John cage silence book

And he inspired the university press to publish this book. The notion of silence or as cage philosophizes, the lack thereof has informed both my thinking and my playing. The page numbers in brackets in the introduction to each extract refer to that book. Silence, john cages first book and epic masterpiece, was published in october 1961. If youre familiar with cages ideas, youll want to read these texts, some of which can be a bit offputting by their form. In these lectures, scores, and writings, cage tries, as he. In silence, he explains a lot of the techniques he used when composing, and discusses the value and meaning of music. Historically, music has been a communication of feelings, but cage argues that all sounds have this potential for conveying. Writings on cage are profuse, especially in the academic realm, and ganns book serves as an artful condensation. In this book, kyle gann, one of the nations leading music critics, explains 433 as.

Silence, john cage s first book and epic masterpiece, was published in october 1961. The intervening fourandabit decades have done little to diminish its many charms. Cage possesses one of the rarest qualities of the true creator. John cage is the outstanding composer of avantgarde music today. If youre familiar with cages ideas, youll want to read these texts, some of. John cage, american avantgarde composer whose inventive compositions and unorthodox ideas profoundly influenced mid20thcentury music. Lectures and writings by cage, john and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.

John cage has 91 books on goodreads with 184 ratings. John cages 433, kyle gann tackles the experimental composers infamous silent piece with superb knowledge and skill. 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. Silence is a collection of essays and lectures cage wrote during the period from 1939 to 1961. Cage was also an author, and his book saenee was described by john rock well in the new york times as the most influential conduit of oriental thought and religious ideas into the artistic vanguardnot just in music but in dance, art and poetry as well. These are extracts from the 50th anniversary edition of silence. Composed in america is the first book length work to address the other john cage, a revisionist treatment of the way cage himself has composed and been composed in america.

Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Nuova versione john cage silence book pdf aggiornata. The audience at the world premiere was prepared to listen to this piece divided into three movements. In these lectures, scores, and writings, cage tries, as he says, to find a way of writing that comes from ideas, is not about them, but that produces them. It was unbearably strong but the sip he offered me facilitated a transubstantiation to his everliving presence. Cages words speak directly to us in a section from his lecture on something in his book silence while the film explores the pond.

The son of an inventor, cage briefly attended pomona college and then traveled in europe for a time. Deceptive cadence watch and hear a handful of clips that form an introduction to the master provocateurs work. When composer john cage wrote 433 four minutes, thirtythree seconds, it would become his most famous and controversial piece. Pianist david tudor walked out on stage on august 29, 1952, in woodstock, ny, sat down at the piano and closed the lid. Trawling through cages writings and examining the score and performance of the piece, gann elaborately reconstructs the genesis of 433 in the hope of making a case for it as a serious, galvanising work. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. I framed a copy of the score and it hangs in my house. The story of 433 cages intense musical composition consists of a pianist sitting at a piano and playing nothing. Lectures and writings is a book by american experimental composer john cage 19121992, first published in 1961 by wesleyan university press. He published silence in 1961, which included lectures and writings from the period 19391958. John cage silence book pdf epub john cage silence book pdf. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.

Cage, as these original essays testify, is a contradictory figure. John adams, in his memoir hallelujah junction, describes how a reading of cages 1961 book silence encouraged him to drop out of east coast academia, pack his belongings into a vw. John cage has been perhaps more widely appreciated in the year of the centenary of his birth than during his life. 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. September 5, 1912 august 12, 1992 was an american composer, music theorist, artist, and philosopher.

A pioneer of chance music, electronic music and nonstandard use of musical instruments, cage was one of the leading figures of the postwar avantgarde. This is a classic book of writings by john cage, mostly about music and art. Lectures and writings, 50th anniversary edition cage, john, gann, kyle on. John cages books published by wesleyan are, silence. Outrageous they may be, but to anyone who is receptive to new ideas, to fresh and original ways of looking at and listening to things, they are a mine of fascinating discovery. John cage silence lectures and writings, 50th anniversary. 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 art and is a landmark work of american music. Cage made heavily brewed black tea to replace booze and drugs. The line, probably john cages most famous statement, appears three times over in his book silence, which wesleyan university press has reissued in a smart fiftieth anniversary edition that also coincides with the centenary of the authors birth. Cage possesses one of the rarest qualities of the true. T he theories of avantgarde american composer john cage 19121992 on music, sound, and silence are of more interest than his musical compositions.

Silence, a year from monday, m, empty words and x in this order form the. He is an interesting, sometimes distressingly clever writer. Silence lectures and writings by john cage do, cas wesleyan university press. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on silence. My first encounter with the book in the local public library resulted in my renewing it repeatedly. 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. Music is a succession of sounds and the composer the organizer of sounds.

Silence, his 1961 collection of essays, manifestoes and wry anecdotes, proved to be one of the most widely read and influential texts ever. John cage 1912 1992 was an american composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and provocative artist. The line, probably john cages most famous statement, appears three times over in his book silence, which wesleyan university press has reissued in a smart. What john cage offers is more refreshing, more spirited, much more funa kind of. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and. Cage possesses one of the rarest qualities of the true creator that of an original mind and whether that originality pleases, irritates, amuses or outrages is irrelevant. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. What john cage offers is more refreshing, more spirited, much more funa. Lectures and writings by john cage wesleyan university press, 1961. John cages 433 is a solemn justification for what many at the time and since perceived as a prank or a hoax. In this book, kyle gann, one of the nations leading music critics, explains 433 as a unique moment in american culture and musical composition.