No Such Thing as Silence

John Cage's 4'33"

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Theory & Criticism, History & Criticism, Reference
Cover of the book No Such Thing as Silence by Kyle Gann, Yale University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Kyle Gann ISBN: 9780300163018
Publisher: Yale University Press Publication: March 23, 2010
Imprint: Yale University Press Language: English
Author: Kyle Gann
ISBN: 9780300163018
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication: March 23, 2010
Imprint: Yale University Press
Language: English

First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, John Cage’s 4'33", a composition conceived of without a single musical note,is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. A meditation on the act of listening and the nature of performance, Cage’s controversial piece became the iconic statement of the meaning of silence in art and is a landmark work of American music.

In this book, Kyle Gann, one of the nation’s leading music critics, explains 4'33" as a unique moment in American culture and musical composition. Finding resemblances and resonances of 4'33" in artworks as wide-ranging as the paintings of the Hudson River School and the music of John Lennon and Yoko Ono,he provides much-needed cultural context for this fundamentally challenging and often misunderstood piece. Gann also explores Cage’s craft, describing in illuminating detail the musical, philosophical, and even environmental influences that informed this groundbreaking piece of music. Having performed 4'33" himself and as a composer in his own right, Gann offers the reader both an expert’s analysis and a highly personal interpretation of Cage’s most divisive work.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

First performed at the midpoint of the twentieth century, John Cage’s 4'33", a composition conceived of without a single musical note,is among the most celebrated and ballyhooed cultural gestures in the history of modern music. A meditation on the act of listening and the nature of performance, Cage’s controversial piece became the iconic statement of the meaning of silence in art and is a landmark work of American music.

In this book, Kyle Gann, one of the nation’s leading music critics, explains 4'33" as a unique moment in American culture and musical composition. Finding resemblances and resonances of 4'33" in artworks as wide-ranging as the paintings of the Hudson River School and the music of John Lennon and Yoko Ono,he provides much-needed cultural context for this fundamentally challenging and often misunderstood piece. Gann also explores Cage’s craft, describing in illuminating detail the musical, philosophical, and even environmental influences that informed this groundbreaking piece of music. Having performed 4'33" himself and as a composer in his own right, Gann offers the reader both an expert’s analysis and a highly personal interpretation of Cage’s most divisive work.

More books from Yale University Press

Cover of the book Imprudent King by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book London Cage by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book One True Life by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book Wilfred Owen by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book Facts and Inventions by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book Through a Screen Darkly by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book The Green State in Africa by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book Grand Strategies: Literature, Statecraft, and World Order by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book The Good, the True, and the Beautiful: A Neuronal Approach by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book John Wilkes by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book Finding Common Ground by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book A Genius for Money by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book Politics, Law, and Morality by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book St Petersburg by Kyle Gann
Cover of the book German Rocketeers in the Heart of Dixie by Kyle Gann
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy