Composer

:

John Cage

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

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Character Piece

Compose Date

:

1989

Average_duration

:

38:34

One2 is a composition by John Cage, an American composer, philosopher, and writer. It was composed in 1989 and premiered on October 22, 1989, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The composition is a part of Cage's series of works that explore the use of time brackets, which are predetermined time intervals that determine the duration of musical events. One2 is a solo piano piece that consists of four movements, each of which is characterized by a different set of time brackets. The first movement uses time brackets of 1-2 minutes, the second movement uses time brackets of 2-3 minutes, the third movement uses time brackets of 3-4 minutes, and the fourth movement uses time brackets of 4-5 minutes. The performer is instructed to play each movement in order, with no breaks in between. One of the most notable characteristics of One2 is its use of chance operations. Cage was known for his use of chance operations in his compositions, and One2 is no exception. The performer is instructed to use a set of chance operations to determine the order in which the notes are played within each time bracket. This means that each performance of One2 is unique, as the performer's choices are determined by chance. Another characteristic of One2 is its use of silence. Cage was known for his exploration of silence in his compositions, and One2 is a prime example of this. The time brackets in One2 allow for periods of silence between the musical events, which creates a sense of space and openness in the composition. Overall, One2 is a unique and innovative composition that showcases Cage's use of chance operations and exploration of silence. Its use of time brackets and chance operations make each performance of One2 a unique experience, and its exploration of silence creates a sense of space and openness that is characteristic of Cage's work.

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