The Music of Sound

I went through a process with John Cage. First, there was “Lecture on Nothing” and the proceeding vignettes. This was enjoyable, almost comprehendible, but most assuredly amusing. Then came “Lecture on Something”. This was less enjoyable, still almost comprehendible, but the amusement was beginning to wane. Finally, there came the John Cage performances. Louis Goldstein’s performances of 4’33” and Sonatas and Interludes shed new light on John Cage. This new light was not a favorable one, neither to Goldstein or Cage.

John Cage’s writings are good, they are amusing. Up until the live performances, I felt the same way about Cage’s music. I got a CD from the library called 3 Compositions by John Cage. I popped this into my computer at work and gave it a whirl. The sounds and tones were interesting and I began to see how Cage was changing the musical layout of the world. I also began to see Cage’s influence on modern music. The documentary we watched in class helped to further my interest and my ability to see Cage’s influence on modern music. This said I was looking forward to Louis Goldstein’s performances of Cage’s work. I thought surely seeing it performed live would only add to my appreciation for Cage. It is safe to say that I thought wrong.

I understand that Goldstein was sick when he visiting our campus, and I also understand that we as an audience were not the most civil. All that said, the performances were lackluster and led me to a new understanding of Cage’s music. First, a brief attempt at a review of the evening. I am recalling this nearly a month—or longer—from the events, for whatever that is worth. I entered into a tiny recital room, a room that should have amplified the ambiance of the performance, to find no available chairs. Instead, I was greeted with the hard stairs that led to a slightly elevated area of the room. The atmosphere attempted to stay true to the Cage tradition, as we all sat in a tight circle around the performer. There was no stage; rather we were all clustered together in the hopes of experiencing something, or nothing if we were so inclined. After a long wait whilst lighting issues were sorted, the performance began. I cannot say what this wait, in which I found myself seated even longer on the hard floor, did to my experience of the performance. If it influenced it at all, it was probably in the negative. Goldstein introduced himself and launched into 4’33”. The shock of this performance was unavailable. Everyone in the room, save for two girls seated next to me, knew what to expect. This expectation, I feel, led to an unnatural silence. The point—if we can find one—of 4’33” is to illustrate that the music of a performance is not just in the performer, but rather in the audience as well. We as an audience were all too aware, and all too self-conscious to participate in the performance.

When 4’33” ended, we applauded. I don’t know if we were applauding for Goldstein, who took the pains of keeping time, or if we were applauding ourselves in a vain show that we had just created nothing. Either way, we moved on. Before Goldstein began playing Sonatas and Interludes he invited people to lie underneath the piano. This, he said, would add to the performance. I would later find out that he was correct. After several people leaped to the floor, and to the feet of Goldstein, the performance began. The music, I admit, was well played. There was nothing wrong with Goldstein’s technical mastery of Cage’s work. There was, however, much wrong with the setting. A combination of the audience’s inability to quiet themselves for more than five minutes, and Goldstein’s apparent temper, led to a caustic evening. The performance did allow me to see Cage’s work differently. That night I found myself less impressed with John Cage. I admit and concede that he is the most influential composer in modern times; however, I also recognize that we are deeply embedded in modern times. Because of this, because of our over-modernization, I think we have moved beyond John Cage.
As I’ve stated several times, I found Cage’s influence on modern music. I don’t mean modern music in the sense of modern composers, because speaking honestly, who cares or listens to modern composers? John Cage was lucky to come along at a time when he was not completely irrelevant. Though, he was cutting it pretty close. No, I can see Cage’s influence on modern popular music. The musical act that I see Cage reflected in the most would be Nine Inch Nails. As I listen to Cage’s works, and see how he altered the piano and altered what we considered to be music, I cannot help but think of Trent Reznor and his band Nine Inch Nails. Nine Inch Nails pioneered the industrial rock movement, which is/was a movement in rock music that saw the use of non-traditional instruments and sounds. Throughout Reznor’s albums he has always pushed and changed the concept of what is noise and what is music. It is in his instrumental pieces, however, that Cage’s influence is most found. On just about every Nine Inch Nails’ album are one or two instrumental pieces. These pieces feature the use of pianos, drums, and electronics. The piano pieces are Reznor’s bread and butter, and though I have no evidence in this claim, I am sure that Reznor finds himself using a prepared piano for many of his recordings. Even when Reznor is using a synthesizer, it is clear that this instrument and Reznor’s use of it owes heavily to Cage.

There is one Nine Inch Nails album that fully embodies Cage’s musical styles. It is one of Reznor’s latest called Ghosts I-IV. This album, which was released digitally through NIN’s website, is completely instrumental. The piano pieces on this album hark back to Cage’s prepared piano. Reznor’s use of noise and other non-traditional outlets on this album also find their birth with Cage’s experimental music. So, regardless of how I may feel about John Cage’s music, I am still aware of his lasting influence and his importance to music. However, with music like NIN and other progressive bands so ubiquitous and common in today’s world, it is easy to overlook Cage. It is easier still for today’s generation to find Cage’s music to be almost too traditional. Cage represented more of a bridge, he was the figure needed to allow other musicians to fully change the concept and appreciation of music.

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