Scholarly discussion of the music of John Cage.

[Matt Rogalsky <>]

On 2011-10-25, at 3:27 PM, Vitor Rua wrote:

Also in the score:

"The first performance was the writing of this manuscript"

i think all the composers can say that of any piece thay right... or no?...

No, because the act of creation of most compositions' scores is usually not part of the composition's performance.

and one conceptual piece that its not music... but paradoxical its a COMPOSITION FOR SURE !!

I don't think it's conceptual at all (in the sense of being a "thought experiment" rather than a performable piece -- think of some of the more abstract Fluxus era compositions by La Monte Young and others, for instance, which really are not really performable in a concert hall sense).

Rather, I think of it as a practical piece which Cage invented to allow him to accomplish more with less, and it can be performed in any manner of ways, many of which will have a definable beginning, middle and end just like a lot of other compositions.

Anyhow, it's definitely not a "one sentence" composition. There are five sentences in the score which give quite specific direction how to do (or not do) a performance.

Signing off for now,

Matt R