Cage - WL

Question 1

Steve Reich

Answer 1

A rhythmic Minimalist piece.
influenced by non-Western music. He spent
time in Ghana and took inspiration from Ewe
music.
Unusual timbral combinations,
Polyrhythm, hocketing,
Phase shifting

Question 2

Steve Riech - Music for 18 Musicians

Answer 2

Experiments with percussion instruments
An unconventional ensemble. (John Cage
experimented with piano because he wanted to
recreate a percussion ensemble not available.
Minimalist piece
Metrical shift effect
Balinese/ Gamelan sound.

Question 3

Volker Bertelmann

Answer 3

Continues John Cage’s legacy but uses the
prepared piano in a less percussive way.
Explores different timbres, for example playing
pedal notes directly on the strings, instead of
playing the piano keys.
Places objects like tambourines and ping pong
balls on the strings of the piano.

Question 4

Pierre Boulez - Structures: 1A

Answer 4

Uses 2 pianos with extreme ranges explored
Sudden changes in dynamics and extreme dynamics (ffff)
Constantly changing time signatures.
Rather than by pitch, governed by serial principle, Cage went in a different
direction, basing his structures on new rhythmic directions.
Uses symbols.

Question 5

John Cage - Sonata and Interlude (1,2,3)

Answer 5

Use of the prepared piano
Exploration of timbres and textures
Extreme ranges of the piano exploited.
Used new forms of graphic notation
Developed the use of percussion
Influenced by non Western cultures. (Eastern philosophy.)
‘micro-macrocosmic' structure