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How Did John Cage Defined In The 1950s?

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John Cage Defined in the 1950s

John Cage is considered by many to be the defining voice of avant-garde music throughout the 20th century. Fusing philosophy with composition, he reinvented the face of modern music, leading composer Arnold Schoenberg to declare, "Of course he's not a composer, but he's an inventor -- of genius" (Kostelanetz 6). For Cage, the 1950s brought a series of critical events that both refined his message as a composer and brought him great fame, or infamy to some. His interest in Eastern Zen philosophy blossomed throughout the early part of the decade, a subject that is actively pursued and reinforced in all of his following musical works. The 1950s also brought the revelation for Cage that sound is inherently …show more content…

I received the highest grade in the class. That convinced me that the institution was not being run correctly. I left. (Cage, An Autobiographical Statement).

Cage departed for Europe where he spent a year traveling and attempting to become a refined writer. It was here where he was first exposed to modern music and painting and had the idea that he could do these things just as well. He returned to California and began composing music with no formal training, lecturing on modern music and painting to housewives to earn money. When he needed a pianist to perform a Schoenberg piece that proved too technically difficult to perform himself, Cage attempted to enlist the help of concert pianist Richard Buhlig. Buhlig turned down the offer, yet offered to help the struggling Cage with his compositions. Buhlig, realizing his own composition skills were inadequate to assist Cage in any meaningful way, suggested to Cage that he go and study with Henry Cowell. Cowell, living in New York City, eventually led Cage back to California to study with world renowned composer, Arnold Schoenberg.

At that time, "legitimate" classical music was divided between the great composers Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg, both of whom were residing in California and whom Cage could have studied with. Stravinsky composed in much the same classical tradition of the previous 200 years.

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