Analysis Of Richard Taruskin No Ear For Music

Milton Babbitt and John Cage were both composers who played pivotal roles in the post-World War II Avant Garde music scene and in the pioneering of electronic music. Both composers found their roots and were greatly influenced by German-Jewish composer Arnold Schoenberg, however they both adopted different viewpoints on the relationship between a composer and their audience . Babbitt believed that a composer or creator did not have an obligation to please his or her audience, and that his pieces were intended mostly for professionals capable of understanding the context and intention of his music. Cage on the other hand granted his audience more power and influence, believing that music was a platform on which audiences could utilize their creativity to adopt new ways of perceiving and being aware of the world around them. These stances, as well as the different techniques and methodologies of the composers pitted them on somewhat of a spectrum, with Babbitt and his systematic, modernist ideas that were largely based in the music schools of academic institutions on one side and Cage, with his uncontrollable, radical combinations of Avant Garde sounds on the other side. These ideas on audience construction and relations were also visible in rock music of the 1960’s, particularly in compositions of artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.

Horton, Andrew J. "The Forgotten Avant Garde: Soviet Composers Crushed by Stalin." Central Europe Review vol. 1, no. 1, 28 June 1999. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

This performance was intended to mock Western concepts of the exotic but instead took on a different facade when most audiences did not realize it was a performance piece. Their cage became “a metaphor for [their]

Rather than a musical composition or visual installation, the work 4’33’’ is a concept in art history. Therefore, I think there is no need to separate music and visual art. To be honest, 4’33’’ is the silence within 4’33’’ that presents ideas to the audience. Cage

Once being presented with this opportunity to write this paper I found it as a wonderful opportunity to express my opinion on two different musical greats. The one that I decided to choose for the old would have to be Tchaikovsky, and for the new by far my favorite choice would be the beetles. The selection of these two specific artist was almost a no brainer for me, they embody the perfect blend of inspirational music that delivers a specific, yet powerful message, both artist belong to different genres one from a classical genre and one from a more modern form of music.Also, both these artists viewed music regardless of the genre as a form of communicating a message to the masses, in the beetles era war was occurring in the world and in terms of Tchaikovsky he was one of the best ballet composers of his

As Alex Ross describes, “Cage love[s] noise” (366). This should be why he decided to alter his piano in a “conceptually violent” and unusual way for Sonatas and Interludes. Though, Cage’s aim was not pure violence, as we are pleased by the “soft sounds” instead of being “battered by some unholy racket” (Ross, 366). I

Nelson demonstrates that the arguments and statements are highly credible with the use of sources and accurate referencing. She examines the first fifteen years of the Soviet Rule and offers perspective on restrictions imposed and interactions between musicians and politicians. While looking at the social philosophies and the cultural limits of the era that influenced musicians in Russia, particularly Shostakovich and Prokofiev. This book provides in depth explanation and analysis of the restrictions enforced under the Soviet Union and highlights that there was often a difference between the restraints and implementations. It is a highly valuable source to the essay and will be used to provide soluble detail of the restrictions Russian Composers

John Milton Cage Jr. is easily one of the most influential American composers of our time. John Cage spent his early life in Los Angeles, California after being born to Lucretia Harvey and John Milton Cage Sr. on September 5, 1912. Cage’s embarked on the first steps to his music career when he began taking private piano lessons when he was just a kid. As the years went by it seemed as if Cage became more interested in literature and writing than music composition. Cage graduated from Los Angeles High School as valedictorian and went on to give a rather enticing speech that gained recognition at the Hollywood Bowl. Cage’s speech seemed to have foreshadowed his most popular piece entitled “4’33”, one of which I consider to be one of the most

John Milton Cage Jr, is arguably one of the most controversial and influential composers of the 20th century. His works have pushed the boundaries on what it means to make music, and they have forever changed the way we think about music in general, and what it can possibly be. Cage was one of the composers who decided to challenge the standards of music in his lifetime, and he is one of the pioneers of avant-garde music. He started his music career during the peak of Abstract Expressionism. He has made countless works of music and almost all of them have made an impact in today’s music. John Cage has undoubtedly left such a huge footprint on today’s modern music, and it’s safe to say that today’s music wouldn't be the same if it wasn’t

