Comments on: I'll take what's behind door number 4'33".

I'll take what's behind door number 4'33".

converge — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:07:38 -0800

John Cage gives a little concert on a 1960's gameshow called "I've Got a Secret." (Flashvid)

By: runehog

runehog — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:24:57 -0800

That's so much more punk-rock than any of the john cage videos I'd seen before (like this youtube docusomething). Rad.

By: argybarg

argybarg — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:27:02 -0800

The best thing about the appearance is the fact that two of the unions involved in the show could not agree which one's workers would plug in the radios for Cage's performance. I don't have the details, but I bet they were disputing whether the radios were musical instruments or electronics or props, etc. Which is exactly a debate that probably delighted Cage.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:28:04 -0800

Wow, what a find, this is priceless! Makes me wish there had been a lot more presenting of experimental and avant garde music on television thoughout recent history: the presentation of such music on TV as something potentially entertaining, fun and interesting might've gone a long way toward demystifying it. Toward making it something to be approached with an open mind, appreciable by everyone, non-elitist. True, this performance of Cage's was met with peals of laughter, and was most likely regarded by the audience as nothing more than wackiness and clownery, but perhaps over time, once the easy laughs had died down a bit, there might've been an advancement of the general public's awareness of the expanding boundaries of music. There might've been a bit more opening up of the ears and the mind. But of course, as we all know, television's amazing potential for education and enlightenment remained largely unrealized. One of the great tragedies of the modern era.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:29:28 -0800

BTW, converge, nice post title!

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:34:26 -0800

Here's the clip on WFMU's Beware of the Blog (certainly one of the best sites of its kind on the web), with a little bit of background info and a handy "download this clip" link.

By: vronsky

vronsky — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:36:13 -0800

Cool find converge!

By: QuietDesperation

QuietDesperation — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:47:37 -0800

The radio incident reminded me of when I met Cage in Hong Kong in the 1980s. He wanted to bring some cacti with him to amplify and stroke - they had a wonderful sound, he said - but the agriculture dept. wouldn't let him bring a plant into the country.

By: converge

converge — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:55:37 -0800

You met John Cage? My god, that must have been fascinating. Please, man, relate the full story.

By: converge

converge — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:59:09 -0800

flapjax: WFMU is absolutely a site deserving of more attention. And I agree with your previous statement about the demystifying powers of mass-media. The CBC used to be great for that.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:00:49 -0800

John Cage links

By: dobbs

dobbs — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:23:24 -0800

Excellent link, thanks! Those who like it may also like this.

By: tellurian

tellurian — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:47:24 -0800

He wanted to bring some cacti with him to amplify and stroke - they had a wonderful sound, he said Seconding the request for the whole story. You can't just throw out a titbit like that and leave me wondering. Spill it. Please.

By: treepour

treepour — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:02:44 -0800

He wanted to bring some cacti with him to amplify and stroke - they had a wonderful sound, he said I've not had the good fortune of once meeting Mr. Cage, but have heard that piece (or at least a piece which used amplified cacti) performed by a Cage scholar. It was incredibly, totally unexpectedly, moving. Sounded kind of like rain, but it also, paradoxically, evoked desert.

By: inoculatedcities

inoculatedcities — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:08:53 -0800

Absolutely fantastic. One of the best (in my opinion) Metafilter posts ever, if only because I never would have seen it otherwise. Thank you converge

By: bardic

bardic — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:20:12 -0800

Great post. For some reason, it's the prominently displayed "Winston" cigarette ad on the participants' desk that stood out for me. So quaint.

By: honest knave

honest knave — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:45:32 -0800

This is wonderful! Thanks, converge.

By: obvious

obvious — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:46:27 -0800

I can't believe I missed this on WFMU. Thanks for posting.

By: thethirdman

thethirdman — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:59:12 -0800

Utterly awesome.

By: Parannoyed

Parannoyed — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:05:23 -0800

alright, I'll be the asshole who doesn't get experimental music like this. Seriously, I can appreciate it on a absurdist, DaDa level, and find it very entertaining, but the sound was so sparse and far apart, I couldn't even tell you what i heard.

