John Cage Flashcards
who was John Cage taught by?
Schonberg
Which note is of significance in the 12 tone row?
none
each note has equal significance
What kind of music was he influenced by?
oriental
What percussive elements can be heard?
strings plucked, scratched and manipulated
What was the piece written for?
A dance - Dromelan
What does a ‘mute’ do?
restrict vibrations of a string
What notes appear in the course of the composition?
Only prepared ones
giving a limited range of 36 notes
What are the range in timbres?
Dead to gong like
What were Cages intentions?
Create considerable variety
What is the main dynamic?
Quiet
Gradual diminuendo through the repeat to the end
Why are the dynamics quieter than usual?
‘mutes’
What creates dynamic contrast?
quiet beginning then ff passage with repeated accents
Why are the two piano parts independent?
one never doubles the other and the patterns/ideas are different
When are there breaks in the two part writing?
beginning
octaves in piano 2 R.H and perfect 5ths in L.H
What is the texture?
contrapuntal with two or more largely independent layers
What’s repeated at the beginning?
A three - quaver motif in similar motion
Are contrapuntal devises such as canon and imitation used?
No
How does Cage achieve contrast?
Varying the texture from four parts to monophonic, two and three part textures
What is the metre?
2/2 (simple duple)
How is the metre obscured?
Simultaneous use of ‘contradictory’ rhythmic groupings or ‘cross-rhythms’
What are the most common note values?
quavers and dotted crotchets
What does the L.H of piano two consist of?
Crotchets and moto perpetuo quavers
How is piano 1s opening characteristic of compound time?
groups of three quavers
How does piano 2s R.H reinforce the metre?
offbeat quavers
what ensures coherence?
rhythmic ostinato
What does the uneven distribution of rests mean?
patterns start alternately on and off the crotchet beat
Are patterns repeated?
yes but not often
What is micro-macrocosmic design based on?
fractal maths
What are the nine 30-bar parts made up of?
2:5:2:2:6:2:2:7:2
Is there a sense of tonality?
No, hierarchy of sounds revolving around a tonic
Is there anything that corresponds to any recognised form of Harmony?
No
unfixed pitch
What prevails?
Rhythm and sonority
What’s Gamelan like?
Interlocking patterns
What melodic devises are used?
Ostinato
Metrical shifting
How is the melody developed?
Note addition and subtraction
What does the ending have?
A clear melodic ostinato repeated 16 times
Do chords have harmonic function?
No
just create sound
Peripete context
Schoenberg Taught Cage 1909 Orchestra expressionist
Peripete structure/tonality
free rondo
Atonal
Clashing
Dissonant
Peripete sonority
big orchestra massive w.w section large brass section percussion wide extremes in dynamics pp-fff sudden dynamic changes
Peripete texture/rhythm
quick changes in texture
polyphony
complex rhythm with no clear beat
Peripete melody
Klangfarbenmelodie passed around the orchestra
angular and fragmented
Main melody mostly played in the horns, clarinets and cellos
Cage, Sonatas and interludes for prepared pianos
no sense of harmony/tonality heavy reliance on rhythm repeated ostinatos list of preparations syncopation polyphonic textures
Sequenza III
Berio
Contemporary view on structure - just states timings that each section should last
Concerto Grosso No.1
Schnittke
prepared piano
only nails, creating a music box like quality
modern take on a Baroque concerto
Electric Counterpoint
Reich 1987 - Minimalist 7 electric guitars 2 bass guitars 1 live acoustic guitar fast tempo stucture built up in 3 layers: 1) syncopated quaver motif by the live guitar 2) syncopated quaver motif in bass 3) sustained motif by the live guitar 3/2 with lots of syncopation layers of ostinati and repeated patterns constant dynamics polyphony/layering looping, multitracking and fade thins out
John Cage context
1912-1992
experimental composer, inventor of the prepared piano and champion of chance music
collaboration with dancer Pierce Cunningham
Dance context
1940 asked to compose for a dance with only a piano available
Cage drew on teacher Henry Cowell’s techniques to manipulate strings
African feel
Premiered in New York 1945
Two prepared pianos
