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John Cage

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John Cage was a giant of American experimental music--composer, writer, and artist. He is most widely known for his 1952 composition 4'33,whose three movements continue to challenge the definition of music by being performed without playing a single note. In questioning fundamental tenets of Western music, Cage was often at the center of controversy, and is regarded as an important contributor to many facets of American culture. To enable readers to understand what makes Cage such an extraordinary figure, David Nicholls masterfully places his striking body of prose and poetry, over 300 music compositions, and prominent performance career into historical, environmental, intellectual, philosophical, and aesthetic contexts. Nicholls' intimate study of John Cage's personal and professional life confirms the legacy of this major figure in twentieth-century American culture.
''...this brief volume sheds a valuable beam of light on the composer, cutting through the obfuscation that has settled around him. One of the more engaging aspects of David Nicholl's study is the connection he makes with John Cage's personal life, his life outside composition...It's important that Cage is attended to as well as listened to, and Nicholls gives due emphasis to his writings, including his poetry...a very fine book.'' David Stubbs, The Wire, July 2008 ''This edition provides an opportunity to follow in close compass Dreisier's process of revision. It captures his point of view at a transitional moment in his career, and it sheds light on his subsequent work, including his masterpiece, An American Tragedy (1925)...the interest of this edition lies in the attention it directs to a major albeit neglected novel. Eugene Witla's story is as much a measure of turn-of-the-century America as The Great Gatsby is an expression of the Jazz Age.'' William P. Kelly, Times Literary Supplement, May 30th 2008
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