Where he had virtually ignored it prior to 1948, beginning in that year he became more and more concerned with silence, its nature, and how to engage it compositionally. A meditation on the act of listening and the nature of performance, cage s controversial piece became the iconic statement of the meaning of silence in art and is a landmark work of american music. Nov 06, 2017 the piece was called 433for the three silent movements totaling four minutes and 33 secondsand it was composed by john cage. Heres what john cages musical notation looks like as sculpture. Like the robert rauschenberg white canvasses that partly inspired it, cage s totally silent 1952 work intended for a single performer, closing and opening the lid of a piano at the beginning and end, respectively, of each of its three movements seems in retrospect like a historical necessity in musical modernism. Like the robert rauschenberg white canvasses that partly inspired it, cages totally silent 1952 work intended for a single performer, closing and opening the lid of a piano at the beginning and end, respectively, of each of its three movements seems in retrospect like a historical necessity in musical modernism. However, it was later revealed that the track included justin bieber s what do you mean. Dec 02, 2015 it was initially reported that soundcloud deleted the song because because it infringed on the of john cage and his famous silent composition. When performed by a soloist, this composition sees the performer take the seat at the piano but doing absolutely nothing with it.
An end to conventional music, it became a beginning for cage. Jul 14, 2007 a year with john cage how to get out of the cage documentary, 2012 duration. In most of the performances of john cages famously silent composition 433, the performer sits in front of what appears to be sheet music as in the performance below. For example, he wrote works for a prepared pianoa piano that had objects placed under some of the strings to create unique sounds. John holzaepfels cage and tudor chapter of the cambridge companion to john cage cambridge university press, 2002 gives a description and account of both of tudors reconstructions of the score. No composition of the 20th century seems so inevitable as john cage s 433. Who was the leading composer of band music in america up to the 20th century. This was the debut of john cages most famous composition, a work of complete silence, except the sounds of the confused audience. The book s title gives one additional insight into the metaphorical value of the composition. The garbled ads were allowed on the service without any issues, unlike that silent vulfpeck album. Getty images chat about ephemeral gets loud about john cage s silent composition, 433. In 1952 composer john cage shook the music world with his most radical composition to date.
Apr 30, 2014 john cage is most famous for a composition that claims to be music but acts like an artworka conceptual piece, in function and in form. Jan 14, 2015 in 1952 composer john cage shook the music world with his most radical composition to date. John cage at 100 cages most lasting influence may be in his ideas about the boundaries between noise and music and. Cage s description of silent prayer is notable in that it includes the first use of the word silence in his writings. In this concise survey, gann, a composer and music critic, examines john cages famously noteless composition 433 from origins to afterlife. Ganns account so perceptively synthesizes the irreducible disparity about the origin of cages seemingly simple gesture that it will doubtlessly become the unstable foundation for many future interpretive.
Since this first performance 433 has been performed numerous times, provoking questions about its intent and effect, and whether it is a piece of performance art, an experiment in zen philosophy, or something. Pianist david tudor walked out on stage on august 29, 1952, in woodstock, ny, sat down at the piano and closed the lid. It is played at the piano and is divided into three movements. Josh jones is a writer and musician based in durham, nc. Mar 01, 2010 ganns book amply demonstrates that cages socalled silent piece is as resonant with philosophical, historical, and acoustical complexities as many a noisier composition. Four minutes and thirtythree seconds, 1952, a piece in which the performer or performers remain utterly silent onstage for that amount of time although the amount of time is left to the determination of the performer. The piece was called 433 for the three silent movements totaling four minutes and 33 secondsand it was composed by john cage. May 15, 2015 but when a musician sees a rest in the score, that rest is still part of the composition and is a valid part of the overall work. First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, john cages 433, a composition conceived of without a single musical note, is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. Nov 21, 2010 i read this book as a 20yearold aspiring composer and found what cage had to say about the nature of noise, about how we listen or dont listen, and about how tradition and habit threaten to. Cage s most famous musical composition is entitled 433. It is the great merit of ganns book to have revealed just how multidimensional even cages most seemingly unidimensional gesture can be. The composer and scholar kyle gann recently published no such thing as silence. He lucidly catalogues the specifically american mix of influences duchamp, zen, erik satie, thoreau, robert rauschenberg that fed cages invention and sifts through the composers.
Cages most famous musical composition is entitled 433. G douglas barrett assistant professordepartment of. Hongkai wangs multichannel video music while we work 2011. Im interested in that aspect in my work, too, with nonstatic sculpture. Cage created 62 pages in total, but you were able to change the composition every time.
May 08, 2000 the silent composition, which became known by its duration of four minutes and 33 seconds, was influenced by cage s encounter with the socalled white paintings by his friend robert rauschenberg. When i interviewed cage for my bbc radio 3 documentary in june 1987 he. Surprisingly in his book titled silence, cage talks very little about his most seminal work. Ephemeral gets loud about john cages silent composition, 4. First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, john cages433, a composition conceived of without a single musical note, is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. Interestingly, john cages silent experimental composition 433 remains streamable on. The curious score for john cages silent zen composition.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. A meditation on the act of listening and the nature of performance, cages controversial piece became the iconic statement of the meaning of silence in. The museum of modern art in new york now owns the score. John cage performs his avantgarde piano piece 433 in 122 harvard square, 1973 see the curious score for john cages silent zen composition 433 stream a free 65hour playlist of john cage music and discover the full scope of his avantgarde compositions. John cage is most famous for a composition that claims to be music but acts like an artworka conceptual piece, in function and in form. Heres what john cages musical notation looks like as. I read this book as a 20yearold aspiring composer and found what cage had to say about the nature of noise, about how we listen or dont listen, and about how tradition and habit threaten to. A dj recently made the news after claiming that soundcloud an online audio distribution platform removed a song of his because of infringement. First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, john cages 433, a composition conceived of without a single musical note,is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. When composer john cage wrote 433 four minutes, thirtythree seconds, it would become his most famous and controversial piece.
