John Cage: Music for Percussion

On this CD:

1. Quartet, for 4 percussionists
Composed by John Cage


2. Trio, for 3 percussionists
Composed by John Cage


3. Imaginary Landscape No. 1, for 2 variable speed turntables, frequency records, muted piano & cymbal
Composed by John Cage


4. 1st Construction (In Metal), for 6 percussionists
Composed by John Cage


5. 2nd Construction, for 4 percussionists
Composed by John Cage


6. Living Room Music, for 4 percussionists
Composed by John Cage


7. Double Music for percussion quartet
Composed by John / Harrison, Lou Cage


John Cage: Music for Percussion, Music, John Cage, John / Harrison, Lou Cage, Avant-Garde Music, Chamber, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Multimedia Works, Percussion, Percussion Chamber Music
Warp Works & Twentieth Century Masters
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Classic Avant-Garde...Electronic artists collide, for this release...!!!
 Warp Works & Twentieth Century Masters

Manufacturer: Warp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GIWRUW
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Tracks:

  1. Prepared Piano Piece 1/Aphex Twin
  2. Prepared Piano Piece 2/Aphex Twin
  3. Study No. 7/Conlon Nancarrow arr. Yvar Mikhashoff
  4. Sonatas 1 & 2/John Cage
  5. Violin Phase/Steve Reich
  6. First Construction in Metal/John Cage
  7. The Tide/Squarepusher arr. David Horne
  8. Spiral/Karlheinz Stockhausen

Tracks:

  1. Sonata 12/John Cage
  2. Ionization/Edgard Varese
  3. Six Marimbas/Steve Reich
  4. Conc 2 Symmetriac/Squarepusher arr. Fraser Trainer
  5. Sonatas 5 & 6/John Cage
  6. AFX237 V7/Aphex Twin arr. David Horne
  7. Corrente (Chamber Concerto)/Gyorgy Ligeti
  8. Calmo, Sostenuto/Gyorgy Ligeti
  9. Movimento Preciso e Meccanico/Gyorgy Ligeti
  10. Presto/Gyorgy Ligeti
  11. Polygon Window/Aphex Twin arr. K Hesketh

Album Description

Born at the Royal Festival Hall on 10 March 2003, the London Sinfonietta / Warp concerts grew out of a shared desire to explore the connection between the electronic experimenters on the Warp label and the avant-garde 20th century pioneers who were their sonic grandfathers, at least on one side. New instrumental versions of Squarepusher and Aphex Twin tracks sit side by side with avant-garde classics.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Classic Avant-Garde...Electronic artists collide, for this release...!!!.......2007-05-03

A strange one this....what transpires is a 2-CD disk of re-compostion's and arrangements, which are designed to: "explore the connection between electronic experimenters on the Warp label and their sonic grandfathers". What this amounts to, is a reinterpretation of pieces by: John Cage, Steve Reich, Aphex Twin, and Squarepusher, given to proper musicians (in this case, The London Sinfonietta), and the connections between the classical avant-garde and more popular forms of experimental music, have been amalgamated and interwoven, to bring more classically composed arrangements for the tracks by Aphex Twin & Squarepusher (as well as a "Boards of Canada" track), and modern re-imagining of the classic /avant-garde compositions by John Cage, Steve Reich & Karlheinz Stockhausen .

This is all handled and performed with the usual commitment and precision, that you'd expect from The London Sinfonietta, with what seems like a orchestra, that brings to these arrangements to life, by the use of beautiful soft strings, and a studied melancholic atmosphere, and this unique experiment is accentuated by graceful rhythmic and simmering electronic touches that hover above the orchestra, and would by and large...prove too complex for existing instrumental ensembles to fully interpret , and using mechanical processes replicating the loops and repetitions of computerized music, these composers/performers fascinated by untempered, non-orchestral sounds, were skilfully able to shadow the textural variety usually associated with electronica.

It's a heady experiment for sure....and it's sounds a million miles away from the difficult, fractured and freewheeling sounds and beats of Squarepusher & Aphex Twins work. (although certain segments of the performances do recall the textured, cerebral and sophisticated moods of their more ambient / downtempo tracks). And it'll take a remarkably committed fan of Squarepusher/Aphex Twin, to immediately recognise these re-compositions, such is the wildly different sound & arrangements. Where electronic sounds and computer arrangement have given way to actual instrumentation (with electronic effects assisting) thereby what you mostly find is that if a track was originally a frantic, volatile dance track, that shifted and accelerated around a high BPM, that it has largely been transformed it into something like manic, skewed Stravinsky. It's a radically different sound..for sure!!, that loosely resembles the originals, and are indeed far closer to Steve Reich and John Cage's, Stockhausen's experimental avant-garde work...which works a great deal with repetition, which if you not familiar with Cage, Reich's & Stockhausen's work, may prove difficult to digest.

For all the brilliance on display here, it's difficult to see who this album is aimed at??.....for me, there's no denying to excellence of the musicians/performers and their ability to perform this material. But fans of Aphex/Squarepusher, may find these interpretations, difficult to appreciate, as they initially only slightly resemble the originals. And fans of Cage/Reich may well have no interest in the work of Aphex/Squarepusher, when there is plenty of works of both Cage/Reich's/Stockhausen's own original work to choose from. But viewed as a stand-alone one-off experiment, it's a fascinating one, that although the connections with the original work are tenuous, at best....the stunning performances make this a thoroughly engaging listen, and it really is one of those albums that gets better with each listen, and what at first may seem a little flat and unremarkable, definitely grows in appreciation, the more your prepared invest with this and give several plays. And those that buy this knowing what to expect, will hopefully get as much out of this as I did.
Discover Music of the 20th Century
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • excellent overview of contemporaneous classic music
  • For the price you can't lose
 Discover Music of the 20th Century

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000B6N6B8
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

  1. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'un Faune - Alexander Rahbari
  2. Walzer - Peter Hill
  3. I. Andante-Scherzo - Rebecca Hirsch
  4. Sehr Ruhig Und Zart - Ulster Orchestra
  5. Lebhaft Und Zart Bewegt - Ulster Orchestra
  6. Sehr Langsam Und Ausserst Zart - Ulster Orchestra
  7. Fliessend, Ausserst Zart - Ulster Orchestra
  8. Sehr Fliessend - Ulster Orchestra
  9. Forlane: Allegretto - Klara Kormendi
  10. First Tableau: The Shrove-Tide Fair - Philharmonia Orchestra
  11. The Mountebank - Philharmonia Orchestra
  12. Vivo - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
  13. III. Moderato Pesante - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
  14. Hymn To St. Cecilia - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
  15. IV. Allegretto - Ondrej Lenard
  16. Introduzione: Andante Non Troppo-Allegro Vivace - Alexander Rahbari

Tracks:

  1. Romance - Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice)
  2. II. Allegro - Ladislav Slovak
  3. III. Allegro Agitato - Stephen Gunzenhauser
  4. Main Theme From Schindler's List - Paul Bateman
  5. The Unanswered Question - Northern Sinfonia
  6. Second Electonic Interpolation (Conclusion) - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
  7. Third Electronic Interpolation (Beginning) - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
  8. I. Liturgie De Cristal - Amici Ensemble
  9. IV. Commentaire - Idil Biret
  10. Warming Up, Leading To Model 1, Bass - Gregory Rose
  11. 'Gott Nochmal' Sun God - Gregory Rose
  12. 'Vishnu' God Of Storms - Gregory Rose
  13. God Of The Earth - Gregory Rose
  14. First Interlude - Boris Berman
  15. I. - Roger Heaton
  16. Short Ride In A Fast Machine - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
  17. The Lord's Prayer - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
  18. II. Lento E Largo-Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
  19. Lullaby - Philharmonia Orchestra
  20. Vision Of The Hunt I - Philharmonia Orchestra
  21. Voice For Solo Flute - Robert Aitken

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars excellent overview of contemporaneous classic music.......2007-03-22

excellent overview of contemporaneous classic music.

Should be continued, plenty more 20th-century composers to be discovered.

5 out of 5 stars For the price you can't lose.......2007-02-21

This 2 cd set consists of, as the title indicates, various 20c pieces or movements from the Naxos catalog. Sound quality is uniformly high, although for some such as Stockhausen's it's not clear if that's good or bad. What is excellent is the variety of the collection--some familiar (Debussy), others not, some pretty, others intentionally weird. Few will find every piece to his or her taste, but many listeners who do not spend much time on 20c music will find something to like. Overall, a great introduction to a period of much off-putting, yes, but also much compelling music.
SYR 4: Goodbye 20th Century
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • a tribute with poor feedbacks
  • "Keep it new"
  • Classical avant-garde experimentalism from.....a rock band?
  • Can you guess what it is yet?
  • lost me as a fan
 SYR 4: Goodbye 20th Century

Manufacturer: Sonic Youth / Syr
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00002R0NC
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

  1. Edges (Christian Wolf)
  2. Six (John Cage)
  3. Six for New Time For Sonic Youth (Pauline Oilveros)
  4. + - (Takehisa Kosugi)
  5. Voice Piece For Soprano (Yoko Ono)
  6. Pendulum Music (Steve Reich)

Tracks:

  1. Having Never Written A Note For Percussion (James Tenney)
  2. Six (John Cage)
  3. Burdocks (Christian Wolff)
  4. Four (John Cage)
  5. Piano Piece #13 (George Maciunas)
  6. Piece Enfantine (Nicolas Enfantine)
  7. Treatise (Cornelius Cardew)

