John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer, philosopher, poet, music theorist, artist, printmaker, and amateur mycologist and mushroom collector. A pioneer of chance music, electronic music and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance Read Full BioJohn Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer, philosopher, poet, music theorist, artist, printmaker, and amateur mycologist and mushroom collector. A pioneer of chance music, electronic music and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance, mostly through his association with choreographer Merce Cunningham, who was also Cage's romantic partner for most of their lives.
Cage is perhaps best known for his 1952 composition 4′33″, the three movements of which are performed without a single note being played. The content of the composition is meant to be perceived as the sounds of the environment that the listeners hear while it is performed, rather than merely as four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence, and the piece became one of the most controversial compositions of the twentieth century. Another famous creation of Cage's is the prepared piano (a piano with its sound altered by placing various objects in the strings), for which he wrote numerous dance-related works and a few concert pieces, the best known of which is Sonatas and Interludes (1946–48).
His teachers included Henry Cowell (1933) and Arnold Schoenberg (1933–35), both known for their radical innovations in music and coincidentally their shared love of mushrooms, but Cage's major influences lay in various Eastern cultures. Through his studies of Indian philosophy and Zen Buddhism in the late 1940s, Cage came to the idea of chance-controlled music, which he started composing in 1951. The I Ching, an ancient Chinese classic text on changing events, became Cage's standard composition tool for the rest of his life. In a 1957 lecture, Experimental Music, he described music as "a purposeless play" which is "an affirmation of life – not an attempt to bring order out of chaos nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply a way of waking up to the very life we're living".
Cage is perhaps best known for his 1952 composition 4′33″, the three movements of which are performed without a single note being played. The content of the composition is meant to be perceived as the sounds of the environment that the listeners hear while it is performed, rather than merely as four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence, and the piece became one of the most controversial compositions of the twentieth century. Another famous creation of Cage's is the prepared piano (a piano with its sound altered by placing various objects in the strings), for which he wrote numerous dance-related works and a few concert pieces, the best known of which is Sonatas and Interludes (1946–48).
His teachers included Henry Cowell (1933) and Arnold Schoenberg (1933–35), both known for their radical innovations in music and coincidentally their shared love of mushrooms, but Cage's major influences lay in various Eastern cultures. Through his studies of Indian philosophy and Zen Buddhism in the late 1940s, Cage came to the idea of chance-controlled music, which he started composing in 1951. The I Ching, an ancient Chinese classic text on changing events, became Cage's standard composition tool for the rest of his life. In a 1957 lecture, Experimental Music, he described music as "a purposeless play" which is "an affirmation of life – not an attempt to bring order out of chaos nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply a way of waking up to the very life we're living".
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Ghostdog
It's raining. I was walking through the streets and this music was everywhere, in the puddles on the roads, in the sky covered with thick lead clouds, in the branches of naked trees, in the cold wind blowing in my face. I was wondering whether it was me tired of all the routine and monotonous stream of the days, or it was the nature trying to focus my gaze on all the simple beauties I was ignoring though it always appeared right in front of my eyes. In fact, I just wanted to sit somewhere and let the music merge me with it and turn to a tiny peace of an immortal beauty.
Ghostdog
@jean luc dorchies thank you for sharing your attitude. Much appreciated.
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and feelings. It's the power and beauty of music connecting us.
jean luc dorchies
Sorry for may bad french-english. The way you wrote et gave your feeling is so beautifull. Tank you.
Jamie Matthias
@Quentin Matthias yea, have been watching on instaflixxer for since december myself :D
Mario Princeton
@Quentin Matthias Definitely, have been watching on InstaFlixxer for since december myself :D
Quentin Matthias
dunno if anyone cares but if you're stoned like me during the covid times you can watch pretty much all of the new series on InstaFlixxer. Been watching with my girlfriend recently :)
Jeff Dawson
Pierre Boulez said that Cage was not a composer, but an inventor. And I say he was an inventor of perceiving sound in new ways. Maybe an inventor and a philosopher. To me, this is like slowed down Debussy. Peaceful.
Mark Dowding
Actually, it was Schoenberg that said that.
Jeff Dawson
@onegathers You’d think I would know this, given that I read it in Style & Idea many years ago. Thanks for the correction.
onegathers
Actually it was his tutor Schoenberg. But you are spot on everywhere else, our Jeff.