Great Composers: John Cage

Summary

John Cage, born in 1912, was a pioneering composer and philosopher of the 20th century. Initially indecisive, he explored various fields before focusing on music, studying under notable figures like Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg. Cage's innovative approach, including the invention of the 'prepared piano' and the use of chance techniques, revolutionized music. His most famous work, '4'33'', challenged traditional musical norms. Despite financial struggles, Cage's influence grew, and he became a prominent figure in the avant-garde scene, advocating for the acceptance of all sound as music.

Takeaways

• 🎼 John Cage was a renowned composer and philosopher of the 20th century, known for his unconventional approach to music.
• 👶 Born in Los Angeles in 1912, Cage showed early musical talent and graduated as valedictorian from high school.
• 🎓 Initially studying theology, Cage's restlessness led him to explore various paths, including writing and hitchhiking through Europe.
• 🎼 After returning to the U.S., Cage decided to focus on music, studying with pioneers like Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, despite Schoenberg's early critique of Cage's lack of harmony.
• 💬 Cage's famous reply to Schoenberg's critique was to dedicate his life to 'banging his head against that wall,' signifying his commitment to challenge traditional musical norms.
• 💔 Cage had a tumultuous personal life, including a marriage to Xenia Kashevaroff that ended in divorce, and numerous affairs.
• 🎹 One of Cage's innovations was the 'prepared piano,' which involved altering the piano's sound with household objects placed among the strings.
• 📚 Cage collaborated with choreographer Merce Cunningham, using the I Ching to determine the structure of their performances, emphasizing chance and indeterminacy.
• 🤫 His most infamous work, '4'33"', challenged the concept of silence and music, becoming a pivotal piece in the avant-garde movement.
• 🎭 Cage was also involved in organizing 'happenings,' which were performance art events that incorporated elements of chance and indeterminacy.
• 🍄 Beyond music, Cage had a wide range of interests, including mycology (the study of fungi) and playing chess with Marcel Duchamp.
• 🌐 Cage believed that all sound was music, and he sought to break down the barriers between everyday sounds and musical compositions.

Q & A

Who is John Cage and what was his significance in the 20th century music?

John Cage was a major musical philosopher of the 20th century known for his unconventional approach to music composition, which included the use of silence and chance operations.

Where and when was John Cage born?

John Cage was born in Los Angeles in 1912.

What was Cage's initial educational pursuit before focusing on music?

Cage initially studied theology in college but was restless and unsure of his life's direction.

What significant life event led Cage to explore music seriously?

After dropping out of college and traveling in Europe, Cage returned to the United States with a new artistic direction and decided to focus on music.

Who were Cage's early mentors in music, and what was their assessment of his abilities?

Cage studied with Henry Cowell, a pioneer of tone clusters, and then with Arnold Schoenberg, who thought Cage had no sense of harmony.

What was Cage's famous response to Schoenberg's critique of his lack of harmony?

Cage replied that he would dedicate his life to 'banging his head against that wall,' signifying his commitment to challenge traditional musical norms.

What is the 'prepared piano' and how did it contribute to Cage's musical exploration?

The 'prepared piano' is an invention of Cage's where he would place household objects among the strings of a piano to alter its tone, creating a range of sounds not normally possible.

How did Cage's relationship with Merce Cunningham influence his work?

Cage's collaboration with dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham led to the development of chance techniques, using the I Ching to determine musical and movement courses of action.

What is the significance of the piece '4'33"' in Cage's career?

'4'33"' is Cage's infamous silent piece that represents the culmination of his artistic philosophy, challenging the traditional understanding of music and silence.

What were 'Happenings' and how did they relate to Cage's work?

Happenings were events organized by Cage and his followers, combining elements of indeterminacy and chance, similar to his musical compositions, but in a broader, often stage-less and script-less context.

How did Cage's philosophy of music differ from traditional views?

Cage believed that all sound was music and that there was no distinction between musical sound and everyday noise, embracing the concept of indeterminacy in his compositions.

What was Cage's attitude towards new ideas in music?

Cage was a proponent of new ideas and concepts in music composition, stating that he was not frightened by them but rather by the old ones.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 John Cage: The Maverick Composer and Philosopher of Silence

John Cage, born in 1912, was a significant figure in 20th-century music, known for his unconventional approach to composition. Initially studying theology, Cage's journey led him through various artistic pursuits, including writing and hitchhiking through Europe, which exposed him to diverse cultural influences. His eventual focus on music was marked by a unique interest in rhythm and sound, culminating in the invention of the 'prepared piano.' Cage's work with choreographer Merce Cunningham and the use of chance techniques, such as the I Ching, further pushed the boundaries of music and dance. His most famous piece, 4'33'', challenged the very concept of silence in music, and his philosophy of embracing all sound as music was revolutionary. Despite financial struggles, Cage's influence grew, and he became a respected figure in the avant-garde scene, known for his innovative ideas and dedication to exploring the limits of musical expression.