By: mudpuppie

mudpuppie — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:41:37 -0800

I've said it elsewhere, but I'll say it here too. This is the 3 Degrees of Celebrity Board Games Separation Game. In, oh, 1986, I got a game for christmas called Rummikub. My family learned to play and taught other family members, all of whom were from out of state. My grandparents taught my aunt (great aunt, actually, grandmother's sister). She was an artist in Asheville and a close friend of John Cage. She taught him the game and he became, if not an addict, then an adherent, playing at her house several times a month. So I am somehow responsible for teaching John Cage Rummikub.

By: Hildegarde

Hildegarde — Sat, 19 May 2007 02:28:19 -0800

God, I love John Cage. I'd already seen this video, but I never mind be reminded what an amazing guy he was.

By: msbrauer

msbrauer — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:03:33 -0800

but the sound was so sparse and far apart Speaking of sparse and far apart.

By: SNACKeR

SNACKeR — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:10:34 -0800

What a great post to start my weekend - put my head in just the right place. Thanks! And I love the way the panelists moved their own desk.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:49:27 -0800

msbrauer, thanks for that link: plenty of amusing comments in that thread!

By: seawallrunner

seawallrunner — Sat, 19 May 2007 10:18:10 -0800

thank you for the link to the program and to the story. this is wonderful.

By: nonreflectiveobject

nonreflectiveobject — Sat, 19 May 2007 11:38:00 -0800

The union dispute and Cage's line: "I find laughter preferable to tears" were priceless. Also, amazing to see the young John Cage performing. I've never been a fan of the recorded Cage (except for Sonatas and Interludes, but that's a whole diff'rent thing), but watching (or being involved in) a performance is awesome. I was in a performance of Song Book a while back. I got to play amplified blackboard (with chalk) and typewriter. What many people miss in Cage's music is the joy at doing unexpected things. There is something about hearing your chalkboard scribblings amplified very loud that is extremely silly and very much fun. It also sounds amazing. Also the visual presentation of his pieces is such a factor. His performance always confronted what I call musician pornography. Most people really love to watch someone perform a physical action to make music (which is why laptop peformers have had a tough time convincing musical civilians that they're doing anything at all), and Cage really gave you a treat, in that respect. That's another thing people miss in his stuff; he was trying to give you a treat.

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Sat, 19 May 2007 12:41:56 -0800

but the sound was so sparse and far apart Blame the freaking unions, man. *Storms off to watch Blue Collar* Related, and also very fun: Zappa plays bicycles on the Steve Allen Show, 1963.

By: Rich Smorgasbord

Rich Smorgasbord — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:05:00 -0800

So that's where John Zorn got his dip-the-birdcall-in-water idea. I mean, it's just too coincidental.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sat, 19 May 2007 16:14:38 -0800

So enjoyed that! The audience got such a kick out of the performance and he seemed to beam with joy about that Cage had at the end. So life affirming about the music of the everyday world.

By: QuietDesperation

QuietDesperation — Sat, 19 May 2007 16:24:18 -0800

Okay, sorry for the delay. Not much of a story, really. Cage and his ensemble were accompanying Merce Cunningham's troupe at the Hong Kong Arts Festival. Cunningham himself (then around 70) came out and danced a solo, which was riveting; The old man still had it in him. After the concert I approached the stage (the concert was held in an indoor stadium) and began to chat with him. I found him to be a lovely man, very open and unaffected (just as he was in the clip above), and obsessed with nothing apart from sounds, which fascinated him endlessly. In place of the cactus he'd found some dry sticks whose sound he enjoyed, so he wasn't particularly put out by the confiscation of his cacti - it was par for the course, I supposed. It wasn't the time or place to discuss his philosophies of art (which I knew anyway from his writings), so I just enjoyed the moment. As I said, not much to tell.

By: kozad

kozad — Sat, 19 May 2007 18:31:57 -0800

The best post ever on Metafilter. And I have seen thousands. Of posts/links. Obviously, I am a Cage fan. What really hit me was his knocking the radios off the tables. I guess The Who was not the first of musicians to destroy or mangle their instruments as part of their performance. Long live Cage and Coltrane.

By: converge

converge — Sun, 20 May 2007 06:09:15 -0800

QuietDesperation: thank you. That's a beautiful little anecdote. The dance must have been, as you said, riveting. I also envy that you've experienced Cunnigham's choreography firsthand. Cage was such a sweet, wise man. I'm glad you had the chance. Makes me smile.

By: ilsa

ilsa — Sun, 20 May 2007 14:02:08 -0800

I met Cage in 1990. Got to sit in on a seminar with him. Wonderful, strange, slightly senile, but still brilliant man.