[cornelis]

Interesting and readable, although it says nothing about the popularity of music which incites negatively. Of course, music is most influential when it is not entirely bad; it would hardly be popular in an absolute style for very long. Cage is not played on the radio.

[Savage Beast]

Oh I don't know. Every time I hear 4'33" it gives me goosebumps--radio or not.

[aristotleman]

The understanding of higher musical structures is not easily achievable. It takes a lot of sophisticated training to understand the modern art musical universe. That's why modern music is not easily accepted by wide audiences. Cage was sound experimenting more than composing, he was an important historical figure, but not even composers listen to his music often.

[Risky Schemer]

Like Rousseau's man in the state of nature, Cage said, "I strive toward the non-mental."

Mission accomplished.

[Senator Pardek]

Interesting, but this essay is wanting.

Pythagorean tuning is woefully lacking. Bach's 24 Well Tempered Clavier pieces laid the groundwork for transposing a melody in a single composition.

The "twelfth root of two" is the best you'll get - and it's a sad metaphor for our Nation...

[John H K]

Here's my mystery (was actually thinking about this tonight, before I read the article.)

Why does Asian music, well, SUCK?

I mean, here you have a grouping of sophisticated cultures, whose food, art, and philosophy have been beloved and sought after all over the world by other cultures.

But even ASIANS don't like Asian music...only thing that seems remotely tolerable are the Japanese guys with the big-assed drums. But that cymbally Chinese stuff is horrible, etc.

But many Asians have demonstrated tremendous music talent...in Western classical music, etc.

NOBODY outside of Asia seeks out and listens to Asian music though...but African music, Carribean music, Western Classical, American rock, etc....is sought after and enjoyed around the world.

What went terribly wrong? Is it like the English and food?

[Eddeche]

"purposeful purposelessness,"

Would be a good name for Keith Richards.

[T. P. Pole]

In a related thread, German Church Hosts Cage Concert

Here's the start:

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - A performance of an organ piece by American composer John Cage that is meant to last 639 years began in an eastern German church with 16 months of silence.

The project honoring Cage's avant-garde work started at midnight Tuesday in Halberstadt and foresees taking the composer at his word by stretching Organ2/ASLSP - the letters stand for As Slow As Possible - over centuries.

[AndrewC]

Of course, music is most influential when it is not entirely bad; it would hardly be popular in an absolute style for very long. Cage is not played on the radio.

Yes, and comic books are influential literature. However, I suppose most people left them ages past and their libraries contain great books not comic books.

It would take a stiff monetary incentive for me to sit through Cage. I'd rather listen to a mosquito in a dark room.

[SamAdams76]

John Cage must have been into some serious drugs.

[Nebullis]

Some people are musically highly gifted and can imagine sounds not played on instruments. Or sounds for which current instruments don't yet exist. Cage may have been a transition between traditional instruments and newly invented instruments. Now highly evolved soundscapes and interactive instruments are available to the musician. But don't mistake, they are highly dependent on mathematics and don't make a leap away from nature. (No abuse of reason!)

As music develops into areas of specialty and areas requiring training or great musical intelligence, it doesn't lose its musicality or art.