Composer

:

John Cage

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Open Form

Compose Date

:

1944

Average_duration

:

58:22

Movement_count

:

13

Movement ....

"Four Walls" is a composition by John Cage, premiered on May 15, 1944, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The piece is a solo work for percussion, and it is considered one of Cage's earliest and most important compositions. The piece is divided into four movements, each of which is named after a different type of percussion instrument: "First Construction (in Metal)," "Second Construction (in Wood)," "Third Construction (in Metal)," and "Fourth Construction (in Wood)." Each movement is performed on a different set of instruments, and the order of the movements is determined by chance operations. The first movement, "First Construction (in Metal)," is performed on a variety of metal percussion instruments, including cymbals, gongs, and tam-tams. The second movement, "Second Construction (in Wood)," is performed on wooden percussion instruments, such as maracas, claves, and wood blocks. The third movement, "Third Construction (in Metal)," returns to metal percussion instruments, but with a different set of instruments than the first movement. The fourth and final movement, "Fourth Construction (in Wood)," is performed on a different set of wooden percussion instruments than the second movement. One of the most notable characteristics of "Four Walls" is its use of chance operations to determine the order of the movements. Cage used a variety of methods to determine the order of the movements, including the I Ching and a random number generator. This approach to composition was a hallmark of Cage's work, and it would become a defining characteristic of the avant-garde music of the 20th century. Another notable characteristic of "Four Walls" is its use of unconventional percussion instruments. Cage was known for his interest in exploring the sounds of everyday objects, and "Four Walls" is no exception. The piece includes a variety of non-traditional percussion instruments, such as flower pots, tin cans, and brake drums. Overall, "Four Walls" is a groundbreaking work that helped to establish John Cage as one of the most important composers of the 20th century. Its use of chance operations and unconventional percussion instruments would influence generations of composers to come, and it remains a landmark work in the history of avant-garde music.

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