The Roaring Silence: John Cage, A Life
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.72 (780 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1559701668 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 375 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-02-23 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
In honor of Cage's eightieth birthday, this full-length study of the influential American composer celebrates John Cage's contributions to modern music, analyzes influences on his art, and places his life an work within the context of twentieth-century art.
His astute analyses of individual compositions are occasionally clarified by his discussion of Cage's dabblings in Zen, Eastern philosophy, anarchism, ecology and social thought. Revill, a music critic for the Times of London and the Guardian , seeks to show that Cage's life, work and ideas are all of a piece. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. . Photos. From Publishers Weekly In this sympathetic biography, composer John Cage, who has devised scores for percussion ensembles, radios tuned at random, electrical instruments and pianos "prepared" with objects attached to the strings, is acclaimed as "a man of joyous integrity" who leans towards the ascetic and the transcendent
Certainly a useful and informative biography of a major figure Certainly a useful and informative biography of a major figure, but it's theory in the introduction promises a lot more than the actual book delivers. It is largely a chronological rendering of Cage's experiences and achievements. Seems to be well researched.. Read this to hear differently An essential book for anyone interested in John Cage's music or post-war classical music. It gives a comprehensive view of Cage's entire life as well as his thoughts on music, covering his time both before and after discovering Zen. David Revill writes in a matter of fact, straightforward manner, without infusing the book with his personal opinions, although his percussion background comes through when he describes the rhythmic details of Cage's compositions. Overall a fine introduction to Cage's thought, but be sure to hear his music as well.. Steven H Propp said AN EXCELLENT BIOGRAPHY OF CAGE AND HIS MUSICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. David Revill is "a writer, teacher, composer, and percussion player based in Hampshire, England his reviews have appeared in the London Times, Times Literary Supplement, and Manchester Guardian."He quotes Cage, "I didn't study music with just anybody; I studied with Schoenberg I've always gone, insofar as I could, to the president of the company." When Cage told Schoenberg that he had no money, "Schoenberg asked him if he would devote his life to music. Cage said yes. It is a promise which has never been far from his mind since. 'In that case,' Schoenberg concluded, 'I will teach