John Cage’s Aria for voice (1958) is a prime example of the graphic score’s effectiveness in conveying the concept of an “open form.” The printed music comprises twenty pages of black squares and coloured, freely drawn lines, accompanied by textual fragments in five languages (fig. 1). Several aspects of its construction deliberately leave the structuring, timing and stylistic details to the performer’s discretion. Although no exact pitch and therefore no vocal range is specified, the piece was conceived originally for the versatile stylistic capabilities of Cathy Berberian. Indeed, it would be possible for an actor to perform it, so long as he or she had a flexible vocal technique. One of the only configurations the score shares with conventional notation is that the horizontal axis represents time while vertical indicates pitch, though both areas are “roughly suggested rather than accurately described.” While small black squares denote percussive or un-pitched use of the voice, each of the ten colours and visual treatments used on the vocal line may represent any style of singing or declamation; those used by Berberian in her original performance include Sprechstimme corresponding to black dotted lines, à la Marlene Dietrich (purple) and Oriental (orange). A performer may devise his or her own key according to individual vocal strengths. Likewise, the text is not set syllabically, rather the singer must explore each textual statement as a free gesture instead

Scholars and artists commonly describe music as a reflection of the human condition. The period in history from the mid-1930s onward marked a tragic phase in twentieth century music and this reflection: the total politicizing of the art by totalitarianism means. Dictators, including Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, were manipulating popular culture to take control of their people. Stalin supported the idea of a “Soviet modernism,” a school of art that would embody the power of the new proletarian state. He monitored every recording made in the country, writing judgments of “good,” “so-so,” and “bad” on their sleeves. Stalin believed music to be the engineer of the human souls, and hoped to use this as a way to influence his people that Soviet life was improving. Fearing a phone call from the dictator or being arrested in the night, Soviet composers such as Dmitri Shostakovich wrote music with chained hands in an effort to please their leader. A study of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 7 will reveal the influence of communism in the Soviet Union on his music as well as his dynamic relationship with Joseph Stalin.

In conclusion, John Cage’s 4’33” is considered one of the most dazzling and confounding musical pieces. Free of any predeterminations or intentions, this masterpiece is the first and only of its kind to require a very open mind to grasp it with all the deep meanings it holds. It is never-

John Cage lived a very interesting, non-traditional life that allowed him to form his outside of the box philosophy on music that questions the very definition of music. After exploring many different careers in the art world, he decided to compose music and through a winding, tumultuous road, he rose to the top of the classical music world. His life greatly influenced his music. His study of Buddhism and working with the choreographies of Merce Cunningham allowed Cage to discover the other side of music, silence. Cage and his philosophies not only changed music for the better but also changed the path that all types of art for the good; without Cage’s philosophy on silence, musicians and composers would be doing their jobs differently.

John Cage, an American composer and philosopher, was deeply interested in aleatory, or chance, music, in which musicians used non-traditional and random approaches in order to determine several factors of their pieces. This particular style of creating compositions is a sharp contrast to the methodic and precise style of Classical composers. Throughout his life and career, Cage adopted the use of intended sounds to create tension in pieces of work. One of his most famous conceptual composition that uses this specific idea is 4'33" whose purpose is to make people genuinely listen. In my opinion, I strongly agree with Cage's belief that the music around us is just as valid as the production of musical notes by a performer because there is no

Cage later went on to say "My favorite music is the music that I haven't yet heard. I don't here the music I write: I write in order to hear the music I have [not] yet heard." This quote summarizes his philosophy on indeterminacy. This belief led to the creation of 4'33'', his recording of the sounds around you. The only thing specified is the length of the piece. It is said that he used 4.33 minutes which equals 273 seconds. And --273 centigrade = zero degrees where everything would be completely silent and atoms quite moving. What do you think about this theory?