John Cage: Classic or Dud? Search and Destroy

There's so much Cage I've never heard, as browsing through a discography on the net just now sadly brought home to me. One of his late piano works is called "The Beatles 1962-70". Sounds like a hoot.

I won't talk about recordings bcz other ppl have done so on other threads (as well as this one) but I've been listening to 'Empty words (part III) on the cramps label, recorded in 1977, and its incredible, cage literally doing what it says to thoreau's words and a bunch of Italians going bananas over that (=> Cage maybe the only american punk, as the americans weren't capable of making punk music, no wave only).

Amazingly Cage just keeps going until the very end (maybe he didn't think any of them were going to actually kill him, they wanted him to get off the stage as he wasn't making 'political' art, I don't know and I really don't trust the babbling sleevenotes, this from the quick read through I gave it). But anyway, imagine Bob Dylan 'Live 1966' x 100 and you might get the idea.

He is so 'boring' that he pretty much wears the protestors down in the end, making a change from all those singers talking abt 'boredom' at the time.

q: is the part I-VI the same thing, or a studio recording of it?

If its the same then I disagree with mark Mark: the protestors become part of the music, oddly moving.

I've never heard the record of "Empty Words", but I bet it is more interesting than the printed version. I imagine that Cage fully conveyed the "music" of the piece in his vocal performance. The audience participation that Julio describes would certainly bring a whole new dimension to the piece.

"i have nothing to say and i'm saying it"

looking for "empty words" now. the audience participation aspect sounds great.

yeah its the audience + cage that makes really great record.

uh short notice and all but if you are in philly some pals of mine will be fighting an epic cage match and it should be amazing:

Song Books in Concert with the BSC
Friday, December 7, 2012
Starts at 8:00 p.m.

Location: Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 3723 Chestnut Street

Paid tickets required
$15 General Admission
Tickets available at the door or in advance at www.cagebeyondsilence.com

For the third interpretation of Song Books, the electroacoustic ensemble BSC (Bhob Rainey, soprano saxophone, director; Greg Kelley, trumpet; James Coleman, theremin; Liz Tonne, voice; Chris Cooper, guitar and electronics; Vic Rawlings, cello and electronics; Howard Stelzer, tapes; and Mike Bullock, bass) presents an evening-length concert version in the spacious confines of the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral.
Song Books Miniatures with the BSC
Saturday, December 8, 2012
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Main Stage, Dorrance Galleries
Free after admission

That sounds awesome.

I've been getting tons of joy from the Sonatas & Interludes for Prepared Piano lately. (Mine's by Julie Steinberg on Music & Arts).

lol@ past me on Empty Words. Nowadays I think of it as v self-conciously Mr. avant-garde, something timid about its provocation of people who were spoiling for a fight. Has to be heard though, and a rec that is interesting to consider - as recordings of riots at politically sensitive times are (Italy in the late 70s was that place), but also as a map of the avant-garde became. In other words: "avant".

Contrast that w/The 25-Year Retrospective Concert of the Music of John Cage: at his playful, imaginative peak when no one was paying attention, at an occasion when all were paying attention. Indeterminacy is all ego, but saved by his sense of humour, writing and accent of delivery (this was performed by a stand-up comedian earlier this year, I didn't go) and Tudor's incredible performance. Then Roaratorio and Etude Australes (which must be amazing in a recital) for the late works.

I want to hear this disc. Great pairing of works and history (Cage and Boulez were at each other's throats by this time).

Any Cage scholars here? A friend and I were discussing him and ASMR came up, and we were both wondering what Cage might have thought of it. Is there a direct (possibly unacknowledged?) line from Cage to ASMR? Or maybe it's too obvious to mention? Not being a Cage scholar nor an expert on ASMR I haven't encountered any info either way

John Cage's "ORGAN²/ASLSP (As Slow as Possible)" runs until 2640, but tomorrow the chord changes for the first time since 2013! I visited the church last year, and there's nothing like a 639-year composition to put things in perspective. 📷 Vivek Vadoliyahttps://t.co/8PvjNnAhnd

— Aaron Gonsher (@aarongonsher) September 4, 2020

Now that's momentous.

Any Cage scholars here? A friend and I were discussing him and ASMR came up, and we were both wondering what Cage might have thought of it. Is there a direct (possibly unacknowledged?) line from Cage to ASMR? Or maybe it's too obvious to mention? Not being a Cage scholar nor an expert on ASMR I haven't encountered any info either way

That David Toop sure killed the ASMR mood on Indeterminacy.

Toop Tudor. sheesh.

Thread revival reminds me that I still haven't checked out his Eno-produced split LP with Jan Steele, Voices and Instruments, incl. Robert Wyatt's voice on Cage's side---good?

Sonatas & interludes is lovely

I miss sund4r

Listening to the tilbury recording