Cage, John

Cage, John (b Los Angeles, 1912; d NY, 1992). Amer. composer, pianist, and writer. From 1937 developed interests in dance and perc. In 1938 experimented with Cowell's invention of the ‘prepared pf.’ by inserting various objects, from rubber-bands to hatpins, between the str. to create new effects. Settled in NY 1942, beginning long assoc. with Merce Cunningham Dance Co. as mus. dir. 1944–68. Theater Piece (1952) for Cunningham is regarded as first musical ‘happening’ (spontaneous event). Study of oriental philosophies and Zen Buddhism and his reading of I Ching, the Chinese book of changes, led to his utilization of ‘chance’ in his mus., as in Music of Changes (1951). In 1952 he prod. his first piece involving tape, Imaginary Landscape V, and in the same year came 4′33″ in which the performer makes no sound. He was also an expert on mushrooms.



The particular elements of Cage's avant-garde outlook were: use of any kind of environmental sounds or noises; use of ‘chance’, as in Music of Changes where the selection process involves tossing a coin; abandonment of formal structures; use of silence; use of a wide range of elec. and visual techniques. His stated belief was that any noise constituted music. ‘Nothing is accomplished by writing, hearing or playing a piece of music’, he wrote (1961). He regarded 4′33″ as his most significant work: the performer or performers sit silently on the platform. The ‘music’ is whatever sound comes from the audience or outside the hall. Books incl. Silence (1961), A Year from Monday (1967), and For the Birds (1981). Works incl.:OPERA: Europera I/II, for 19 soloists and orch. (1987).BALLET: The Seasons (1947).ORCH.: conc., prepared pf., chamber orch. (1951); Concert for pf., 63 pages to be played, whole or in part, in any sequence (1957–8); Atlas Eclipticalis (1961–2); Cheap Imitation (1972, orch. version of pf. solo); Etcetera (1973); Score (40 drawings by Thoreau) and 23 Parts (any instr. and/or vv., 1974); Quartets I–VIII (24, 41, or 93 instrs., 1976); Quartet, concert band and 12 amp. vv. (1976–8); 30 Pieces for 5 Orchestras (1981); Etcetera 2/4 Orchestras (1986).PERCUSSION & ELEC.: perc. qt. (1935); Trio, suite for perc. (1936); Construction I in Metal, perc. sextet (1939), II, perc. qt. (1940), III, perc. qt. (1941); Imaginary Landscape I, 2 variable speed gramophone turntables, frequency recordings, muted pf., cymbal (1939), II (March), perc. quintet (1942), III, perc. sextet (1942), IV (March No.2), 12 radios, 24 players, cond. (1951), V, any 42 recordings as magnetic tape (1952); Living Room Music, perc. qt. (1940); Credo in Us, perc. qt. incl. radio or gramophone and pf. (1942); Speech, 5 radios with news reader (1955); 27′10.554″, percussionist (1956); But what about the noise of crumpling paper . . . , perc. ens. (1986).CHAMBER MUSIC: cl. sonata (1933); 3 pieces, fl. duet (1935); Nocturne, vn., pf. (1947); Str. Qt. (1949–50); 6 Melodies, vn., kbd. (1950); 4′33″ (silent, for any instr. or combination of instr.) (1952); Variations I–VI, any no. of players and sound-producing means (1958–66); HPSCHD, 7 hpd. soloists, 51 or any no. of tape machines (1967–9); Cheap Imitation, vn. solo (1977); Freeman Etudes, vn. solo (1977); Chorals, vn. solo (1978); Postcard From Heaven, 1–20 hps. (1983); 30 Pieces for Str. Qt. (1984); 13 Harmonies, vn., kbd. (1986).PIANO (solo unless stated otherwise): Music for Xenia (1934); Metamorphosis (1938); Experiences I, pf. duet (1945); Ophelia (1946); Dream (1948); 7 Haiku (1952); Music of Changes (1951, in 4 vols.); Music for Piano (1952–6, several works); Winter Music, 1–20 pianists (1957); 0′00″ (4′33″ No.2) to be perf. in any way by anyone (1962); Cheap Imitation (1969, orch. version 1972, vn. solo 1977); Études Australes, 32 studies in 4 books (1974–5); ASLSP (1985); One (1988); Swinging (1989).PREPARED PIANO: Bacchanale (1940); And the Earth Shall Bear Again (1942); In the Name of the Holocaust (1942); Amores, 2 solos for prepared pf. and 2 trios for 3 percussionists (1943); Totem Ancestor (1943); Meditation (1943); Spontaneous Earth (1944); A Valentine Out of Season (1944); Daughters of the Lonesome Isle (1945); Sonatas and Interludes (1946–8); Music for Marcel Duchamp (1947); 34′46.776″ for a pianist (1954); 31′57.9864″ for a pianist (1954).MISCELLANEOUS: Music for Carillon Nos. 1–5 (1952–67); Les Chants de Maldoror pulverisés par l'assistance même (1971); Haikai, gamelan (1986).VOCAL: 5 Songs, cont., pf. (e.e. cummings) (1938); Forever and Sunsmell (cummings), v., perc. duo (1942); The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs, v., closed pf. (Joyce) (1942); Experiences 2, solo v. (1948); Song Books, Solos for voice 3–92 (1970); 62 Mesostics re Merce Cunningham (1971, unacc.); Hymns and Variations, 12 amp. vv. (1978); Litany for the Whale, 2 vv. (1980); Five, 5 vv. or instr. (1988); 4 Solos for Voices 93–96, sop., mez., ten., bass (1988); Europera III, 6 singers, 2 pf., 6 gramophone operators, lighting, tape (1989); IV, 2 singers, 1 record-player, pf., lighting (1989); V, pianist, 2 singers, lighting, tape (1991).TAPE, AUDIO-VISUAL, etc.: Water Music (1952); Fontana Mix, tape or any instr. (1958); Where are we going? And what are we doing? (1960); Rozart Mix (1965); Bird Cage (12 tapes, 1972); Lecture on the Weather (12 perf., 1975).