Essays and posts on the music of American composer John Cage (1912-1992)
I’ve been thinking about David Tudor and John Cage a good deal lately, following some hunches to develop what I think is a useful way of looking at their history in the 1960s. I don’t know that I’m completely convinced of my story line here, but it’s intriguing.
The unclear boundary between David Tudor and John Cage Read More »
Chapter 6 of my dissertation on John Cage’s chance music of the 1950s, detailing the composition of “The ten thousand things”
“The ten thousand things” (1953-1956) Read More »
This week’s mail brought the new recording of John Cage’s “The ten thousand things” from MicroFest Records, and a beautiful thing it is.
“The ten thousand things” fulfilled Read More »
This combines the two texts that accompany the two volumes of the recording by Irvine Arditti. The first part is a general discussion of the work; the second part is an account of the completion of this work after a lengthy hiatus.
John Cage: Freeman Etudes Read More »
Essay presenting six different perspectives on Cage’s well-known early masterpiece.
Six views of the Sonatas and Interludes Read More »
The introduction to James Pritchett’s book ‘The Music of John Cage’ explains why we must consider John Cage to be a composer above all else.
Introduction to ‘The music of John Cage’ Read More »
This essay was written for the catalog of the exhibition “John Cage and Experimental Art: The Anarchy of Silence” at the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. Copyright 2009 by James Pritchett. All rights reserved. Originally we had in mind what you might call an imaginary beauty, a process of basic emptiness with just a few
What silence taught John Cage: The story of 4′ 33″ Read More »
I recently listened to all five hours of the Cage/Feldman Radio happenings of 1966–67. Hearing them in conversation, I get a feel for a friendship and a collegiality that is more subtle than is usually described.
Morton Feldman speaks with John Cage Read More »
John Cage and the prepared piano: a twelve-year history in six parts by James Pritchett Copyright 2007 by James Pritchett. All rights reserved. Prologue (5 April 1944) “Dances by Merce Cunningham; Music by John Cage”, the concert program read. “April fifth, Nineteen forty-four, at nine o’clock.” The program, divided into three parts, consisted of: DANCE
John Cage and the prepared piano Read More »
Here are some of my writings, mostly about John Cage, but some about other musical subjects, plus some poetry and stories. Table of contents Music: John Cage List of works Specific pieces General Other music On writing about music Poems & other texts Music: John Cage List of works A chronological listing of all the
