Composer

:

John Cage

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1978

Average_duration

:

6:38

John Cage's "Chorals" is a composition for organ that was composed in 1978. The piece was premiered on October 22, 1978, at the First Unitarian Church in Rochester, New York, by the organist David Tudor. "Chorals" is a collection of eight movements, each of which is based on a traditional hymn tune. The movements are titled after the hymns they are based on: "Adeste Fideles," "Amazing Grace," "Easter Hymn," "In dulci jubilo," "Lauda Sion," "Now Thank We All Our God," "Veni Creator Spiritus," and "Vom Himmel hoch." The characteristics of "Chorals" are typical of Cage's later works, which are characterized by his interest in chance operations and indeterminacy. In "Chorals," Cage uses chance operations to determine the order in which the movements are played, as well as the duration of each movement. The organist is instructed to play each movement for a duration of between two and five minutes, with the exact duration determined by a roll of the dice. In addition to the use of chance operations, "Chorals" also features Cage's interest in silence and the sounds of the environment. The organist is instructed to pause for a period of silence between each movement, during which the sounds of the environment are allowed to enter the performance space. Overall, "Chorals" is a unique and innovative composition that reflects Cage's interest in chance operations, indeterminacy, and the sounds of the environment. Its premiere in 1978 was a significant event in the history of experimental music, and it continues to be performed and studied by musicians and scholars today.

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