John Cage’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
And after his or her death: 1 landmark in the detailed timeline (2001).
- 1912👶 Birth
Born in Los Angeles on 5 September; his father is an inventor
- 1930🧳 Journeyage 18
Leaves university to travel in Europe
- 1935📚 Trainingage 23
Pupil of Arnold Schoenberg in California
- 1940🎼 Workage 28
Invents the ‘prepared piano’: screws and erasers between the strings
- 1942❤️ Private lifeage 30
Begins collaborating with the choreographer Merce Cunningham
- 1945🌍 Meanwhile
End of the Second World War; United Nations founded
- 1948🎼 Workage 36
Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano
- 1948🌍 Meanwhile
The long-playing record (LP) goes on sale
- 1951🎼 Workage 39
Uses chance (the I Ching) to compose
- 1964🌍 Meanwhile
Robert Moog presents his synthesizer
- 1982🌍 Meanwhile
The compact disc (CD) is launched
- 1992🕯️ Deathage 80
Dies in New York on 12 August
- 2001🏛️ Landmark9 years after death
An organ performance of ASLSP planned to last 639 years begins in Germany
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
John Cage’s music is still recent: it belongs to its creators and their families. Ask a grown-up to play it for you on the radio or at a concert!
Once upon a time…
John Cage was born in Los Angeles, in the United States. His dad was a wacky inventor. John loved inventing too: he became a composer unlike any other!
One day he slipped screws, erasers and bits of wood between the strings of a piano: the piano started to sound like a drum band! It is called the “prepared piano”.
He also composed by tossing coins. And in his most famous piece, 4′33″, the pianist plays… not a single note for four minutes and thirty-three seconds! The music is the little sounds in the hall. Cage wanted to show that silence never really exists.
He loved mushrooms and won a TV quiz show thanks to them!
John Cage’s instruments
Tap an instrument to hear it!
Cards to flip
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