John Cage's Use Of Nature And Music

John Cage, born on September 5, 1912 and died on August 12, 1992, was an American composer who invented numerous creative compositions and had unconventional ideas which sparked great influence in the mid-20th-century music style. Among his musical career, Cage composed numerous well-known and acclaimed pieces, with 4′33″ (Four Minutes and Thirty-three Seconds, 1952), being one of the most prominent compositions. This opus explores utter silence for a set period of time where performers refrain from playing their designated instruments.

In his early life, John Cage engaged in numerous piano lessons which sparked his future interest in the musical field. Later on, he continued to pursue his passion in formal and informal studies such as advanced music classes at Pomona College, lessons with American composer Adolph Weiss. And even cultural excursions throughout Europe. All the way from the 1930s to the 1940s, Cage remained significantly influenced by two powerful mentors, Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, both with disparate musical inclinations and styles. The latter marked John Cage in terms of the dominant use of diverse percussion instruments as well as the famous prepared piano. Just like Schoenberg, Cage’s earliest, music was based primarily on the organization of rhythmic structures, pitch, partly as a

In fact, upon the piece’s release, listeners ridiculed the movement by referring to it as a “joke”. Only few with the ability to delve deeper into Cage’s perception were able to truly appreciate its meaning. It was only later on that many others finally began to understand and 4’33” had an untold influence of the future of music. Cage wrote "Until I die, there will be sounds, and they will continue after my death. One need not fear about the future of music. Any sounds may occur in any combination and in any