re: Cage

[stephan mathieu <sssst@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>    what would be the essential listening of John Cages work?

a great collection of early works is

>> The 25-Year Retrospective Concert of the Music of John Cage 

"The music in this album was recorded at Town Hall in New York on May 15, 1958, during the retrospective concert of twenty-five years of the music of John Cage. Few concerts of unusual music have provoked so much interest --before, during, and after. A large and distinguished audience attended, including many leaders in the visual, aural, and performing arts... During rehearsals and the concert itself, the stage presented an extraordinary aspect through most of the program. Percussion instruments and electronic equipment shared with the performers the attention of the audience. In the audience itself, there was a buzz of excitement between each piece on the program, and occasional violent disagreement as well." 

>> ( george avakian in his liner notes )

wergo 6247-2 (mono, 3 disc set)

its a beautiful document of its time with great performances of some essentials like "imaginary landscape #1", "sonatas and interludes", "she's asleep" and "williams mix".
 - stephan

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