John Cage (1988) John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and.

A pioneer of,, and, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of, mostly through his association with choreographer, who was also Cage's romantic partner for most of their lives.

Cage is perhaps best known for his 1952 composition, which is performed in the absence of deliberate sound; musicians who present the work do nothing aside from being present for the duration specified by the title. The content of the composition is not 'four minutes and 33 seconds of silence,' as is often assumed, but rather the sounds of the environment heard by the audience during performance.

John Cage, String Quartet in Four Parts, 1950, page 1. Published by Henmar Press, Inc. Download Software Alat Musik Pc here. Used by permission of C.F. Peters Corporation. Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 Wifi Drivers For Windows 7 64 Bit. All Rights Reserved.

The work's challenge to assumed definitions about musicianship and musical experience made it a popular and controversial topic both in musicology and the broader aesthetics of art and performance. Cage was also a pioneer of the (a piano with its sound altered by objects placed between or on its strings or hammers), for which he wrote numerous dance-related works and a few concert pieces. The best known of these is (1946–48).

His teachers included (1933) and (1933–35), both known for their radical innovations in music, but Cage's major influences lay in various East and South Asian cultures. Through his studies of and in the late 1940s, Cage came to the idea of or chance-controlled music, which he started composing in 1951. The, an ancient on changing events, became Cage's standard composition tool for the rest of his life. In a 1957 lecture, Experimental Music, he described music as 'a purposeless play' which is 'an affirmation of life – not an attempt to bring order out of chaos nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply a way of waking up to the very life we're living'. See also: The newly married couple first lived with Cage's parents in, then moved to Hollywood.

During 1936–38 Cage changed numerous jobs, including one that started his lifelong association with modern dance: dance accompanist. He produced music for choreographies and at one point taught a course on 'Musical Accompaniments for Rhythmic Expression' at UCLA, with his aunt Phoebe. It was during that time that Cage first started experimenting with unorthodox instruments, such as household items, metal sheets, and so on. This was inspired by, who told Cage that 'everything in the world has a spirit that can be released through its sound.' Although Cage did not share the idea of spirits, these words inspired him to begin exploring the sounds produced by hitting various non-musical objects. In 1938, on Cowell's recommendation, Cage drove to San Francisco to find employment and to seek out fellow Cowell student and composer.

According to Cowell, the two composers had a shared interest in percussion and dance and would likely hit it off if introduced to one another. Indeed, the two immediately established a strong bond upon meeting and began a working relationship that continued for several years. Harrison soon helped Cage to secure a faculty member position at, teaching the same program as at UCLA, and collaborating with choreographer Marian van Tuyl. Several famous dance groups were present, and Cage's interest in modern dance grew further.

After several months he left and moved to, Washington, where he found work as composer and accompanist for choreographer at the. The Cornish School years proved to be a particularly important period in Cage's life. Aside from teaching and working as accompanist, Cage organized a percussion ensemble that toured the West Coast and brought the composer his first fame.

His reputation was enhanced further with the invention of the prepared piano—a piano which has had its sound altered by objects placed on, beneath or between the strings—in 1940. This concept was originally intended for a performance staged in a room too small to include a full percussion ensemble. It was also at the Cornish School that Cage met a number of people who became lifelong friends, such as painter and dancer Merce Cunningham. The latter was to become Cage's lifelong romantic partner and artistic collaborator. Cage left Seattle in the summer of 1941 after the painter invited him to teach at the Chicago School of Design (what later became the.

The composer accepted partly because he hoped to find opportunities in Chicago, that were not available in Seattle, to organize a center for experimental music. These opportunities did not materialize. Cage taught at the Chicago School of Design and worked as accompanist and composer at the University of Chicago. At one point, his reputation as percussion composer landed him a commission from the to compose a soundtrack for a radio play. The result, The City Wears a Slouch Hat, was received well, and Cage deduced that more important commissions would follow. Hoping to find these, he left Chicago for New York City in the spring of 1942. Performed in 1958 by Arline Carmen (voice) and John Cage (closed piano).