Amazon.com

Wildly influential four-piece Sonic Youth have self-released their version of a tribute to the 20th century: two discs of noisy interpretations of modern, experimental classical scores. The group has chosen composers whose works leave a great amount of innovation open to the performer. This chance-embracing approach--typified and in some senses originated by John Cage--is one of the crucial turning points of "new" music. What's great about this CD is that it demonstrates the freewheeling, decidedly unserious spirit behind this music, essentially combining the legacies of punk rock and out-sound. In addition to three late works by the chance-loving Cage, there are pieces by current Merce Cunningham collaborator Takehisa Kosugi, minimalist giant Steve Reich, "deep-listening" drone lover Pauline Oliveros, and Fluxus founder George Maciunas. Longtime collaborator Wharton Tiers, the young everything-ist Jim O'Rourke, and even some of the composers themselves join in on these exercises. The result is messy, fun, and anarchic, with occasional revelations (notably James Tenney's "Having Never Written a Note for Percussion"). It's not a disc to play all the time, but it is a challenging, enthused record that ideally will point listeners toward some of the most vital music of the last half of the last decade of the second millennium. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

1999 & fourth release on their own SYR label. 13 tracks. The CD format is a double disc set that's enhanced with the CD-ROM video to George Maciunas' 'Piano Piece #13 (Carpenter's Piece) For Nam June Paik'. The album contains music composed by abstract artists like Yoko Ono, Steve Reich, John Cage and Christian Wolff. Gatefold slipcase. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars a tribute with poor feedbacks.......2006-04-14

The best thing with this product is undoubtly the names to whom it is contributed. One should really sincerely appreciate the good taste of SY to lift up and include such grand modern masteur composers as Wolff, Cardew, Cage and etc. Less successful however is the attempt to translate these 40 or so years old, mainly score, compositions and replace their original instrumentations and to attempt to change their structure to "rock".

Sometimes it does get endurable but at other times it completely falls out to miss the mark. Even if Wolff himself appears at times and also the renowned Marclay contributes it doesn't even come close to the originals at any time. It may be said that some of the tracks more demolishes than recaptures them.

Most of those who reviews here or rate are diehard SY fans and would probably give five stars to anything that SY put out, whatever it is. If they recorded an album of silence in hommage to Cage they would give it five stars too and call it great and important and other such stuff. We all know how that works, it is just sensual and silly.

But for those with commited interest in the musical field that is quite so misrepresented here it is but foolish to give this set of recordings too much attention.

Better is to try to get the original recordings themselves, or to get recent re-recordings of these, such like of California Ear Unit or Ars Nova ensemble etc. Pass this thing if you already know the composers work, and if you're new to these composers through this release, get the originals and compare.

I wish I could give three stars for this project, but I can't, the structures are too much weakened and the whole original soundwalls are too much torn down. If one wish to perform these works, which may not be too easy, than one should learn how to do so properly first. Otherwise, write a book...

4 out of 5 stars "Keep it new".......2005-04-03

I came across this CD at my local library while searching for the works of Cornelius Cardew. My only criticism is that liner notes were not included. Liner notes would have been appreciated not only as explanations of this admittedly esoteric music, but as an opportunity for the performers to respond to potential criticism and explain their intentions. They are to be commended for taking the risk of alienating their commercial base with this collection of recent aleatoric compositions and performance art. The other reviews merely prove the point that despite their posturing, many fans of popular music are as conservative and hidebound as their great-grandparents, uncomfortable in their day with any composers after Brahms. A scan of the FM dial reveals little change in popular music over the past 50 years - lots of 3-minute songs in 4/4 time. Witness the proliferation of stations endlessly broadcasting the same 1960s to 1980s standards.

For this audience, this CD is just what was needed - a slap in the face of convention. If this sparks in anyone an interest in searching for "what else is out there," the exercise will have been well worth the effort.

5 out of 5 stars Classical avant-garde experimentalism from.....a rock band?.......2004-11-21

It's hard to believe, but it's true.

The 4th CD in the SYR experimental series (titled Goodbye 20th Century, appropriatly) of Sonic Youth Records, is a fantastic double album soundscape of the finest kind. The CD has reinterpretations of post 50's era classical pieces (by such illustrious names as John Cage, Steve Reich, Christian Wolff), and they sound great for the most part. But Sonic Youth was not alone in recording this double album. They enlisted the help of many people, like Jim O'Rourke, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon's daughter Coco Hayley Gordon Moore (who screams out Yoko Ono's Voice Piece for Soprano), and...surprisingly...Christian Wolff collaborates on his pieces with the band. There are many other contributors, but I can't recall them at the moment.

