Often in classical music when we talk about the great change makers, we end up talking about European composers who lived hundreds of years ago, so it is very exciting to be talking about a change maker who affected music in more contemporary times.
John Cage is one of those great artists who is known for his revolutionary acts that are perhaps considered at present as a bit passé or even comical. His cheeky and provocative 4’33” (1952) has not only gone down in musical history as one of the most identifiable works of the 20th century, but also an easy butt of a joke for any undergraduate music student. Other works of his, such as Aria or his infamous performance of Water Walk on national television, have aged in a way that reflects the experimental, 1960s vibe of these pieces, but to our contemporary ears, they simply seem a bit silly.
This attitude toward Cage as simply a silly, and intentionally provocative composer pervades many attitudes towards his music, to the detriment of some amazing lesser-known gems of his music.
One such piece is his lecture-performance piece Lecture on Nothing (1959), a Zen like reflection on life, creation and the pursuit of an artist. Another is his frequently underperformed Piano Concerto, where 63 pages of music can be played, in whole or in part, in any sequence, involving 84 'types' of composition to be determined by the soloist, ensemble and/or conductor. A different hidden gem of Cage’s is his series of five operas Europeras, described by the composer that "for two hundred years the Europeans have been sending us their operas. Now I'm sending them back."
However, one of his most iconic, musically interesting and often played set of works are his Sonatas and Interludes written for preprepared piano, composed from 1946 – 1948. Presented in a cycle of 16 sonatas, these rhythmically rich works require a detailed ‘preparation’ of the piano. This ‘preparation’ includes adding erasers, paper clips, rulers and other bits and pieces found on a desk into the piano itself to manipulate and change the sound of the piano strings. These inventive sounds are whole new sonic worlds for the piano, and provide a unique challenge to the pianist's technique, pushing them to learn an entirely new sonority for each preparation of their instrument.
The ANAM pianists, led by Head of Piano Timothy Young, mount these brilliant pieces on 17 May 7pm at the Rosina Auditorium.
They also present Cage’s 4’33” and Living Room Music alongside the music of Claude Debussy and Henry Cowell, two composers who deeply affected Cage’s work and philosophy, on 18 May at 3pm in the Rosina Auditorium.
SONATAS AND INTERLUDES
Friday 17 May 7pm
John CAGE Sonatas and Interludes
Timothy Young (ANAM Head of Piano) director/piano
ANAM Pianists
Venue Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent
Tickets from $20
ARITHMETIC OF SOUND
Saturday 18 May 3pm
Claude DEBUSSY Préludes books I and II
Henry COWELL The Banshee
Henry COWELL Aoelian Harp
Henry COWELL The Tides of Manaunaun
John CAGE Amores
John CAGE 4’33
Toru TAKEMITSU Rain Tree
John CAGE Living Room Music
Paavali Jumppanen (ANAM Artistic Director) director/piano
Timothy Young (ANAM Head of Piano) director/piano
ANAM Pianists and Percussionists
Venue Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent
Tickets from $20