Cage: A Book of Music, Parts 1 & 2

It may come as a surprise but one of the leading creators of Keyboard music in the twentieth century is a composer by the name of John Cage. Cage’s reputation is so deeply associated with the avantgarde, with chance music, graphic notation, performance art, technology and Zen Buddhism that is early, conventionally-notated music for percussion ensemble and keyboards is sometimes neglected. Or was until recently. In the last few years – with the advent of performances and recordings like this one – there has been a renewed appreciation of Cage’s achievements in the earlier part of his creative life.

Of course, Cage’s keyboard music is not just keyboard music. Cage’s once infamous “prepared piano” – born out of need as well as desire – is a keyboard instrument unto itself , as different from the romantic piano as that instrument is from the baroque harpsichord. But even in his “unprepared” piano music, Cage shows his individuality and distance from European tradition.

This production received the quarterly German Record Critics' Award.