John Cage Research Paper

It is not a stretch to say that over the years music has evolved in both predictable and unpredictable ways. While there are still plenty of songs that utilize familiar theory approaches, such as the tonic-dominant relationship and basic concepts of harmony, there are also numerous songs that can only be described as noise. While observing compositions that fit in with the latter, the name John Cage will almost certainly pop up. From publishing a four minute long piece that only includes silence, to writing multiple pieces for a unique (and sometimes unpleasant sounding) instrument called the “prepared piano”, John Cage may be as unconventional as they come. What causes certain composers to compose in the traditional Western European sense,
His education most notably began at Los Angeles High School. After, he attended Pomona College in Claremont for two years (Pritchett, “Cage, John”). During this time and shortly after, it was already apparent that John Cage was interested in “abnormal” music theory. Due to the fact that he was extremely interested in theory, such as chromatic counterpoint, a friend suggested that he take up a mentor in New York, which would hopefully lead him to study with the great Arnold Schoenberg (Pritchett, “Cage, John”). In 1934 Cage encountered Schoenberg for the first time. Amazed with Schoenberg’s philosophy and devotion to music, Cage “vowed to devote his life to composition as a result of his encounters with Schoenberg, and he recounted the story of this vow countless times during his life” (Pritchett, “Cage,
In 1946 Cage was introduced to Indian faith and Indian music (Pritchett, “Cage, John”). Cage immediately found a haven within the Indian culture, and from there his fascination and admiration for Asian aesthetics was born. However, his interest in Asian culture shifted from India to Japan, where he adapted the philosophy of Zen Buddhism (Pritchett, “Cage, John”). “I had accepted the idea that the purpose of music was to sober and quiet the mind, thus, making one susceptible to divine influences”, stated Cage in the documentary From Zero (Cage, From Zero). Silence, or Sunyata, was an important aspect of Zen Buddhism, so it is no wonder why silence began to revolve around many of John Cage’s compositions. His most famous work, “4’33””, is a direct homage to silence. While this one of a kind piece without a doubt is the most controversial of his works, it is also the most well-known for its brilliance and symbolism. Silence is an extremely interesting aspect of Cage’s musical philosophy, and it’s arguably the most misunderstood by his critics (which can be noted with the controversy surrounding “4’33””). Many believe that it’s a lousy idea that seems to have no true substance. This is the stance I even had before researching his philosophies. What Cage attempts to explain in his documentary From Zero is that he views silence not as a lack of noise, but as a way to bring to