05:01

🌱 Cage's Philosophy: All Sound is Music

John Cage's philosophy was centered on the belief that all sound constitutes music, blurring the lines between everyday noise and musical composition. He was often found appreciating the ambient sounds of the city as if they were symphonies, reflecting his deep connection to the concept of sound as an art form. Cage's approach to composition was innovative, as he sought to introduce new ideas to the traditional craft, unafraid of challenging established norms. His quote, 'I have nothing to say and I am saying it, and that is poetry,' encapsulates his artistic ethos. Cage's life was filled with eccentric moments, such as playing an amplified cactus, which further illustrates his boundary-pushing spirit. His dedication to new concepts and his fearlessness in the face of the unknown were defining aspects of his identity as a composer and philosopher.

Keywords

💡John Cage

John Cage was an American composer and philosopher known for his innovative approach to music. He is central to the video's theme as it explores his life, philosophy, and contributions to the avant-garde movement. The script mentions his unconventional methods, such as the prepared piano and his famous silent piece '4'33'.

💡Musical aptitude

Musical aptitude refers to a natural talent or skill in music. In the context of the video, it is used to describe Cage's early inclination towards music, which he showed as a young child and pursued throughout his life.

💡Theology

Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious beliefs. The script mentions that Cage initially studied theology in college, indicating his early intellectual pursuits before shifting his focus to music.

💡European artistic culture

This term refers to the artistic movements, styles, and cultural expressions prevalent in Europe. Cage's immersion in this culture during his travels is highlighted in the script as a turning point that influenced his artistic direction.

💡Prepared piano

A prepared piano is a piano that has been altered by placing objects on or between the strings to change its sound. The script describes this as one of Cage's innovative techniques, which produced a range of sounds not typically associated with the instrument.

💡Chance techniques

Chance techniques involve the use of random or unpredictable elements in the creation of art. The video discusses how Cage and choreographer Merce Cunningham used the I Ching to determine their artistic choices, exemplifying Cage's interest in indeterminacy.

💡Indeterminacy

Indeterminacy in art refers to the absence of a fixed or predetermined outcome. The script explains that Cage's work often embraced this concept, allowing for variability and unpredictability in his compositions.

💡Silent piece '4'33'

The silent piece '4'33'' is one of Cage's most famous works, where the performer does not play the instrument but allows the audience to listen to the ambient sounds. The script describes this piece as the culmination of Cage's artistic philosophy.

💡Happenings

Happenings were a form of performance art popular in the 1960s, often characterized by spontaneity and audience participation. The script mentions that Cage was involved in organizing happenings, which were part of his exploration of indeterminacy and chance.

💡Eric Satie

Eric Satie was a French composer known for his unconventional approach to music. The script notes that Cage admired Satie and created a piece called 'Cheap Imitation' as a homage, using the I Ching to alter Satie's compositions.

💡Number pieces

The number pieces are a series of works by Cage that push the concept of indeterminacy to its limits. The script indicates that these pieces further exemplify Cage's philosophy of embracing unpredictability and chance in music.

Highlights

John Cage was a major musical philosopher of the 20th century known for his innovative compositions and unique approach to music.

Born in Los Angeles in 1912, Cage showed early musical talent and graduated as valedictorian of his high school.

Cage initially studied theology in college before deciding to become a writer and dropping out to travel in Europe.

After 18 months in Europe, Cage returned to the US with a new artistic direction inspired by European culture.

Cage studied music with pioneers Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, though Schoenberg recognized Cage's lack of harmonic sense.

Cage's famous response to Schoenberg's critique was to dedicate his life to 'banging his head against the wall' of musical limitations.

Cage had a tumultuous romantic life, including a marriage to Xenia Kashevaroff that ended in divorce.

Cage invented the 'prepared piano', using household objects to alter the piano's sound, a technique that took hours to set up.

Cage's early works showed a fascination with rhythm and a departure from traditional harmony.

Cage collaborated with dancer/choreographer Merce Cunningham, using chance techniques inspired by the I Ching to create music and dance.

Cage's 1952 composition 4'33

Cage's financial situation was often dire, despite his growing fame and credibility in the avant-garde scene.

Cage was known as much for his musical philosophy as for his compositions themselves.

Cage organized 'happenings', a form of performance art blending elements of indeterminacy and chance.

Cage's 'Number Pieces' pushed the concept of indeterminacy to its limits, allowing for extreme flexibility in performance.

Despite health issues, Cage remained active until his death in 1992, influenced by figures like Yoko Ono.

Cage believed all sound was music, with no distinction between everyday noise and musical composition.

Cage was known for his unconventional ideas and collaborations, from mushroom foraging to playing an amplified cactus with Marcel Duchamp.

