John Cage American composer, author of the longest composition in history Date of Birth: 05.09.1912 Country: USA

Biography of John Cage

John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, known for his eccentricity and avant-garde style. He was born in Los Angeles in 1912 to John Cage Sr., an inventor, and Lucretia Harvey, a journalist. From a young age, Cage showed interest in music and began composing simple pieces. His parents, both creative individuals, encouraged his passion for music. He took lessons from music teachers in Los Angeles and learned piano from his aunt, Phoebe Harvey, a pianist. However, as a teenager, he became tired of piano exercises and developed a strong interest in reading, leading him to pursue a career in writing rather than music.

After high school, Cage briefly attended college but soon found it unfulfilling. He convinced his parents to let him go to Europe, specifically Paris, where he explored various forms of art for several years. He was particularly drawn to painting during this time. It was in Europe that he rediscovered his love for music and began composing complex pieces based on mathematical formulas. Cage also developed a passion for theater during this period. In the early 1930s, he returned to the United States and started lecturing on contemporary art.

In 1933, Cage decided to focus solely on composition and gave up painting. He continued to study, learning from renowned composers such as Arnold Schoenberg and Adolf Weiss. Cage's approach to music was unconventional, and many did not even consider him a traditional composer. He experimented with sound, sometimes offering audiences unusual experiences, such as his composition "4'33"," which consists of silence during its performance.

Despite being regarded as eccentric and avant-garde, Cage gained a following, and later in his career, he was recognized as one of America's most significant composers. He explored unique concepts such as "cactus music" and "music for sunlight." He even wrote a composition intended to be performed for over 600 years. Titled "As Slow as Possible," the piece was composed in 1985, and Cage's wish was for musicians to play it as slowly as possible. German musicians in Halberstadt took on this challenge and calculated that the composition would last until the year 2640.

Cage passed away in 1992 at the age of 79. He left behind a legacy of hundreds of musical pieces and compositions that continue to captivate musicians and musicologists today. His most famous ongoing project, "As Slow as Possible," is being performed by German musicians at St. Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, with one note lasting over a year and three months. This project is considered the longest musical performance in history. Although none of us will witness its completion, Cage's unique and avant-garde contributions to music remain influential and intriguing.