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Editorial Reviews
John Cage opened our ears to the musical quality inherent in "natural" sounds; hence, he's the father of "ambient" music. This collection includes his most otherworldly works, among them Suite for Toy Piano; Dream; Music for Marcel Dechamp; Bacchanale , and a dubut recording of Souvenir . Stephen Drury, piano.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
...For a new listener this album is perfect. It's beautiful, and accessible and just all around pleasing to listen to. The piece "In A Landscape" is the first piece I play for anyone who says they don't like John Cage. They're usually sold within the first 30 seconds of the piece. The ambience and simplicity of this piece is so striking, but Cage's take on harmony (which is especially challenging in a piece that's so focused on melody) keeps the piece from sounding new age.
Anyone just starting out with John Cage, start here. If this strikes you well, check out "Music For Changes" and then the Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano. Beyond that I highly encourage anyone to do some research, read some of Cage's writings, especially a collection of essays and lectures titled "Silence." As his life progresses, his music becomes more minimal and disjointed, and his words really strike down exactly what it is he's trying to accomplish with his music, and that really helps the listener.
For listeners that are already very familiar with Cage's work, this still isn't a waste. These recordings are a great collection of some nice Cage pieces that don't get as much attention, and is still a really pleasing album to listen to.
Anyone just starting out with John Cage, start here. If this strikes you well, check out "Music For Changes" and then the Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano. Beyond that I highly encourage anyone to do some research, read some of Cage's writings, especially a collection of essays and lectures titled "Silence." As his life progresses, his music becomes more minimal and disjointed, and his words really strike down exactly what it is he's trying to accomplish with his music, and that really helps the listener.
For listeners that are already very familiar with Cage's work, this still isn't a waste. These recordings are a great collection of some nice Cage pieces that don't get as much attention, and is still a really pleasing album to listen to.
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By ADP
Format:Audio CD
Don't be intimidated by what you may have heard about John Cage; his music can be much more accessible than that of many other 20th-century composers, and perhaps even some earlier ones (I'll take Cage over Wagner any day). Drury plays Cage's early piano music, some of it written as dance accompaniment, with knowledge and respect. The title piece, which opens the album, sounds superficially like new-age music, but isn't the least bit boring--it's as boring as a beautiful woman, or a view from a mountain. More idiosyncratic and humorous (Cage *always* had a great sense of humor) are the "Music for Toy Piano," which shows Cage's ability to see more possibilities than the rest of us, and the short "Prelude to Meditation," which says an enormous amount with a few light touches on the keys. There's even an organ piece, which provides a nice variation. Please forget what you may have heard about Cage and buy this CD!
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
A good collection for those unfamiliar with the wonderful, witty work of John Cage. These early piano pieces from the 1940s could almost be 1990s New Age music; but I don't mean that perjoratively; In fact, Cage wanted the music to create a state of meditation in the listener. As he said, his objective was to "quiet the mind and make it more receptive to divine influence." A divine collection...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT!
I got the CD faster than what the expected date was and when I got it, it was scratch free, played perfectly and looks as if i bought it straight from the store. 5 Stars from me.
Published 13 months ago by Desi
4.0 out of 5 stars
John Cage...Where to Start?
For those interested in getting into John Cage for the first time, this is a great place to start. Getting into Cage can prove intimidating at first, but this great collection of... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Kevin
4.0 out of 5 stars
John Cage- In A Landscape
The album consists of John Cage pieces from 1938-1948 & one from 1983, all played by Stephen Drury. It is quite accessible. A great place to begin an appreciation of Cage.
Published 20 months ago by Paul Kidney
5.0 out of 5 stars
music of dreams
In my opinion this is a very good c.d.. I like all of the pieces on this c.d. but my favorites are "in a landscape" and "dream". Read more
Published on June 6, 2008 by Jerid S. Rouse
2.0 out of 5 stars
Trite Not Treat
There is a common assumption, particularly among the musical literati, that if a piece is novel, obscure, extremely simple, unchromatic or simply weird, it must, by definition, be... Read more
Published on February 22, 2006 by Avid Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Before the sh*t, there was a mighty fine meal" - W.A. Mozart
The bigger sin would be to have been born before Bach and bitch about the dearth of music celebrating things other than mankind's moribundity. Read more
Published on January 31, 2006 by David Avender
5.0 out of 5 stars
In A Landscape = unmatched beauty
In my opinion, John Cage's In A Landscape is THE most beautiful peice for piano of absolute all time. Read more
Published on May 28, 2003 by Steve
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