John Cage, in full John Milton Cage, Jr., (born September 5, 1912, Los Angeles, California, U.S.—died August 12, 1992, New York, New York), American
avant-garde composer
whose inventive compositions and unorthodox ideas profoundly influenced mid-20th-century music.
What is John Cage best known for?
John Cage has been lauded as one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. He is perhaps best known for
his 1952 composition 4”233”3
, which is performed in the absence of deliberate sound; musicians who present the work do nothing aside from being present for the duration specified by the title.
Why is the music of John Cage known as chance music?
Cage wrote that it's
“the ability of a piece to be performed in substantially different ways
.” There are three different types of chance music. … From the early 1950s on, Indeterminacy or chance music referred to the mostly American composition movement that emerged around Cage.
How did John Cage start his career?
In 1946, Cage began
studying Indian music and philosophy from Gita Sarabhai
– an Indian musician whom he was tutoring in Western music. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Cage attended several lectures given by the famous Zen Buddhist, D.T. Suzuki, who would also have a large influence on his work.
Did John Cage come from a musical family?
Cage was born September 5, 1912, at Good Samaritan Hospital in downtown Los Angeles. … Cage's first experiences with music were from
private piano teachers in the Greater Los Angeles area and several relatives
, particularly his aunt Phoebe Harvey James who introduced him to the piano music of the 19th century.
What are the 3 compositions of John Cage?
- Three Songs, 1932.
- Sonata, clarinet, 1933.
- Sonata for Two Voices, 2 or more instruments, 1933.
- Solo with Obbligato Accompaniment of Two Voices in Canon, and Six Short Inventions on the Subject of the Solo, 3 or more instruments, 1933-4.
What is the difference between Baroque and classical music?
Baroque music generally uses many harmonic fantasies and polyphonic sections that focus less on the structure of the musical piece, and there was less emphasis on clear musical phrases. In the classical period,
the harmonies became simpler
.
What is the main idea of chance music?
Aleatoric music (also aleatory music or chance music; from the Latin word alea, meaning “dice”) is
music in which some element of the composition is left to chance
, and/or some primary element of a composed work's realization is left to the determination of its performer(s).
Who is most associated with chance music?
However,
John Cage
is so associated with chance music that it would seem odd not to study this important 20th century technique in connection with Cage.
How does John Cage define music?
33 Musicians On What John Cage Communicates
The “music” in this seemingly silent composition is all of the sound that occurs in the concert hall —
the coughs, the rustling
, the noise coming in from outside.
How did John Cage use the I Ching?
For Cage it became a perfect tool to create
chance-controlled compositions
: he would “ask” the book questions about various aspects of the composition at hand, and use the answers to compose. … Chance operations with the I Ching were employed to arrange these previously composed elements.
What is a fun fact about John Cage?
Cage was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 1912, the son of John Milton Cage, an inventor and electrical engineer. John studied piano as a boy. After two years at Pomona College, he spent a year and a half in Europe, trying his hand at poetry, painting, and architecture, as well
as music
.
How many movements does John Cage 4 33?
Cage conceived the piece in 1948, when he gave it the working title “Silent Prayer.” The work's manuscript declared that it was written “for any instrument or combination of instruments.” It then specified that there were
three movements
of set duration—33 seconds, 2 minutes 40 seconds, and 1 minute 20 seconds, …
Can you identify the musical styles of Claude Debussy?
French composer Claude Debussy's works were a seminal force in the music of the 20th century. He developed a highly original system of
harmony and musical structure
that expressed, in many respects, the ideals to which the Impressionist and Symbolist painters and writers of his time aspired.
How old is John Cage?
John Cage, the prolific and influential composer whose Minimalist works have long been a driving force in the world of music, dance and art, died yesterday at St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan. He
was 79 years old
and lived in Manhattan.
Is a composition for 24 performers on 12 radios and conductor?
2) is a composition for 24 performers on 12 radios and conductor by American
composer John Cage
and the fourth in the series of Imaginary Landscapes. It was composed in 1951. …
