A wonderfully versatile composer who has composed many beautiful and intriguing works. What are your top 5? As many of my favourite works of his simply have a number as the title, I am going to have to go consult YouTube and Spotify to refresh my memory as to which ones I am particularly fond of. :laugh:
Ok here is a list of five works I really like:
Seven2
Thirteen Harmonies
Four4
58
Water Walk
Seventeen
And that is definitely five works. ;)
Yep, Cage is incredibly prolific! I tend to enjoy his number pieces and other late works the best though. But i do love Water Walk as well haha
I have to mention two pieces I recently discovered for myself which must be on some kind of 'favourite cage works' list of mine:
101
Ryoanji
Do read this, about Ryoanji. Rather interesting, but I have to stress it won't be anything that will impact anyone's enjoyment of the piece: http://johncage.org/pp/John-Cage-Work-Detail.cfm?work_ID=165
New favourites list:
101
Eight
Thirteen Harmonies
Two4
Ryoanji
Seventeen
Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on November 18, 2016, 10:33:32 PM
I think it would be good to bump this thread, so that it doesn't get lost.
I know there are Cageians amongst us! ;)
Good idea. I haven't been listening to Cage lately so my list is pretty much the same as last time.
Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on November 28, 2016, 01:34:50 AM
I'll bump this thread yet again! to say that I REALLY LOVE "In a landscape", it's just so beautiful. In a sentimental, yet distanced way.
I'm also starting to get into the number pieces ;)
Keep at it with those Number Pieces! Some of his finest works imo!
Atlas Eclipticalis - In addition to the wonderful DG recording with Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I had the great fortune to hear Levine do it with the MET Orchestra in 1996, and with the MET Chamber Ensemble in 2015.
Living Room Music
4'33" - The amount of conversation about music, art, philosophy, and other subjects that have stemmed from this piece is overwhelming.
Europera 1 & 2 - Again, feel very lucky to have seen this in 1988, when a production from Frankfurt made its way to NYC during the summer.
Song Books - I am especially fond of the one using the pile driver.
Many of his works I have not heard (including a lot of the "number pieces"), but then, his output is huge!
--Bruce
Quote from: Brewski on November 28, 2016, 04:11:44 PM
Atlas Eclipticalis - In addition to the wonderful DG recording with Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I had the great fortune to hear Levine do it with the MET Orchestra in 1996, and with the MET Chamber Ensemble in 2015.
Living Room Music
4'33" - The amount of conversation about music, art, philosophy, and other subjects that have stemmed from this piece is overwhelming.
Europera 1 & 2 - Again, feel very lucky to have seen this in 1988, when a production from Frankfurt made its way to NYC during the summer.
Song Books - I am especially fond of the one using the pile driver.
Many of his works I have not heard (including a lot of the "number pieces"), but then, his output is huge!
--Bruce
Fantastic! I think there were a couple of Cage concerts on here in Melbourne recently, predominantly prepared piano works, which I am kicking myself for not seeing..........I have no idea when any Cage will be performed any time soon down in this part of the world.
Quote from: sanantonio on November 28, 2016, 04:54:13 PM
Five that come to mind
Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano
Concerto for prepared piano
Ryoanji
Five, for any five instruments or voices
Seven2, for bass flute, bass clarinet, bass trombone, two percussionists with unspecified instruments, cello and contrabass
But, John Cage is a hugely important composer for me and everything he produced is music that I listen to a lot.
These are all really wonderful! Glad to see another mention of Seven
2 ;D