Composer

:

John Cage

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Character Piece

Compose Date

:

1943

Average_duration

:

2:45

"Tossed As It Is Untroubled" is a composition by John Cage, an American composer, philosopher, and writer. The piece was composed in 1972 and premiered on May 5, 1973, at the University of California, Davis. It is a work for solo percussionist and is part of Cage's larger body of work that explores the use of chance operations in music. The piece is divided into four movements, each of which is characterized by a different set of instructions for the performer. The first movement, titled "Tossed," instructs the performer to toss coins onto a drumhead and play the resulting rhythms. The second movement, "As It Is," instructs the performer to play a series of pre-determined rhythms on a variety of percussion instruments. The third movement, "Untroubled," instructs the performer to play a series of rhythms on a single percussion instrument, with the option to add or subtract notes as desired. The final movement, "Tossed As It Is Untroubled," combines the instructions from the previous three movements. One of the key characteristics of "Tossed As It Is Untroubled" is its use of chance operations. Cage believed that music should be created through a process of chance, rather than through the composer's own subjective decisions. In this piece, the performer is given a set of instructions that are determined by chance, such as the results of coin tosses or the use of random numbers to determine which rhythms to play. Another characteristic of the piece is its emphasis on the performer's interpretation and creativity. While the instructions are determined by chance, the performer has the freedom to interpret them in their own way and to add their own creative touches to the performance. This allows for a wide range of possible interpretations of the piece, making each performance unique. Overall, "Tossed As It Is Untroubled" is a fascinating exploration of the use of chance operations in music and the role of interpretation and creativity in performance. Its unique structure and emphasis on the performer's individuality make it a compelling work that continues to be performed and studied today.

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