The book is still appropriately named as he takes the notions of his piece and applies it to writing. September 5, 1912 august 12, 1992 was an american composer, music theorist, artist, and philosopher. It is a piece that defies the conventions of classical music. Many presume that the pieces purpose was deliberate provocation, an attempt to insult, or get a reaction from, the audience. Cages description of silent prayer is notable in that it includes the first use of the word silence in his writings. Sep 10, 2018 cages description of the composition of 4. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and nonstandard use of musical instruments, cage was one of the leading figures of the postwar avantgarde. The silent composition, which became known by its duration of four minutes and 33 seconds, was influenced by cages encounter with the socalled white paintings by his friend robert rauschenberg. The audience, generally prepared for what will follow, namely nothing, may sometimes wonder what could be printed on those pages. Hes most famous for his allsilent threepart 1952 composition 433 a reference to its duration in minutes and seconds. Ephemeral gets loud about john cages silent composition. Silence is a collection of some of the essays and lectures that have made john cage s name synonymous with all that is unpredictable and exciting in contemporary miusic.
John cage was very creatively productive up until his death in 1992 and yet is best known for his early work, such as the silent composition 433, first performed in 1952. John holzaepfels cage and tudor chapter of the cambridge companion to john cage cambridge university press, 2002 gives a description and account of both. Chapters focus on ultrareds activist reinterpretation of john cages silent composition 4. The curious score for john cages silent zen composition 4. Jul, 2019 there s even a chart just for radio podcasts here, featuring all your favorite iheartradio personalities like bobby bones, elvis duran, steve harvey and dozens of others.
Ganns account so perceptively synthesizes the irreducible disparity about the origin of cages seemingly simple gesture that it will doubtlessly become the. Jan 06, 2020 cage created 62 pages in total, but you were able to change the composition every time. Composer john adams wrote the following in the new york times. John cage at 100 cages most lasting influence may be in his ideas about the boundaries between noise and music and the artistic freedom that comes from breaking the rules. Demers also discusses such artists as ice cube, dj. John cage believed music was everywhere, including, and maybe even especially, silence, alex tells us.
A vibrant portrait of the importance, influence, and impact of john cages iconic piece 433 by a leading modern music critic first performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, john cages 433, a composition conceived of without a single musical note,is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. Cage was perhaps best known for his 1952 silent piece, 433. The silent composition, which became known by its duration of four minutes and 33 seconds, was influenced by cages encounter with the socalled white paintings by. The notion of silence or as cage philosophizes, the lack thereof has informed both my thinking and my playing. Silence is a collection of some of the essays and lectures that have made john cages name synonymous with all that is unpredictable and exciting in contemporary miusic. Cages silent piece, 4 33, still gains the greatest media attention. A year with john cage how to get out of the cage documentary, 2012 duration. Kay larson explores its zeninspired lessons in her new book, where the heart beats. In this concise survey, gann, a composer and music critic, examines john cage s famously noteless composition 433 from origins to afterlife.
Peter ablingers letter from schoenberg 2007 for computercontrolled player piano. Cages silent composition that requires performed not to make a sound for 4 minutes and 33 secs 12 tone system accomplishes. The books title gives one additional insight into the metaphorical value of the composition. And while his published collection of lectures and writings is titled silence, as cage himself said of 433, in a remark that provides the. At the time, john cage insisted that records ruin the landscape, pulling attention away from the surrounding environment, a vital element of his famous silent composition 433.
Ganns book amply demonstrates that cages socalled silent piece is as resonant with philosophical, historical, and acoustical complexities as many a noisier composition. In harold actons 1928 book cornelian a musician conducts performances consisting largely of silence. Music appreciation final study guide 2 flashcards quizlet. When 433 debuted, the audience was furious, accusing cage of everything from parading around in emperors new clothes to attacking the sanctity of music. Cage 19121992 was a pioneer in using instruments in nonstandard ways. Read against this backdrop, cages silent piece is as much a way of understanding realityas much a true beingas a musical composition expressly designed produce specific formal effects. John cage, a leading figure of the american musical avantgarde and lecturer and writer extraordinary, dedicated himself to the search for new horizons in musical composition. The audience at the world premiere was prepared to listen to this piece divided into three movements. It quickly became one of the most controversial musical works of the 20th century because it consisted of silence or, more precisely, ambient soundwhat cage called the absence of intended. He lucidly catalogues the specifically american mix of influences duchamp, zen, erik satie, thoreau, robert rauschenberg that fed. The key to understanding john cages silent piece at moma. Jun 20, 2014 cages silent piece, 4 33, still gains the greatest media attention. Cage s silent composition that requires performed not to make a sound for 4 minutes and 33 secs 12 tone system accomplishes.
The composition takes its name from the fact that it requires four minutes and thirtythree seconds to perform. No composition of the 20th century seems so inevitable as john cages 433. Finished only shortly before his death in 1992, composition in retrospect completes the documentation of cage s thought that began with his classic book silence 1961, but it is an introduction and invitation to his work as much as a summary or conclusion. The piece was called 433for the three silent movements totaling four minutes and 33 secondsand it was composed by john cage.
1206 608 1445 240 1321 1553 608 550 756 206 179 117 628 88 500 266 1029 48 492 437 1241 1111 273 931 319 729 918 785 1481 875 979 260 484