Judging from all the other tracks, the one that stands out the most (to me, anyway) is Pauline Oliveros' Six For New Time (composed specifically for this project). Thurston intones lyrics over rising and falling drone guitars. Genius. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other tracks that are as great, such as Steve Reich's Pendulum Music (swinging microphones over amps, creating a pendulum effect of feedback), and George Maciunas' Piano Piece #13 (hammering down the keys of a piano till they no longer produce sound).

The centerpiece of the album, though, is John Cage's Four6. There are 2 other John Cage songs on the album (Six, performed twice) but this one stands out the most. It may seem like random banging and aimless instrumental wandering, but give it a chance, and it will slowly reveal its beauty.

Overall, this album is a fantastic piece of avant-garde, and will certainly entertain the artier person in you.

If you enjoy this record, why not try other CD's in the SYR series, Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, or seek out the works of the composers on this album?

4 out of 5 stars Can you guess what it is yet?.......2004-06-11

Well this is one Sonic Youth's more experimental releases ( if you hadn't gathered by now ) and it's fair to say that this is a challenging listen. You'll need to keep your wits about you and a sense of humour to contain this on first listen. It's quite possibly one of those " gets on your nerves " sort of album at first albums. But give it time and you appreciate the album that it sets out to be. You're not going to absolutely love this but you can enjoy it for what it is or yank it out of your stereo system and criticize Sonic Youth as bulls**t poseurs. It all means the same thing - nothing!

1 out of 5 stars lost me as a fan.......2003-03-10

i used to love sy. during the washing machine tour they played the academy friday night, saturday afternoon for matinee and saturday night. i was at all three shows. i saw them a lollapalooze twice. the thousand leaves show at irving plaza? i was front row. those days are gone.
i had the first syr disc and liked it. not great but it was ok. after that this band died. maybe my tastes change and i mourning this whole thing because i truly was proud to be an sy fan. i felt they were alive here and now and i got to enjoy them now. not like beatles fans or zepplin fans who can no longer see them live. i mourn the loss of the smashing pumpkins, the death of kurdt cobain, the death of mia zappata, death of layne staley, breakup of soundgarden, as well as many other bands i adore so for me to love sy and they are still here and making vibrant music meant alot.
then they came out with the syr discs. i liked the first a little but after that, this disc, the 4th in this series, i was forced to leave my fanship behind. this dics is long, boring, to long, uninterseting and way too long. 30 minutes for one song which interests me not at all is too much to ask.
i see their new direction and like it not. it is pretentious in the worst way. aimless, drifting, and uninteresting. like i said, someone email me and explain me what is so good about this

milkboydanny@hotmail.com
4'33"
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Where is the "Bust of Beethoven" skit when we need it the most!
  • Amusing as it is yet infuriating
  • sounds of 'silence'
  • Extrovert & Glorious
 4'33"

Manufacturer: Hungaroton
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cage, JohnCage, John | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
PercussionPercussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
General ContemporaryGeneral Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. John Cage: In a Landscape
  2. Cage: Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano
  3. Indeterminacy
  4. Insomnia
  5. John Cage: Music for Prepared Piano, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000003070
Release Date: 1993-12-08

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Where is the "Bust of Beethoven" skit when we need it the most!.......2007-04-30

Ahhhh! 4'33" and with a straight face I'm told by a diehard John Cage fan, "You fail to grasp the "event", Doc, the "attitude" of the piece, where what you term 'silence' is in fact the 'ambient chorus of the hall' [!?] where even a passing cough [or belch or ... ?] by an audience member could conceivably be, in the mind of the listener anyway, the "Appassionata" [!] or indeed the 'essence of a Liszt or a Rachmaninoff' !" to which I promptly replied, "Well, the experience leaves me 'envisioning' at least analogously anyway, since such conjuring becomes a mandate for any 'listener' from the very get-go, the Chopin B-Flat Minor "Funeral March" piece!" Scratch one otherwise decent "agree to disagree" cyber friendship!

Let's get down to cases: the pianist comes to the piano, sits, and except for the piano lid 'adjustment' after watching the 'time' in order to signal the 3 "movements" of 4'33", not a note is played!

C'mon already! I mean if we're doing the old Muppet Show with Victor Borge and Fozzie-Bear "Bust of Beethoven" skit [I loved that one! You know, Victor hits a [purposeful] clinker in the "Moonlight Sonata" and Fozzie makes with the "Did you make a mistake?" and the "Bust of Beethoven" pipes up for the 'defense', as it were, "No, that's the way I wrote it!"]. Anyway, if the purpose 'is' in fact pure skit or shtick, hey, fine, but to seriously pass off 4'33" as no less than the veritable muse itself "manifesting itself to both artist and audience", give me a break!

Yes, I've narrowed my remarks to 4'33" but then this whole business of the "prepared piano" or of bolts, screws, spoons, wires, marbles, 'whatever' either 'precisely set' or indeed simply rolling around the piano strings as allegedly representing "the voice of things to come and/or music of the future", hey, I'll settle for a "Chopsticks" rendition if 'only' for the purpose of some semblance for piece recognition or indeed a return to some form of harmony ... versus dissonance gone amuck but for the 'sake' of dissonance by design!

