John Cage
John Cage: A Visionary of Sound and Silence
Full Name and Common Aliases
John Milton Cage Jr., commonly known as John Cage, was a pioneering American composer and music theorist whose innovative ideas and compositions have left an indelible mark on the world of music and art.
Birth and Death Dates
John Cage was born on September 5, 1912, and passed away on August 12, 1992.
Nationality and Profession(s)
John Cage was an American composer, music theorist, artist, and philosopher. He is best known for his avant-garde compositions and his role in the development of modern music.
Early Life and Background
John Cage was born in Los Angeles, California, into a family with a rich intellectual and inventive background. His father, John Milton Cage Sr., was an inventor, and his mother, Lucretia Harvey, worked as a journalist. This environment fostered a spirit of curiosity and creativity in Cage from an early age. He attended Pomona College but left to travel in Europe, where he was exposed to a variety of artistic and musical influences. Upon returning to the United States, Cage studied with notable composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, who greatly influenced his approach to music.
Major Accomplishments
John Cage's career was marked by a series of groundbreaking accomplishments that challenged traditional notions of music and composition. He is perhaps best known for his development of the concept of indeterminacy in music, where elements of a composition are left to chance or the performer's discretion. Cage's exploration of non-standard use of musical instruments, particularly the prepared piano, expanded the sonic possibilities of the instrument by placing objects between or on the strings to alter its sound.
Cage's work in electronic music and his use of unconventional instruments, such as radios and record players, further cemented his reputation as a pioneer. His collaboration with choreographer Merce Cunningham also played a significant role in the evolution of modern dance and music.
Notable Works or Actions
One of Cage's most famous and controversial works is "4'33"," a composition in which the performer remains silent for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. This piece challenges the very definition of music, inviting the audience to focus on the ambient sounds of the environment as part of the performance. Another significant work is "Sonatas and Interludes" for prepared piano, which showcases Cage's innovative approach to altering the instrument's sound.
Cage's "Music of Changes," composed using the I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination text, exemplifies his use of chance operations in composition. His work "Imaginary Landscape No. 4" for twelve radios is a testament to his interest in electronic music and the incorporation of everyday sounds into his compositions.
Impact and Legacy
John Cage's impact on the world of music and art is profound and far-reaching. He is often credited with reshaping the landscape of 20th-century music by challenging conventional ideas about what music can be. His emphasis on chance and indeterminacy has influenced countless composers and artists across various disciplines. Cage's ideas about the role of silence and ambient sound in music have also had a lasting impact on the development of experimental and minimalist music.
Cage's influence extends beyond music into the realms of visual art, dance, and philosophy. His collaborations with artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, as well as his work with Merce Cunningham, have left a lasting legacy in the world of contemporary art and performance.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
John Cage is widely quoted and remembered for his radical ideas and his ability to provoke thought and discussion about the nature of music and art. His famous assertion that "everything we do is music" encapsulates his belief in the musical potential of all sounds and actions. Cage's work encourages audiences to listen more deeply and to appreciate the beauty in everyday sounds and silence.
Cage's legacy as a thinker and innovator continues to inspire artists, musicians, and philosophers. His willingness to challenge norms and explore new possibilities has made him a central figure in the history of modern music and art. Through his compositions, writings, and teachings, John Cage has left an enduring mark on the world, inviting us all to reconsider our perceptions of sound, silence, and the very essence of music.
Quotes by John Cage
John Cage's insights on:
Paper should be edible, nutritious. Inks used for printing or writing should have delicious flavors. Magazines or newspapers read at breakfast should be eaten for lunch. Instead of throwing one’s mail in the waste-basket, it should be saved for the dinner guests.
Which is more musical, a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school? Are the people inside the school musical and the ones outside unmusical? What if the ones inside can’t hear very well, would that change my question?
An artist conscientiously moves in a direction which for some good reason he takes, putting one work in front of the other with the hope he’ll arrive before death overtakes him.
If this word “music” is sacred and reserved for eighteenth and nineteenth century instruments, we can substitute a more meaningful term: organization of sound.
Composing for the prepared piano is not a criticism of the instrument. I’m only being practical.
Guy Nearing told us it’s a good idea when hunting mushrooms to have a pleasant goal, a waterfall for instance, and, having reached it, to return another way. When, however, we’re obliged to go and come back by the same path, returning we notice mushrooms we hadn’t noticed going out.
The Indians long ago knew that music was going on permanently and that hearing it was like looking out a window at a landscape which didn’t stop when one turned away.
Look at everything. Don’t close your eyes to the world around you. Look and become curious and interested in what there is to see.