As a homage to revolutionary composer john cage, robert wilson performs cages lecture on nothing, one of the central texts of twentiethcentury experimental literature robert wilson is one of the most significant representatives of the theatrical avantgarde, whose landmark einstein on the beach was recreated at the barbican in 2012. Oct 19, 20 the text in john cages lecture on nothing is composed of four measures per line and twelve lines per unit. Lecture on nothing is perhaps, next to the future of music. The sense of disorientation yielded by this experience is probably the best possible introduction to cages lecture on nothing, recited as part of the barbican theatres dancing for duchamp series. Sep 27, 20 john cage, 433 in proportional notation 19521953, ink on paper, each page. In 1949, john cage received an award of one thousand dollars from the national academy of arts and letters, and wrote his lecture on nothing and lecture on something, both reprinted in silence 1961. The visualization of john cages lecture on nothing youtube. This study describes the processes that john cage used in the composition of six short inventions, first construction in metal, and spontaneous earth. Silence is a collection of essays and lectures cage wrote during the period from 1939 to 1961. Coomaraswamy john cage s ideas on sound, easily the most influential among the post. Established in 1948, the club was really nothing much, just a rented space where artists living in greenwich village met once a week for a discussion on art. John cage sheet music and music books at sheet music plus. Pdf the present article examines the connection between cages politics. A performative interpretation of john cages lecture on nothing, written in 1949 and published as part of his book silence from 1961.
Famously challenging the very notion of what music is, cage remained on the leading edge of both playful and profound experimentalism for the greater part of his career, collaborating with and influencing generations of composers, writers, dancers, and visual artists. T hough its origins go back more than a decade earlier to a talk he gave in new york, john cages lecture on nothing was included in his first and most important collection of writings, silence. John cage, 433 in proportional notation 19521953, ink on paper, each page. The cage background john montagues parents left ireland in the 1920s, hoping to find wealth and success in america. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non. Cage famously delivered the lecture to the 8 th street artists club, or the club, as i mentioned briefly last week. Now i wish to blend together the essential qualities of those six influences in. The wonders of the internet listen to john cage and morton.
It is able to make deductions from their experiences and to combine these. Experimental practices of music and philosophy in john cage and gilles deleuze iain campbell this thesis is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of kingston university for the award of the degree of doctor of philosophy in the centre for research in modern european philosophy. It is particularly popular with primary care givers. The wonders of the internet listen to john cage and morton feldman in conversation spend an afternoon with cage and feldman. Jul 14, 2007 a year with john cage how to get out of the cage documentary, 2012 duration. These are extracts from the 50th anniversary edition of silence. There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. Simply enter the code 23years in the promo code field on the shopping cart page and click apply to receive your discount. Famous for his use of chance and silence in musical works, a pioneer in electronic music and. John cage and the visual aspects of musical performance in water walk, the traditional elements of musicthings like rhythm, meter, melody, harmonyare virtually absent.
Feb 26, 20 t hough its origins go back more than a decade earlier to a talk he gave in new york, john cage s lecture on nothing was included in his first and most important collection of writings, silence. Since he met john cage in the early 1970s on the west coast, he has been a major proponent of his work, and is one of the few pianists performing the difficult works from the 50s through the 70s such as music of changes and etudes australes. Experimental practices of music and philosophy in john. The i ching was applied to large charts of sounds, durations, dynamics. These are the first two sentences of john bergers ways of seeing. Fu return the turning point, six in the fifth place, six at the top. For an excellent disscusion of the concerto for prepared piano and orchestra see james pritchett, the music of john cage. John cage, lecture on nothing this essay will address john cages inclusive. With a lack of interest in john cages early works, this study sheds light on the way in which these three early works are composed. The work is a neat summarisation of the composers philosophy of music, as well as an application of his musical structures to a piece of prose.
Aug 17, 2015 the wonders of the internet listen to john cage and morton feldman in conversation spend an afternoon with cage and feldman. The line quoted above, i have nothing to say and i am saying it and that is poetry as i need it, summarily defines the fundamental tenetsand contradictionsof cages aesthetic. The process of composition involved applying decisions made using the i ching, a chinese classic text that is commonly used as a divination system. Cages 1959 lecture on nothingremains a touchstone for artists thinking about how to empty their work of themselves. Even after his death, john cage remains a controversial figure. The text in john cages lecture on nothing is composed of four measures per line and twelve lines per unit. A critics term designating a dominant musical style of the 1920s through 1940s, especially associated with the music of igor stravinsky of that time. Lectures and writings by john cage wesleyan university press, 1961. This performance was done at the diego rivera gallery in san francisco, as part of the show i have nothing to say and im saying it curated by aaron david kissman, on april 2015. Composed in 1951 for pianist and friend david tudor, it is a groundbreaking piece of indeterminate music. Premiered on august 22, 2012 at the ruhrtriennale festival, jahrhunderthalle, bochum, germany. Oct 26, 2011 cages 1959 lecture on nothingremains a touchstone for artists thinking about how to empty their work of themselves.
