John Cage centennial celebration

“The way to get ideas is to do something boring.” — John Cage

John Cage was born on Sept. 5, 1912. He remains a polarizing yet immensely influential figure, 100 years after his birth. While Cage was not the first to create electronic music or bring chance operations into the compositional process, his methods were radical enough to generate catcalls.

This happened regularly at premieres of his works, including tape piece “Williams Mix” in 1952 and “Radio Music” for eight radios in 1956.

Cage did produce some music that met with more favourable reactions. “Sonatas and Interludes,” for a piano whose insides were prepared with rubber, metal, wood and paper to generate gamelan-like sonorities, and his 1950 “String Quartet in Four Parts” were innovative but generally appreciated. Nevertheless, his enduring legacy owes as much to his philosophy and writings about music as the music itself.

Cage was determined to remove the ego from composition, famously preferring to “let sounds be sounds,” and to replace human choice with chance in the selection of compositional parameters such as pitch and duration. This led to “4’33”, ” four minutes and 33 seconds of any instrumentalist playing nothing at all.  The music of “4’33”” thus consists of the soundscape of wherever a performance takes place, focusing attention on room creaks and hums, or audience coughs and murmurs. This is either the ultimate con or the genius genesis of a genre. Cage simply viewed it as “non-interventionist,” in line with his Zen philosophy. Regardless, it influenced many composers in the latter half of the 20th century and beyond, spawning movements in environmental recordings, soundwalks and minimalism.

“Sounds are continually happening whether you produce them or not.” — John Cage

You can decide for yourself at two free extravaganzas celebrating Cage’s centennial. Tonight’s event, An Opening of Doors tonight at la Sala Rossa, will include some of Cage’s most infamous pieces. A multitude of Montreal avant garde luminaries will participate, including violinist Malcolm Goldstein (who released an album of Cage’s violin and percussion music in 1999), the Bozzini String Quartet (who are well known for their mastery of the modern classical repertoire), guitarist Rainer Wiens, reed players Jean Derome and Lori Freedman, a rare appearance by composer alcides lanza and sound artist Hélène Prévost. The program spans 50 years of Cage’s work, from 1942 to 1992, the year of Cage’s death. Thirteen works are on the program, including “4’33”,” the string quartet, prepared piano and radio pieces discussed above.

In addition, Malcolm Goldstein will read from Cage’s many writings at le Port de Tête on Sunday. Among the texts recited will be the classic “Lecture on Nothing.” ■

An Opening of Doors happens at la Sala Rossa tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. Malcolm Goldstein’s reading takes place at le Port de Tête (262 Mont-Royal E.) on Sunday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m. Both events are free. For full details, look here.