Scholarly discussion of the music of John Cage.

[Stefano Pocci <>]

On 10/04/2010 04:17 PM, Glenn Freeman wrote:
> Yes Rob and Cage's ideas were constantly being adapted to different 
> circumstances over the years. Several years after the initial MODE releases 
> Cage composed a piece designed to be recorded, Four4 [in the past you said 
> that One6/One10 was also designed in this way based on your talks to someone 
> who worked with Cage on these pieces at the time].
>
> During his Number Piece period Cage said "Silence ... almost every where in the 
> world now is now traffic." which was a refinement of earlier statements and works 
> by Cage, but this statement also reflected the current type of composition Cage was 
> composing at the time and perhaps better referred to as 'traffic pieces' ... these 
> pieces are about society, technology and use.
>
> Rob Haskins wrote:
>
>    
> > Miguel is correct about the statement. Cage constantly referred to the "use"
> > of music, meaning its social use. There's a quotation in a NYT article about
> > the first Mode recordings, which I don't have handy. As I recall, Cage
> > remarked that he had no use for recordings, but that he was glad the
> > recordings had appeared. You might, Miguel, try looking through Musicage,
> > where I believe Cage would discuss this thoroughly, and also in the
> > interview with Robin White published in View (periodical associated with
> > Crown Point Press). Sections in Conversing with Cage related to politics and
> > society might also result in success.
> >      
>    




Hi there, I was definitely too fast in my reply because what I had first 
pointed as the "use" of music phrased by Cage was/is actually its 
"purpose" or "function" ("to sober and quiet the mind, thus rendering it 
susceptible to divine influences").

Its "use" instead was/is, as Rob correctly said, a social one. I 
remember passages inside "Conversing with Cage" where John explained how 
he wished (and actually did) to use his silent piece 4'33" every day. 
That's how music penetrates into life. And Glenn pointed out rightly 
that Cage's definition of use has been constantly refined according 
(also) to the technological improvements taking place.

Thanks for the Musicage tip: I'll surely go for that book which I didn't 
know before.

Cheers

--
Stefano

"Poor tools require better skills" - Marcel Duchamp