Reading Blog 2- John Cage

John Cage was a talented composer who enjoyed making revolutionary and unique pieces, creating a splash in the traditional music world and artistic world in general. His most famous and controversial piece, “4’33” involved the performer sitting in silence for three movements for the duration of four minutes and thirty three seconds. The music is therefore created by all of the ambient noise filling the concert hall: people rustling, coughing, wind howling outside, traffic noises, and any and all sounds that happen to occur amid that time frame.

Composer Kyle Gann described 4’33 as “an act of framing, of enclosing environmental and unintended sounds in a moment of attention in order to open the mind to the fact that all sounds are music”. I like the idea of describing Cage’s piece as “framing” because in a way that is what all art is. Marcel Duchamp’s urinal is art (although controversial) because of the way it is framed and presented to the public. Similarly, Cage gives the audience a specific time to really listen to their surroundings. In today’s busy world when everyone seems to be running around with no time for relaxation, I feel like more of Cage’s 4’33 would promote mindfulness and an appreciation for your surroundings.

Cage also composed pieces where he planned which sounds would take place and when. Using tea kettles, radios, footsteps, water, and various other sounds, he created a different type of noise.

Instead of ignoring everyday sounds, Cage redefined what noise meant and showed the beauty of everyday sounds, paving the way for modern DJing and remixing.He wanted to create a statement and create a disruption in the music world, reinventing what sounds were supposed to make up music. He did it truly for himself, not for becoming rich but for creating a change in a well established industry. I thought it was very interesting to learn that he received most of his money especially early on from his knowledge of mushrooms rather than anything music related.

“Silence is the universal refuge.”