John cage wikipedia
John Cage was an American avant-garde composer whose inventive compositions and unorthodox ideas profoundly influenced midth-century music. The son of an inventor, Cage briefly attended Pomona College and then traveled in Europe for a time.
Imaginary Landscape No. 1
| Imaginary Landscape No. 1 | |
|---|---|
John Cage () | |
| Composed | |
| Performed | March 24, - Seattle |
| Published | Edition Peters |
| Movements | 1 |
| Scoring | Four performers |
Imaginary Landscape No.
1 is a composition for records of unchanging and variable frequency, large chinese cymbal and string piano by American composer John Cage and the first in the series of Imaginary Landscapes. It was composed in
Composition
John Cage wrote this composition while he was living in Seattle, earning capital by making music for dancers, such as Music for an Aquatic Ballet.
Having studied for some time with Arnold Schoenberg in the past drew him closer to serial organization into his studies regarding temporal structure. In Seattle, he had the chance to experiment with the different possibilities of the prepared piano, which allowed him to create new percussive sonorities without having to use several instruments and performers.
At this occasion, Henry Cowell, a pioneer in advanced avant-garde techniques for the piano (such as plucking the strings from the inside, using clusters, etc.), was his mentor.[1] However, even though percussion was fairly established in the 30s (Ionisation, considered a historical breakthrough work, was composed in ), electric equipment used in musical performance was rare and largely unexplored.
Cage was working in a radio studio when he started working on this piece, which was meant to be a short piece of tune as part of the accompaniment to a performance of Jean Cocteau's Les mariés de la tour Eiffel. The piece was never meant to be performed on-site but was rather meant to be either recorded or broadcast.
John Milton Cage Jr. September 5, — August 12, was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in musicelectroacoustic musicand non-standard use of musical instrumentsCage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.However, as most material from this period, the test recordings are now considered lost.[2] This way, the first known performance took place in two different studio rooms, the sounds being picked up by two microphones and mixed in a control booth.
Even though in contemporary recital this entails no technological disagree, trying to play the piece in the conditions it was first devised is impractical.[3]
This piece was finished around early spring and was first performed by Cage, Xenia Cage, Doris Dennison and Margaret Jansen in the Cornish School radio station in Seattle on March 24, The piece was also later used in Marion Van Tuyl's Horror Dream.[4][5] It was later published by Edition Peters.[6][7] Given its unusual nature at the day, it is often credited as the first electroacoustic music ever composed.[8] In , Hi-Fi/Stereo Review called it "one of the earliest examples of Musique concrète," and wrote that the recording "comprises mostly of variable and constant frequency tones.
This is great movie music–ghastly and gripping, infernal and marvelous. It is a vision of haunted houses, haunted minds, and haunted souls; its use in a ballet called Horror Dream must contain been overwhelming."[9]
Structure
This piece consists of only one movement and has a total duration of six minutes.
It is scored for four performers: two of them in control of two variable-speed phono turntables and playing frequency recordings, a muted piano, and a cymbal. However, it is not meant to be performed on stage, but rather in a radio studio, where it can be either recorded or broadcast.
Its tempo is a steady ♩ =
Player 1 should have two records, a Victor Frequency Record B and a Victor Constant Note Log No. 24 B. These two records consist of just one note being played, and the performer has to manipulate the speed at which it is being played using a clutch to change the note.
The speed oscillates between 33⅓ RPM and 78 RPM. Rhythms were initially planned to be played by raising and lowering the needle, which caused undesired sounds. Player 2 was meant to have only one record, a Victor Frequency Record A, oscillating between 33⅓ RPM and 78 RPM.
Player 3 was meant to be a percussionist to play the large chinese cymbal. Finally, Player 4 would engage the piano in two ways: sweeping the bass strings with his hand with the gong beats indicated in the score and muting some strings with the palm of their hand.[10]
Recordings
The following is an incomplete list of recordings of Imaginary Landscape No.
1:
References
- ^Harley, James. "Imaginary Landscape No. 1, for 2… | Details | AllMusic". AllMusic.John Cage is undeniably one of the most important composers of the twentieth century. He has broadened the definitions of music to include all types of sound. John Milton Cage, Jr. As a child he took piano lessons from his aunt.
Retrieved 9 March
- ^Lange, Art (). Liner Notes of hat[now]ART . hat[now]ART.
- ^Wilhelm, András; Van Tuyl, Marian. "John Cage: Mythical LANDSCAPE No. "(PDF).
Retrieved 9 March
- ^Kelly, Caleb (). Cracked Media: The Sound of Malfunction. MIT Press. ISBN&#;. Retrieved 9 March
- ^Revill, David (). The Roaring Silence: John Cage: A Life.John Cage - Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi: John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, – August 12, ) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the foremost figures of the post-war avant-garde.
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN&#;. Retrieved 9 March
- ^"Cage, John - Imaginary Landscape No.1". . Retrieved 9 March
- ^"John Cage Fulfill Works". .
Retrieved 9 Parade
- ^Silverman, Kenneth (). Begin Again: A Biography of John Cage.
John Milton Cage, Jr. usually known as just John Cage, (September 5, - August 12, ) was an American composer, writer, philosopher, and visual painter. He was one of the first composers (or musicians) to introduce different styles of harmony to popular culture.
Northwestern University Press. ISBN&#;.
- ^Roy, Klaus George (November ). "The Strange and Marvelous Sonic World of John Cage"(PDF). Hi-Fi/Stereo Review: Retrieved August 27,
- ^"Manuscript Excerpt: Imaginary Landscape No.
1 | John Cage". . Retrieved 9 March
- ^"John Cage: Imaginary Landscapes – Maelström Percussion Ensemble, Jan Williams | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic".John Milton Cage Jr. September 5, — August 12, was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the head figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most authoritative composers of the 20th century.
AllMusic. Retrieved 9 March
- ^"John Cage: Credo in us More Works for Percussion – Hêlios Quartet | Release Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 Rally
- ^"American Classics: John Cage - Concerto for piano and orchestra; Credo in Us; Imaginary Landscape No.
1; Rozart Mix - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 March
- ^"John Cage: Mythical Landscapes - Ensemble Prometeo, Marco Angius | Release Info | AllMusic". AllMusic.
Retrieved 9 Parade
- ^"John Cage: Works for Percussion, Vol. 6 – Amadinda Percussion Group | Release Info | AllMusic".This is a list of compositions by John Cage —arranged in chronological order by year of composition. This section lists works for which the location of manuscript is unknown, or which possibly were not notated. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk.
AllMusic. Retrieved 9 March
- ^"John Cage: The Works for Percussion, Vol. 1 [Video] - Percussion Group Cincinnati | Release Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 March