Composer

:

John Cage

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Dance

Compose Date

:

1948

Average_duration

:

8:00

'Dream' is a composition by John Cage, an American composer, philosopher, and writer. It was composed in 1948 and premiered on May 20, 1948, at the Black Mountain College in North Carolina. The composition is a solo piano piece and is divided into four movements. The first movement of 'Dream' is marked "Very slow and quietly". It is characterized by a series of soft, sustained chords that are played with the sustain pedal held down. The chords are played in a random order, and the performer is instructed to hold each chord until the sound has completely died away. The second movement is marked "Slowly, with freedom". It is a more active movement than the first, with the performer playing a series of short, melodic fragments that are separated by silences. The performer is instructed to play the fragments in any order they choose, and to vary the dynamics and tempo as they see fit. The third movement is marked "Slowly, with great freedom". It is the most abstract movement of the piece, with the performer playing a series of isolated notes and clusters that are separated by silences. The performer is instructed to play the notes in any order they choose, and to vary the dynamics and tempo as they see fit. The fourth and final movement is marked "Very slow and quietly". It is similar in character to the first movement, with the performer playing a series of soft, sustained chords that are played with the sustain pedal held down. However, in this movement, the performer is instructed to gradually decrease the volume of the chords until they are barely audible. Overall, 'Dream' is a composition that emphasizes the importance of chance and indeterminacy in music. The performer is given a great deal of freedom in how they interpret and perform the piece, and the result is a unique and unpredictable performance each time it is played. The composition is also notable for its use of sustained chords and silences, which create a sense of space and contemplation.

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