Geri deGruy's blog of art, musings, and inspiration

This wonderful book by Kay Larson explores the work of composer John Cage and his widespread influence on many of the famous artists, composers and writers of the 20th century. (Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, George Brecht, Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella, Robert Morris to name only a few)

John Cage was fascinated with sounds. Any sounds. He composed works for "percussion" which could include a "prepared piano," coffeepots, radios, water faucets - any noise maker - and got his friends to help "play" them. (Prepared piano was a piano that he had rigged up with all manner of things inside of it to change the sounds of the keys.)

As Cage studied with famed Buddhist teacher D.T. Suzuki, he became more and more engaged in Buddhism and his composing changed dramatically. He didn't want his ego in the pieces. He devised a system of composing in which he charted many musical ideas and then threw the I Ching to decide which one to use next, thereby created almost entirely random compositions. While this shook up the musical elite, A LOT, it also moved music in a new direction which led to the new music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Our son listens to music by current bands who are influenced by John Cage.

One of Cage's compositions was entitled 4'33". The musician sits at their instrument silently for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Silence. Although it isn't silent because the ambient noise, the coughs and sneezes and jeers of the audience become part of the piece. He was looking for zero, for indeterminacy, for a sense of interconnectedness. He would compose pieces where each instrumentalist simply played what they wanted, interacting with the other musicians. There was no score to guide them.

This might sound too strange to you. It is different for sure. But this book opens wide a world of music and art which was changing dramatically in the early 20th century and on to the present. It is a fabulous read about an extraordinarily creative and courageous man who was also deeply loved and emulated. His open heart and charismatic personality and vision made John Cage a world changer. I loved this book.