John Cage

Question 1

who was John Cage taught by?

Answer 1

Schonberg

Question 2

Which note is of significance in the 12 tone row?

Answer 2

none

each note has equal significance

Question 3

What kind of music was he influenced by?

Answer 3

oriental

Question 4

What percussive elements can be heard?

Answer 4

strings plucked, scratched and manipulated

Question 5

What was the piece written for?

Answer 5

A dance - Dromelan

Question 6

What does a ‘mute’ do?

Answer 6

restrict vibrations of a string

Question 7

What notes appear in the course of the composition?

Answer 7

Only prepared ones

giving a limited range of 36 notes

Question 8

What are the range in timbres?

Answer 8

Dead to gong like

Question 9

What were Cages intentions?

Answer 9

Create considerable variety

Question 10

What is the main dynamic?

Answer 10

Quiet

Gradual diminuendo through the repeat to the end

Question 11

Why are the dynamics quieter than usual?

Answer 11

‘mutes’

Question 12

What creates dynamic contrast?

Answer 12

quiet beginning then ff passage with repeated accents

Question 13

Why are the two piano parts independent?

Answer 13

one never doubles the other and the patterns/ideas are different

Question 14

When are there breaks in the two part writing?

Answer 14

beginning

octaves in piano 2 R.H and perfect 5ths in L.H

Question 15

What is the texture?

Answer 15

contrapuntal with two or more largely independent layers

Question 16

What’s repeated at the beginning?

Answer 16

A three - quaver motif in similar motion

Question 17

Are contrapuntal devises such as canon and imitation used?

Answer 17

No

Question 18

How does Cage achieve contrast?

Answer 18

Varying the texture from four parts to monophonic, two and three part textures

Question 19

What is the metre?

Answer 19

2/2 (simple duple)

Question 20

How is the metre obscured?

Answer 20

Simultaneous use of ‘contradictory’ rhythmic groupings or ‘cross-rhythms’

Question 21

What are the most common note values?

Answer 21

quavers and dotted crotchets

Question 22

What does the L.H of piano two consist of?

Answer 22

Crotchets and moto perpetuo quavers

Question 23

How is piano 1s opening characteristic of compound time?

Answer 23

groups of three quavers

Question 24

How does piano 2s R.H reinforce the metre?

Answer 24

offbeat quavers

Question 25

what ensures coherence?

Answer 25

rhythmic ostinato

Question 26

What does the uneven distribution of rests mean?

Answer 26

patterns start alternately on and off the crotchet beat

Question 27

Are patterns repeated?

Answer 27

yes but not often

Question 28

What is micro-macrocosmic design based on?

Answer 28

fractal maths

Question 29

What are the nine 30-bar parts made up of?

Answer 29

2:5:2:2:6:2:2:7:2

Question 30

Is there a sense of tonality?

Answer 30

No, hierarchy of sounds revolving around a tonic

Question 31

Is there anything that corresponds to any recognised form of Harmony?

Answer 31

No

unfixed pitch

Question 32

What prevails?

Answer 32

Rhythm and sonority

Question 33

What’s Gamelan like?

Answer 33

Interlocking patterns

Question 34

What melodic devises are used?

Answer 34

Ostinato

Metrical shifting

Question 35

How is the melody developed?

Answer 35

Note addition and subtraction

Question 36

What does the ending have?

Answer 36

A clear melodic ostinato repeated 16 times

Question 37

Do chords have harmonic function?

Answer 37

No

just create sound

Question 38

Peripete context

Answer 38

Schoenberg 
Taught Cage
1909
Orchestra
expressionist

Question 39

Peripete structure/tonality

Answer 39

free rondo
Atonal
Clashing
Dissonant

Question 40

Peripete sonority

Answer 40

big orchestra
massive w.w section
large brass section
percussion
wide extremes in dynamics
pp-fff
sudden dynamic changes

Question 41

Peripete texture/rhythm

Answer 41

quick changes in texture
polyphony
complex rhythm with no clear beat

Question 42

Peripete melody

Answer 42

Klangfarbenmelodie passed around the orchestra
angular and fragmented
Main melody mostly played in the horns, clarinets and cellos

Question 43

Cage, Sonatas and interludes for prepared pianos

Answer 43

no sense of harmony/tonality
heavy reliance on rhythm
repeated ostinatos
list of preparations
syncopation
polyphonic textures

Question 44

Sequenza III

Answer 44

Berio

Contemporary view on structure - just states timings that each section should last

Question 45

Concerto Grosso No.1

Answer 45

Schnittke
prepared piano
only nails, creating a music box like quality
modern take on a Baroque concerto

Question 46

Electric Counterpoint

Answer 46

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

Question 47

John Cage context

Answer 47

1912-1992
experimental composer, inventor of the prepared piano and champion of chance music
collaboration with dancer Pierce Cunningham

Question 48

Dance context

Answer 48

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