At cages invitation, kubera toured with the merce cunningham dance company from 1977 to 1980, and has. Boulez had given cage the autograph, along with his sketches for the sonata, in appreciation of cages. The richard kostelanetz books john cage explained, or conversing with cage, or cages own a year from monday are highly entertaining, funny, and super thoughtprovoking. So it was that i gave about 1949 my lecture on nothing at the artists club on.
John cages lecture on nothing the barbican, london 2502. A year with john cage how to get out of the cage documentary, 2012 duration. Robert wilson is one of the most significant representatives of the theatrical avantgarde, whose landmark einstein on the beach was recreated at the barbican in 2012. Some of these lectures and articles have been delivered or published elsewhere. In the fore word to this book john cage explains how in. John cage silence lectures and writings, 50th anniversary. That cage should call such a composition music is likely what made the piece appealing to a program like ive got a secret. About the author his teacher, arnold schoenberg, said john cage was not a composer but an inventor of genius. The canadian broadcasting corporation commission this piece in observance of the bicentennial of the united states of america. My original source for the quotation was the 1990 pbs american masters program on john cage which i have on vhs tape.
They establish sight as the primary human sense and introduce the idea that looking is the medium. Using aesthetic theory to understand a musical notion, journal of aesthetic education 26 spring 1992 pp. Simply enter the code 23years in the promo code field on the shopping cart page and click apply to receive your discount details. The page numbers in brackets in the introduction to each extract refer to that book. You begin to refuse sounds that are not musical and that way cut yourself off from a good deal of experience. An extended trajectory of cage literature, from early critical reaction to writing by contemporaries to current scholarship. The reality was very different to the dream and the family came to live in the poor area of brooklyn, new york. Sep 06, 2012 the richard kostelanetz books john cage explained, or conversing with cage, or cage s own a year from monday are highly entertaining, funny, and super thoughtprovoking. When john cage returned from his sixmonth visit to europe with merce cunningham in the fall of 1949 he brought back with him the autograph manuscript of the second piano sonata of his new friend pierre boulez. John cage john cage 1912 1992 est musicien et poete. John cages ideas on sound, easily the most influential among the post war arts, were developed. Lectures and writings is a book by american experimental composer john cage 19121992, first published in 1961 by wesleyan university press.
His parents, unhappy in their marriage and living in. John cages most relevant collection of writing, lecture on nothing is. I have nothing to say, and i am saying it, and that is poetry. A pioneer of chance music, electronic music and nonstandard use of musical instruments, cage was one of the leading figures of the postwar avantgarde. The wonders of the internet listen to john cage and. In the fore word to this book john cage explains how in writing those two fundamen. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak. John cage if you develop an ear for sounds that are musical it is like developing an ego. He studied with richard buhlig, henry cowell, adolph weiss, and arnold schoenberg. T hough its origins go back more than a decade earlier to a talk he gave in new york, john cage s lecture on nothing was included in his first and most important collection of writings, silence.
John ewing, founding director of the bowles center for alcohol studies, university of north carolina at cahpel hill, cage is an internationally used assessment instrument for identifying alcoholics. Modern music sevenths, always, all, fascinated me the seconds, with all its modern intervals. The visualization of john cages lecture on nothing. Famous for his use of chance and silence in musical works, a pioneer in electronic music and the. He published silence in 1961, which included lectures and writings from the period 19391958. An archive of john cages oneminute stories from indeterminacy. Lectures and writings by john cage, wesleyan university press, 1973. Pdf 4 33 john cages utopia of music 4 33 researchgate. As a homage to revolutionary composer john cage, robert wilson performs cages lecture on nothing, one of the central texts of twentiethcentury experimental literature. Music of changes is a piece for solo piano by john cage. Mode 129 modes 29th volume in its ongoing cage traversal presents the variations series first three installments.
In this study, the development of cages squareroot or. Lecture on nothing, john cage lecture on nothing is perhaps, next to the future of music. John cage 1912 1992 was an american composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and provocative artist. In 1952, at black mountain college, he presented a theatrical event considered by many to have been the first happening. As a homage to revolutionary composer john cage, robert wilson performs cage s lecture on nothing, one of the central texts of twentiethcentury experimental literature. Lecture on nothing, cage 1994 39 moreover, similarly to cage s coincidence, the accidentaly traces can be also observable.
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