John Cage: Variations IV

Spoken Word (Composer), John [1] Cage (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Spoken Word, John [1] Cage
• Audio CD (January 1, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Legacy
• ASIN: B000002NTV
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #389,755 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, February 9, 2006

By 

P. Couture (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: John Cage: Variations IV (Audio CD)

This is a low-fi recording of a sound collage event that took place in Los Angeles in 1965. A bunch of pre-recorded tapes were triggered and overlaid in real time using chance operations. This CD contains excerpts from the six hour performance.

Cage was sincere about process over product. He reportedly didn't listen to records (of his own music or anybody else's). I think this CD is fun, but since there's no intentionality to the sound constructions it's hard to grade. I think the last two tracks are the best blend of the source material (the same tapes keep popping up in different tracks) but if you appreciate media collage you'll enjoy the whole thing. Be warned, though, that this is not "soundboard" quality -- sounds more like somebody set a tape recorder in the middle of the room.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love John Lennon's "Revolution 9", you'll love this., November 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: John Cage: Variations IV (Audio CD)

This type of music is an amazing trip through an audio landscape. After several plays of this disc, you'll find yourself making the most fascinating, improbable mental connections between different sound sources. A fun disc. It may even inspire you to create something similar.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting mix of sounds. Musique Concrete at it's fines, January 6, 2002

By 

Edward R Jones (Bendigo, Victoria, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Cage: Variations IV (Audio CD)

I purchased this CD on the sole recommendation that it was by John Cage, an artist I had read a lot about in my studies in the field of Electronic and Experimental Music. This piece was mentioned often as a great example of the chance elements of sound-work.

It was a great influence on my work. And it will be on yours, too, if you just give it a chance!