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Thursday 16 November 2006

4' 33"...

I have the score of John Cage's 4' 33" in front of me.

It goes like this, all handwritten in (presumably) Cage's Milliganesque scrawl:

[Title page:]

4' 33"

FOR ANY INSTRUMENT OR COMBINATION OF INSTRUMENTS

[signed] John Cage

COPYRIGHT © 1960 BY HENMAR PRESS INC., 373 PARK AVE. S., N.Y., N.Y.10016

[over...]

NOTE: THE TITLE OF THIS WORK IS THE TOTAL LENGTH IN MINUTES AND SECONDS OF ITS PERFORMANCE. AT WOODSTOCK, N.Y., AUGUST 29, 1952, THE TITLE WAS 4' 33" AND THE THREE PARTS WERE 33", 2'40", AND 1' 20". IT WAS FIRST PERFORMED BY DAVID TUDOR, PIANIST, WHO INDICATED THE BEGINNINGS OF PARTS BY CLOSING, THE ENDINGS BY OPENING, THE KEYBOARD LID. AFTER THE WOODSTOCK PERFORMANCE, A COPY IN PROPORTIONAL NOTATION WAS MADE FOR IRWIN KREMEN. IN IT THE TIMELENGTHS OF THE MOVEMENTS WERE 30", 2' 23" AND 1' 40". HOWEVER, THE WORK MAY BE PERFORMED BY ANY INSTRUMENTALIST(S) AND THE MOVEMENTS MAY LAST ANY LENGTHS OF TIME.

FOR IRWIN KREMEN

[over...]

I

TACET

II

TACET

III

TACET

[over...]


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[(...)]*


*as Brian would have said....



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5 comments:

  1. I'll have to give this one a spin...

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  2. It's amazing how different performances bring different meanings to the piece. That Cage, he always had a way with a toe-tapper.

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  3. It's the only piece of his I can play on the guitar

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  4. That was me. I do visit from time to time but the comments thingy wasn't working proper.

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  5. I find that with Robert's blog, and only Robert's blog, you need to click on 'post a comment'. I have no idea why this should be.

    ReplyDelete