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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. "On Robert Rauschenberg, Artist, and His Work" was completed it what month?

2. Who is the author of "The Persians"?

3. In what month did Cage first present his lecture "45' for a Speaker"?

4. "Lecture on Nothing" was originally printed in what year?

5. Cage commissioned a school's P.E. department to play his music to accompany what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Cage say on the subject of poetry in "Lecture on Nothing"?

2. Describe the process Cage using for writing "45' for a Speaker."

3. What does Cage say about classical ballet?

4. How does Cage say "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?" should be delivered?

5. What does Cage say about the title of his article called "2 Pages, 122 Words on Music and Dance"?

6. In the third layer of "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?", what does Cage say about where "we are going"?

7. What does the author say about modern dance and whether it works?

8. How does Cage think an evolution of music due to percussion instruments will affect dancers and choreographers?

9. Where did Cage get the idea to write "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?"

10. How does the author think music will evolve in regard to percussion instruments?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the author's feelings on the nature of sound. What does Cage say about sound in "Experimental Music: Doctrine"? What does he say about the nature of sound? What does he say about interpreting it?

Essay Topic 2

Explore Cage's writings about Satie and Varese and compare and contrast his opinions of each one. What opinions does he have about what each man contributed to the evolution of music?: What does Cage say about the relevance of each composer? What does he seem to attribute to them? Whom does he seem to admire more?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the contrast created in Cage's essay which is an imaginary conversation between himself and Erik Satie. Discuss the mathematical presence in Cage's parts in relation to the near-poetic sensibility revealed in Satie's part. Why do you think the author takes this tone for his parts? Do you think he is really so cold about Satie? Why or why not?

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