No such thing as silence : John Cage's 4'33"

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

No such thing as silence : John Cage's 4'33"

Kyle Gann

(Icons of America)

Yale University Press, c2010

  • : hardcover
  • : pbk

Available at  / 7 libraries

Search this Book/Journal

Note

Includes discography (p. [215]-217), bibliographical references (p. [233]-240), and index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

: hardcover ISBN 9780300136999

Description

First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, John Cage's "4'33"", a composition conceived of without a single musical note, is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. A meditation on the act of listening and the nature of performance, Cage's controversial piece became the iconic statement of the meaning of silence in art and is a landmark work of American music. In this book, Kyle Gann, one of the nation's leading music critics, explains "4'33"" as a unique moment in American culture and musical composition. Finding resemblances and resonances of "4'33"" in artworks as wide-ranging as the paintings of the Hudson River School and the music of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, he provides much-needed cultural context for this fundamentally challenging and often misunderstood piece. Gann also explores Cage's craft, describing in illuminating detail the musical, philosophical, and even environmental influences that informed this groundbreaking piece of music. Having performed "4'33"" himself and as a composer in his own right, Gann offers the reader both an expert's analysis and a highly personal interpretation of Cage's most divisive work.
Volume

: pbk ISBN 9780300171297

Description

A vibrant portrait of the importance, influence, and impact of John Cage's iconic piece 4'33" by a leading modern music critic First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, John Cage's 4'33", a composition conceived of without a single musical note,is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. A meditation on the act of listening and the nature of performance, Cage's controversial piece became the iconic statement of the meaning of silence in art and is a landmark work of American music. In this book, Kyle Gann, one of the nation's leading music critics, explains 4'33" as a unique moment in American culture and musical composition. Finding resemblances and resonances of 4'33" in artworks as wide-ranging as the paintings of the Hudson River School and the music of John Lennon and Yoko Ono,he provides much-needed cultural context for this fundamentally challenging and often misunderstood piece. Gann also explores Cage's craft, describing in illuminating detail the musical, philosophical, and even environmental influences that informed this groundbreaking piece of music. Having performed 4'33" himself and as a composer in his own right, Gann offers the reader both an expert's analysis and a highly personal interpretation of Cage's most divisive work.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Related Books: 1-1 of 1

Details

  • NCID
    BB04385983
  • ISBN
    • 9780300136999
    • 9780300171297
  • LCCN
    2009031472
  • Country Code
    us
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    New Haven
  • Pages/Volumes
    xiii, 255 p.
  • Size
    22 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
  • Parent Bibliography ID
Page Top