Composer

:

John Cage

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1986

Thirteen Harmonies is a composition by John Cage, an American composer, philosopher, and writer. The piece was composed in 1985 and premiered on October 26, 1985, at the University of California, San Diego. The composition consists of thirteen movements, each of which is characterized by a different set of harmonies. The first movement of Thirteen Harmonies is characterized by a series of ascending and descending scales, while the second movement features a series of chords that are played in a random order. The third movement is characterized by a series of arpeggios, while the fourth movement features a series of chords that are played in a descending order. The fifth movement of Thirteen Harmonies is characterized by a series of chords that are played in a random order, while the sixth movement features a series of arpeggios that are played in a descending order. The seventh movement is characterized by a series of chords that are played in an ascending order, while the eighth movement features a series of arpeggios that are played in an ascending order. The ninth movement of Thirteen Harmonies is characterized by a series of chords that are played in a random order, while the tenth movement features a series of arpeggios that are played in a random order. The eleventh movement is characterized by a series of chords that are played in a descending order, while the twelfth movement features a series of arpeggios that are played in a descending order. The thirteenth and final movement of Thirteen Harmonies is characterized by a series of chords that are played in an ascending order. The composition as a whole is characterized by its use of chance operations, which were a hallmark of Cage's compositional style. The use of chance operations allowed Cage to create a composition that was unpredictable and constantly changing, making each performance of Thirteen Harmonies unique.

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