What's that? Sure! I most certainly 'did' see Andy Russo at one of my "precious classical international piano competitions" [Van Cliburn, Leeds, Chopin, et al] reach over the piano keys and begin a sort of 'pizzicato variation' while literally plucking the piano 'strings' doing that George Crumb piece but hey, did YOU see the face of juror Claude Frank when he saw it happening? Yeah, I know, beauty is in the eye [or ear or, indeed, in this case with 4'33", 'imagination'] of the beholder, true enough, but there are also such things as the proverbial elephant in the room too ... albeit often to the accompanying 'aroma' left by the beast therein!

Doc Tony

Watch now ... a reader in 'wherever' .... "Obviously the good doctor is an ultra staid classical "sic piece" and no doubt fanatical Claudio Arrau fan!" OK, I'll give you this for 4'33", the 'plus' side if you will: no pesky clinkers, missed notes or memory lapses! And hey, the real recital biggie for 4'33" renderings, talk about de facto 'silencing' those artist critics, yes? Or could that audible rumble of the hall air conditioning system suddenly conjure up even to the critic the kettle drum prelude to Thus Spake You-Know-Who! Watch too, yet another reader, "That's it, Doc! 'Now' you have the heart of it all!" ;-)

3 out of 5 stars Amusing as it is yet infuriating.......2007-02-21

4'33" is a solid example of the post/modernist's destruction of art by ideology; and while it is arguable that any condemnation of this destruction--or even calling it destruction at all--belies valuation which ought itself to be deconstructed, I call bull****. And not in the made-up Frankfurt sense.
I like to believe that Beethoven would have punched Cage in the head.
Because, you see, there is within this absurd silliness, a rejection of music. Music is something to be enjoyed for what it is; that is, for the components of music--melody, tone, &c.--and for the emotion behind the music and for the element of design, composition. I don't mean to attempt to set up some criteria for music or art; rather, I will say that there is something about music that is essential to music, something beyond the definition of music, or one might say that music is defined by something that cannot be re-defined without rendering music noise. It seems inexpressible: we can point at the components of music, but to say what music is--
Ligeti pushed the boundaries. Messiaen was innovative. Schoenberg was... something. And so on. And so forth. But this--!
Cage, when a little more serious, can be a bit enjoyable; but the most enjoyable aspect of this album, I think, is the near-silent track--the track which makes a mockery out of placing philosophy over art. No, placing an unreal philosophy over art. Abstraction, the unconcrete and ungrounded. Something thought of in a moment in which he was withdrawn from reality. A fancy: wouldn't it be splendid if all things, the greatest music and the most random sounds, were without error, equal. It seems an avoidance of judgment, an avoidance of valuation--and insofar as it is conscious of its avoidance, itself a valuation, or dis-valuation--a senseless pursuit of the program of re-valuation, without regard for reality.
So, despite the fact that Beethoven would punch Cage in the head, I think 4'33" has some value: it exposes the farce of ridiculous modes of thought.

4 out of 5 stars sounds of 'silence'.......2005-12-15

" I should note that audience noise is somewhat pronounced, but it really presents no obstacle to enjoyment of this magnificent rendition of 4'33". " that was just too funny not to write my own review.

Cage is probably one of the most important of the American avant-garde composers, and is most notorious for this piece, 4'33", in which no noise in delibritly made. "There is no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound." It is these unintentioned sounds, especially of the crowd, that is to be regarded as the music of the piece. Cage is infamous for having asked the question, what is music? 4'33" in particular is meant to challenge the conventional definition of music.

He also described his music as being purpossless play, an extention of his Zen Buddhist beleifs. "this play is an affirmation of life-not an attempt to bring order out of chaos, nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply to wake up to the very life we are living, which is so excellent once one gets one's mind and desires out the way and lets it act of its own accord."

not for everyone of course, this cd is a good mix of cage's work, certainly a visionary composer whose legacy will last.

