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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what state was "The Future of Music: Credo" first printed?

2. In what publication did Cage's essay on Erik Satie first appear?

3. Cage had a method for bringing about unpredictability where he tossed coins how many times?

4. Cage presented "Lecture on Nothing" at a club on what street?

5. Who had 12 tones and governed the La Domaine Musicale, according to Cage's essay on Erik Satie?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Cage say about Varese in relation to the present nature of music?

2. What advancements in music does Cage attribute to Henry Cowell?

3. How does Cage describe the process by which he created a piece of music scored for twelve radios?

4. How much concern do Cage and his colleagues seem to have about how their work is perceived and received by its hearers?

5. Why does the author say he is grateful to Richard K. Winslow?

6. What is the purpose of the section in "Composition as Process--III: Communication" where the author answers questions with more questions?

7. What happened to Cage when he and Xenia went to New York, expecting to stay with a friend named Max?

8. In "Experimental Music: Doctrine," how does Cage respond when asked what he had to say about rhythm?

9. What does Cage believe the future holds for sounds that are heard on a regular basis?

10. Why does Cage say that compositions indeterminate with respect to their performance are by definition experimental?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the contradictory nature between Cage's desire to be random but his use of form. How does he show throughout the book that he is dedicated to randomness? What random things does he do? How might his random actions, especially in his presentation on the page, be seen as not random? Is anything really random if it is planned out in advance?

Essay Topic 2

What does Cage say about the way opposites define each other? What is his logic in saying this? What examples does he give to prove his point? What techniques does he use to prove his point? How does this relate to a larger ideology about Buddhism?

Essay Topic 3

Explore Varese's significance in the book. How does Cage characterize Varese's work? Why does he say that he has established the present nature of music? What examples does he present to prove this statement? What does he say to claims that Varese is a figure of the past?

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