Silence; Lectures and Writings Study Guide & Plot Synopsis

Silence; Lectures and Writings Plot Summary

Preview of Silence; Lectures and Writings Summary:

This collection of essays and presentations by noted composer and musical innovator John Cage attempts to capture on paper both the intellectual and stylistic creativity with which he approached his work. In both the themes of the collection and the internal arrangement of the individual pieces, the author explores the nature of music, music's relationship to sound, and the value of incorporating randomness into what had previously been an ordered, carefully considered art form.

After a brief forward, in which he introduces the basic principles that formed both his theories and the writings (in this collection) that developed from them, the author's first few essays discuss the practical manifestations of those principles—specifically, how they influenced the creation and performance of new and/or experimental music. Two further essays examine how both principle and practice were applied to the creation of three specific compositions, with introductory notes to all the essays (here...
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