5 out of 5 stars Extrovert & Glorious.......2005-07-05

All of the pieces on this disc are excellent, but I wish to call your attention specially to the title piece. I have in my collection most of the extant recordings of 4'33", & have admired most of them, but without doubt this is the most splendid recording available at the present day. The Amadinda Percussion Group is in top form throughout, bringing a sensitivity & brio to the piece that have rarely been approached. The tempi are a bit faster than I am accustomed to, but I found this a welcome change, & if anything, truer to Cage's intentions. The sound quality is first-rate: every nuance is finely chiselled, dynamics are tracked with absolute fidelity. I should note that audience noise is somewhat pronounced, but it really presents no obstacle to enjoyment of this magnificent rendition of 4'33".
Chance Operation: The John Cage Tribute
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Silence please!
  • Georgia Stone the best antiwar composition to date
  • unknown..but i'm real excited
  • What? 183 tracks? What for? There is a reason...
 Chance Operation: The John Cage Tribute

Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001SH6
Release Date: 1993-11-18

Tracks:

  1. Excerpts For Thirty Pieces For String Quartet
  2. Excerpt From Thirty Pieces For String Quartet
  3. Three Dances For Prepared Piano, Dance #1
  4. Dance 2: Three Dances for Prepared Piano
  5. Dance 3: Three Dances for Prepared Piano
  6. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  7. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  8. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  9. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  10. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  11. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  12. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  13. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  14. First Four-Language Word Event in Memoriam John Cage
  15. Six Melodies Variation for Solo Violin
  16. Six Melodies Variation for Solo Violin
  17. Six Melodies Variation for Solo Violin
  18. Six Melodies Variation for Solo Violin
  19. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  20. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  21. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  22. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  23. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  24. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  25. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  26. A Cage Went in Search of a Bird
  27. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  28. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  29. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  30. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  31. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  32. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  33. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  34. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  35. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  36. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  37. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  38. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  39. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  40. Concert for Piano and Orchestra: Three Solos for Trumpet
  41. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  42. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  43. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  44. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  45. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  46. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  47. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  48. Cunningham Stories (At the Age of Twelve...)
  49. Haiku FM
  50. Haiku FM
  51. Haiku FM
  52. Haiku FM
  53. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  54. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  55. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  56. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  57. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  58. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  59. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  60. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  61. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  62. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  63. Art is self-alteration is Cage is...
  64. Music for the Merce Cunningham dance Shards: Webwork
  65. Music for the Merce Cunningham dance Shards: Webwork
  66. Music for the Merce Cunningham dance Shards: Webwork
  67. Music for the Merce Cunningham dance Shards: Webwork
  68. Music for the Merce Cunningham dance Shards: Webwork
  69. Music for the Merce Cunningham dance Shards: Webwork
  70. Georgia Stone
  71. Georgia Stone
  72. Georgia Stone
  73. Georgia Stone
  74. Georgia Stone
  75. Georgia Stone
  76. Georgia Stone
  77. Georgia Stone
  78. Georgia Stone
  79. Georgia Stone
  80. Georgia Stone
  81. Georgia Stone
  82. Georgia Stone
  83. Georgia Stone
  84. Georgia Stone
  85. Georgia Stone
  86. Georgia Stone
  87. Georgia Stone
  88. Georgia Stone
  89. Georgia Stone
  90. Georgia Stone
  91. Georgia Stone
  92. Georgia Stone
  93. Georgia Stone
  94. Georgia Stone
  95. Georgia Stone
  96. Georgia Stone
  97. Georgia Stone
  98. Georgia Stone

Tracks:

  1. Cunningham Stories (Merce Cunningham Phoned His Mother...)
  2. Cunningham Stories (Merce Cunningham Phoned His Mother...)
  3. Cunningham Stories (Merce Cunningham Phoned His Mother...)
  4. Cunningham Stories (Merce Cunningham Phoned His Mother...)
  5. Oregon: Chance/Choice
  6. Oregon: Chance/Choice
  7. Chance/Choice
  8. Chance/Choice
  9. Chance/Choice
  10. Chance/Choice
  11. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  12. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  13. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  14. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  15. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  16. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  17. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  18. Seventy-five Letters & Improvisation
  19. Living Room Music
  20. Living Room Music
  21. Living Room Music
  22. Living Room Music
  23. Living Room Music
  24. Living Room Music
  25. Living Room Music
  26. Living Room Music
  27. Ergodos I for John Cage
  28. Ergodos I for John Cage
  29. Ergodos I for John Cage
  30. Ergodos I for John Cage
  31. Ergodos I for John Cage
  32. Ergodos I for John Cage
  33. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  34. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  35. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  36. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  37. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  38. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  39. Cunningham Stories (Every Morning...)
  40. Factory Preset
  41. Factory Preset
  42. Factory Preset
  43. Factory Preset
  44. Factory Preset
  45. Factory Preset
  46. Factory Preset
  47. Factory Preset
  48. Factory Preset
  49. Factory Preset
  50. Factory Preset
  51. 4'33
  52. 4'33
  53. 4'33
  54. 4'33
  55. 4'33
  56. In Memoriam John Cage
  57. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  58. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  59. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  60. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  61. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  62. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  63. In Memoriam John Cage - Call Waiting
  64. Aria
  65. Aria
  66. Aria
  67. Aria
  68. Aria
  69. Aria
  70. Aria
  71. Aria
  72. Aria
  73. Aria
  74. Aria
  75. Aria
  76. Aria
  77. Aria
  78. Aria
  79. Cunningham Stories (The Cunningham Company...)
  80. Cunningham Stories (The Cunningham Company...)
  81. Cunningham Stories (The Cunningham Company...)
  82. New York City
  83. New York City
  84. New York City
  85. New York City

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Silence please!.......2006-08-30

My only reason for buying this CD is the track 4:33 by Frank Zappa. 4:33 minutes of total silence, well almost total silence because you can hear a little background noices in the control room of Frank. It is a very interesting cd. But if you are not a fan of Zappa or Cage, and you like to hear music I say: buy something else. If you are ready for an experiment: buy this one or the CD Roaratorio.

