Synopsis
No American composer has written about his work as brilliantly and wittily as John Cage (1912-1992), one of the great avant-garde figures of the twentieth century. An essential part of his legacy are the pieces gathered herein, which span over fifty years of Cagean thought and creativity. Generally unknown, they demonstrate Cage's skill in using language to provide insight into his own work as well as the music of Schoenberg, Boulez, and Stockhausen. In addition, he discusses collaborators and contemporaries like Merce Cunningham, Robert Rauschenberg, Marshall McLuhan, and David Tudor.
Also included are several provocative lectures and-of crucial importance to an appreciation of his music-Cage's notes outlining the proper performance of his compositions. Other pieces tackle his experiments with prepared piano; the idea of "chance" in compositions; how he writes using the I Ching; and his ideas about art, film, and dance. In "A Composer's Confessions," Cage maligns the "essentially conservative character of musical attitudes today" and declares why he is "not interested in large audiences or the preservation of my work for posterity." In "An Autobiographical Statement," he offers earnest reflections upon his own life, career, and quest for self-fulfillment.
Originally appearing in magazines, journals, catalogs, concert programs, and records, these pieces here acquire the permanence they deserve. Taken together, they reveal a lesser-known but pivotal aspect of a pioneering composer.
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About the Author
Richard Kostelanetz has edited collections of writings by Nicolas Slonimsky, Moholy-Nagy, Merce Cunningham, e e cummings, and Gertrude Stein. He lives in New York City.
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John Cage: Writer: Selected Texts
Seller: Once Upon A Time Books, Siloam Springs, AR, U.S.A.
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Paperback. Condition: Acceptable. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear . It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear . It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. Seller Inventory # mon0000416189
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John Cage, Writer Selected Texts (previously published as 'Uncollected Pieces')
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Cooper Square Press, c.2000,, 2000
ISBN 10: 0815410344
ISBN 13: 9780815410348
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Seller: Harry Alter, Sylva, NC, U.S.A.
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paperback, Condition: Very Good, Cooper Square Press, c.2000, trade paperbk.prtg., 281pp., VG $. Seller Inventory # 104714
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John Cage, Writer: Selected Texts
Published by
Cooper Square Press, N Y, 1993
ISBN 10: 0815410344
ISBN 13: 9780815410348
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Trade Paperback
Seller: Pistil Books Online, IOBA, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
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Trade Paperback. Condition: Very Good. A clean, unmarked book with a tight binding. Light wear to cover. 282 pages. Presents John Cage's essential writings spanning fifty years, including his influential essays on experimental composition, chance operations using the I Ching, prepared piano techniques, performance instructions, and philosophical reflections on silence, sound, and the nature of music that revolutionized twentieth-century avant-garde art. Keywords: Avant Garde Composer, Experimental Music, Chance Operations, I Ching Method, Prepared Piano, Silent Piece, Indeterminacy, Merce Cunningham, Zen Buddhism, Sound Philosophy, Musical Essays, Performance Notes. Seller Inventory # 160005
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John Cage: Writer: Selected Texts.
Seller: Frans Melk Antiquariaat, HILVERSUM, Netherlands
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Cooper Square Press, 2000. 22,5 x 15 cm. Paperback / Softcover. XVII, 281 pages. NEAR FINE COPY [Muziek / Music [Muziek/Musici] ]. Seller Inventory # #119688
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