Scratch Orchestra in 1969, a large, open-form collective that emphasized collective experimentation, discovery, and the involvement of performers of varying skill levels. The ensemble and Cardew’s writings and lectures contributed to debates about the political and social dimensions of music during that era.

Cardew’s output spans scores, writings, and teaching activities, and his influence is felt in experimental and community-oriented music practices. While Cornelius Cardew is the best-known bearer of the name in English-language sources, Cardew can refer to other individuals sharing the surname.