5 out of 5 stars Georgia Stone the best antiwar composition to date.......2002-12-15

The whole collection is interesting. However, the great moment of this collection is the Ono contribution Georgia Stone. It's a fluxus symphony. Never have I heard a more poignant antiwar piece. It rates in power and beauty to Henryk Gorecki's Symphony #3 with soprano Dawn Upshaw. If anyone ever doubted the genius of Yoko Ono as being relevant and an artist of the highest calibre then listen to this masterpiece and you'll be jolted into her energy as an artist. Yoko, give us more of this kind of music.

5 out of 5 stars unknown..but i'm real excited.......2001-06-05

Jspark wrote a review that totally grabbed my intrest..I did my senior art history project on John Cage..using random sheets of paper for the lecture. the idea of hitting the "random button" is a great idea..and the idea of running two disks at once is even neater..being a big fan of just about everybody on the cd..especially Laurie Anderson doesnt hurt either... I haven't heard it yet, but i think i'll be sticking with the 5 star rating.

5 out of 5 stars What? 183 tracks? What for? There is a reason..........1999-08-03

It might be bewildering at first. The first disc has 98 tracks; the second, 85. If you listen straight through, you do not perceive any discontinuity. A collection of John Cage pieces performed by friends, collegues, and admirers. Frank Zappa (American composer [complete biographical blurb that he provided]) contributed 4'33". Laurie Anderson tells a few Merce Cunningham tales. Seems like a fun tribute from the git-go. But wait! (And this is where the fun begins!) Switch your CD player to the shuffle (random) mode. Now look what happens. It goes from, say, Yoko Ono's piece to the Kronos to the Moraz prepared piano performance to Ken Nordine's narration - all in the matter of seconds. It is a great to homage to Cage himself with the great use of the random chance operations that he might have enjoyed. Every performance of this disc becomes a unique experience (just like Cage). For even more fun, try playing both discs at the same time (provided, of course, you have the means; if not, improvise). Or add another sound source as well, like, say, the radio, or the television very low, or a tape of white noise. The possibilities are endless. I had the pleasure of trying this one day with FOUR players going on simulataneously: two with these discs, another with Miles Davis far in the background, the fourth with a disc of bird calls. It was quite a fun sound environment and I would not hesitate to try it again. But that was my experience. Your experience may be different.
The Story of American Classical Music
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Great Intro to American Classical Music - Almost a Short Course!
 The Story of American Classical Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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GeneralGeneral | Antheil, George | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BarberAll Works by Barber | Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BeachAll Works by Beach | Beach, Amy Marcy Cheney | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BernsteinAll Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Cage, JohnCage, John | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by CarterAll Works by Carter | Carter, Elliott | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by CoplandAll Works by Copland | Copland, Aaron | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GershwinAll Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GottschalkAll Works by Gottschalk | Gottschalk, Louis Moreau | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GriffesAll Works by Griffes | Griffes, Charles T. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GlassAll Works by Glass | Glass, Philip | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Hovhaness, AlanHovhaness, Alan | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Ives, CharlesIves, Charles | ( I ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. American Classics Sampler
  2. Virgil Thomson: Symphony No 1-3
  3. John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives
  4. Voice of the Violin

ASIN: B0009JMELK
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Great Intro to American Classical Music - Almost a Short Course!.......2005-07-12

Many reasonably sophisticated American and European musiclovers still think there are really no American classical music composers of note other than perhaps Gershwin and Copland. It is to the credit of the Naxos label, via their 'American Classics' series, that the lie is put to that notion. Each month there are new issues from Naxos containing music by American composers. And it was a brilliant idea for them to take selections from their dozens of releases of this music to put together this sampler of such music to illustrate a 100+ page essay on the subject by an eminent writer on music, Barrymore Laurence Scherer. The combination of 2 CDs of music tracks, Scherer's essay, a chronological outline, suggestions for further listening, even a map showing where various composers were born helps the 'student' learn much about our nation's musical heritage.