Cage's philosophy was driven by the desire to bring new concepts to the traditional craft of musical composition.

Transcripts

the infamous composer of silence was one

of the major musical philosophers of the

20th century I'm the classical work and

today we're talking about John Cate John

Cage was born in Los Angeles in 1912 he

showed musical aptitude as a young child

and ended up graduating as a

valedictorian of his high school he

began to study theology in college but

he was a restless type who really didn't

know what he wanted out of life

eventually he decided he was going to

become a good writer and since he

figured that College was going to help a

writer he dropped out and did what every

college dropout wants to do hitchhike

around Europe so he did that for 18

months he immersed himself in the

European artistic culture of the time

and he returned to United States with a

new direction and new artistic pursuits

that he wanted to explore he still

didn't quite know he wanted to do until

two years after he got back when he

decided to focus on music as he had used

positive reactions to it he said he

first with tone cluster pioneer henry

cowell and then Leonard with Arnold

Schoenberg who was at that time living

working and teaching in Los Angeles Cage

song Schoenberg's tutelage but schanberg

realized Paige's musical limitations

almost from the very beginning

Schoenberg who literally wrote the

textbook on harmony thought that cage

had no sense of harmony Annie told Cage

that if he had no sense of harmony he

will find himself running up against a

wall and cage famously replied then I

will dedicate my life to banging my head

against that wall at around this time

caged a bizarre whirlwind romance with a

Russian Alaskan Xenia kesh ever off

despite his numerous ongoing affairs of

both man and women the relationship

eventually fizzled out and they divorced

in 1945 cages early works shows a

fascination with rhythm and

in total his music was never really

based around harmony and his more

conventional as it gets all the way

interesting forward one of his great

early achievements but he said not as an

interlude written for something the cage

invented called the prepared piano what

keys did was he would stick random

household objects in and around the

strings in order to alter the tone of

the piano it takes hours to prepare

sonatas and the troops and piano

technicians are not going to like the

fact that you're messing with he

carefully tuned a balance of the strings

but when performed they produce a whole

range of sounds impossible to produce

normally the interest in more or less

pure sound became of great importance to

cage thought the rest of his life he

began to be more and more interested in

pushing the boundaries of what we would

call music spread out my dancer and

choreographer Merce Cunningham whose

affair with acacia was a final nail in

the coffin of his marriage to Xenia

their collaborations led to development

of chance techniques whereby cage and

Cunningham would use an ancient Chinese

text called the I Chi where the Book of

Changes to determine their next courses

of action musically and in movement in

many cases the music for the dance and

the dance were derived entirely

separately and were only put together in

performance his continuation of pushing

the boundaries led him to gain

credibility in leaps and bounds in the

avant-garde scene but it didn't really

help him financially in 1952 Kaiser at

his infamous silent piece for 33 this

beast represented the culmination the

very apotheosis of his artistic

philosophy post 433 cages often dire

financial situation rose to meet his

fame as a composer and he was just a

sought after as a philosopher and a

lecturer now the background for 433 my

is so interesting is the video for

another time

the piece is definitively injured the

public consciousness as

the silent piece around the same time

cage and his followers began to organize

things all happenings and broad terms

happening through minimalist stage works

without the stage or even a script like

installation art with people it was very

weird to try to explain elements of

indeterminacy and chance or as much a

part of Keita's happening as they were

in his pieces Cage was a wildly

interesting and fellow Cage loved the

life in the music of the French

eccentric Eric Satine

he paid homage to him and his piece

cheap imitation where he used the I

Ching in order to derive variations and

alterations to seti's pieces of writing

so correct and he looks like this so I

don't know I've literally never heard it

pronounced after implementation he began

a series of pieces known as number

pieces they pushed indeterminacy to it's

very limits his health began to fail and

despite the adoption of a macrobiotic

diet on the advice of none other than

Yoko Ono active until near the very end

cage died in 1992 cage was not really

famous for his pieces in and of

themselves as much as he was famous so

through the musical philosophy that led

to their development a mirrored it's

stories of his life bound from the time

that he nearly poisoned himself and all

of his friends by picking wild mushrooms

and afterwards became a very sought of

expert on mushrooms to his chest playing

with Marcel Duchamp who playing an

amplified cactus this is literally John

Cage playing amplified cash because

everyone you're welcome it's just a

majestic sight Cage felt as if all music

was sound that all sound was music that

there was absolutely no difference

between the two and friends would often

find him on street corners

or listening to the sounds of traffic

and of people walking or by as if it

were a Beethoven symphony I have nothing

to say and I am saying it and that is

poetry gauge once said above all he was

guided by the principle of bringing new

ideas and new concepts to the old craft

of composition I can't understand what

people are frightened of new ideas he

once said I'm frightened of the old ones