[lbo-talk] Re:john cage

[Matthew Snyder]

Jordan Hayes <jmhayes at j-o-r-d-a-n.com> wrote:
> For what it's worth, 4:33 has a score that contains a variety of 'notes'
> though all of them are of the type 'rest' . . . it's interesting to see
> someone perform the piece, because they wind up needing to turn the
> pages, etc.

Actually, the score for 4'33" is probably one of the shortest scores
ever written, easily fitting onto one page.  This is the score:

   I
TACET

   II
TACET

  III
TACET

That's it, that's the whole thing.  There's no instrument specified,
and there are no instructions to the performer other than the total
time of the piece.  The first public performance used a piano, so it's
come to be known as a piece for piano despite the openness of the
score.  The performer opened and closed the keyboard cover on the
piano to mark the beginning and end of each movement, which was the
only noise made by the piano.

--
Matthew Snyder
Philadelphia, PA