There are selections by twenty-eight composers stretching from the amazing Wagnerian 'Macbeth' Overture by William Henry Fry (1813-1864) to the very recent 'Rapture,' a percussion concerto by Michael Torke (b. 1961). Some selections are complete movements, others are shorter passages from larger works. Included are such gems as the first movement of Arthur Foote's Piano Quartet, the third movement of Henry Hadley's Fourth Symphony, Charles Ives's 'The Unanswered Question,' 'King Cotton' by John Philip Sousa, 'Maple Leaf Rag' by Scott Joplin, a passage (the exciting Spanish Waltz) from Walter Piston's 'The Incredible Flutist,' the finale of Copland's 'Billy the Kid,' the opening of Samuel Barber's luminous 'Knoxville - Summer of 1915,' 'Tonight' from Bernstein's 'West Side Story,' the opening of George Rochberg's masterful Violin Concerto, and John Adams's incredibly popular 'Short Ride in a Fast Machine.' Plus selections by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Edward MacDowell, George Whitefield Chadwick, Amy Beach, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Charles Wakefield Cadman, George Gershwin, George Antheil, Zez Confrey, William Schuman, John Cage, Gunther Schuller, Alan Hovhaness, Elliott Carter and Philip Glass. The performances are more than acceptable and in some instances ('Knoxville,' Rochberg's Violin Concerto) definitive.

I would heartily recommend this set (especially at its superbudget price) to anyone wanting to know more about the history of American classical music -- Scherer is a master of cogent, clear prose -- and wishing to hear examples of the broad range it has taken over the past couple of centuries. I can easily imagine this set being used in a music appreciation course. And I am sure it will spark interest in the newcomer to this branch of classical music.

2 CDs TT=ca. 160 mins.

Scott Morrison
Pulse
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Sublime
 Pulse

Manufacturer: New World Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cage, JohnCage, John | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Foss, LukasFoss, Lukas | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
PercussionPercussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000030GR
Release Date: 1992-12-08

Tracks:

  1. Double Music
  2. Second Construction
  3. Third Construction
  4. Pulse
  5. The Two And The One
  6. Percussion Quartet: Introduction; Song; Recitative; Monsters; Dance

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sublime.......2000-07-29

This album is incredible. From the jungle sounds of John Cage's Third Construction to the sounds of urban life depicted in his Second Construction....this CD is definitely worth buying. Also on the CD is a piece called Double Music, which was co-written by John Cage and Lou Harrison. The textures of the piece will blow your mind! A little insider information: it was recorded in only one take, no splicing! It's absolutely sublime. I recommend this to anyone, whether they enjoy classical percussion music or not. This is not your average recording.
Percussion XX
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Percussion XX

    Manufacturer: Arts Music
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Cage, JohnCage, John | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by CarterAll Works by Carter | Carter, Elliott | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by HenzeAll Works by Henze | Henze, Hans Werner | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Stockhausen, KarlheinzStockhausen, Karlheinz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    PercussionPercussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B00000K0UP
    Release Date: 1999-08-17

    Tracks:

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    3. Orion M 42
    4. Eight Pieces: Saeta
    5. Eight Pieces: Canto
    6. Eight Pieces: March
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    Lost Marbles
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Lost Marbles

      Manufacturer: Tzadik
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      ASIN: B0001C9YSG
      Release Date: 2004-03-23

      Tracks:

      1. Toto Angelica
      2. Music Is Not Music
      3. Maritime Rites-Wasserkorso
      4. For MG
      5. In Hora Mortis
      6. Endangered Species
      7. Pittura Fresca
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      The Best of Nexus
      Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
      • Dissapointment
      		 The Best of Nexus

      Manufacturer: Nexus
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Cage, JohnCage, John | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000009JMU
      Release Date: 1993-08-26

      Customer Reviews:

      2 out of 5 stars Dissapointment.......2006-09-13

      I know that there is percussion music that is worth listening to, I've played some. Unfortunately, such music is not found on this CD. The songs are either ragtime (which is fine in appropriate amounts) or wierdo garbage that must be more interesting to play than it is to listen to, otherwise I can't see how it would make it onto a "best of" CD. I don't recall hearing a piece that had both drums and keyboards at the same time. I admit, however, that I haven't built up the courage to listen to the disk again to verify this. In long... the song selection is really bad and most of the sounds coming from the speakers are best kept in the background of B grade horror films. The talent of the players is wasted on the material.

      Music Track:

      1. Joseph Haydn: Die sieben letzten Worte
      2. Karólína Eiríksdóttir: Spil
      3. Karchin: Galactic Folds/Songs Of Distance & Light/Ricercare/Sonata For Violoncello & Piano
      4. Kelterborn: Ensemble-Buch; Variations
      5. Krieger: Canticum naturale
      6. Kuhlau: Sonatas for flute & piano
      7. Leonardo Leo: 6 Cello Concertos
      8. Leyendecker: Das Klavierwerke
      9. Luening: Trio; Sonata for piano
      10. Maggio: Seven Mad Gods

      Music Track

      music track

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