The Sound of Silence Don’t speak – just watch. If you speak you have missed the point completely!!

In 1952 the pianist David Astor performed the premiere of John Cage’s work in three movements 4’33” They missed the point. There's no such thing as silence. What they thought was silence, because they didn’t know how to listen, was full of accidental sounds. You could hear the wind stirring outside during the first movement. During the second, raindrops began pattering the roof, and during the third the people themselves made all kinds of interesting sounds as they talked or walked out. John Cage after the premiere of 4’33” Cage said ….. During this performance Astor began by closing the piano lid. He did not strike a single piano key for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. He showed when each movement ended and the next one began by raising or closing the lid The audience booed and some left

Here’s just one minute

Now make a list of everything you heard during that minute. Get together with a friend and compare your lists. Did you both hear exactly the same things? What was different about your lists? Two questions then: Does silence actually exist? What was John Cage trying to show in 4’33”?

John Cage also composed music for cacti, liquidisers, prepared pianos – where objects such as nuts and bolts are inserted into the piano – and car parts amongst other things. What objects can you think of in your house that you could adapt to create music with? Design your instrument!! Watch this clip for inspiration!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWbj7FYEi3M