Mr. Cage was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in downtown Los Angeles. His father - John Milton Cage (1886-1964) was an inventor, and his mother - Lucretia Harvey (1885-1969) worked as a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. Young D. Cage's first intimate experience of learning music was provided by private piano teachers and several relatives (especially aunt Phoebe Harvey James, who introduced him to 19th-century piano works). Although the future composer loved music as a child, he was more interested in the art of reading and literature. Until 1928 D. Cage was convinced that he would become a writer. in 1928 D. Cage had entered Pomona College (majoring in theology), but did not graduate. The artist convinced his parents that a trip to Europe was more useful for the future writer than college studies - here he spent about 18 months, trying various art forms (Gothic and Greek architecture, painting, music, poetry studies). Among other things, he also heard contemporary composers (Igor Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith) for the first time, and delved deeper into the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Mr. Cage was ready to return to America, but his parents, with whom he corresponded regularly, advised his son to stay in Europe longer. While traveling, the composer visited various places in France, Germany, and Spain. In Mallorca, D. Cage began to compose music (he used mathematical formulas, but, dissatisfied with the results, did not finish the compositions).
After returning to the United States in 1931, the artist gave private lectures on contemporary art.
in 1933 - the breakthrough year when it was decided to focus on music (not painting) (D. Cage remembered: "People who heard my music could say more than when they looked at painted pictures"). The artist's routine at that time was very tiring - four hours of sleep and composition studies starting at four in the morning. A few months later, Mr. Cage made great progress in the field of composition. Arnold Šionberg, who asked the young creator if he would devote his life to music and heard a positive answer, offered D. Cage free composition lessons.
D. Cage studied with R. Buhlig (composition), A. Vais (composition, theory), H. Kauel (contemporary and non-western music), A. Šionberg (counterpoint). Since 1938 gave lectures on experimental music and mushrooms at various universities and colleges in the USA. 1956-1960 Associate professor at the New York School of Music, 1966-1967 professor at the University of Cincinnati, since 1968 Member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Since 1942 lived in New York, collaborated with M. Cunningham's modern dance troupe, 1944-1968. was its music director. in 1949 received Guggenheim and National Academy of Arts and Letters scholarships. Toured Europe (1949, 1954, 1958, 1969), Japan (1962). One of the founders of the Mycological Society in New York.
John Cage was one of the most prominent creators of American avant-garde music in the 1950s and 1960s. The artist developed the so-called prepared piano technique: various objects are placed between the strings of the piano and thus the timbre of the instrument is modified (I piece "Bacchanale", 1938). While studying Eastern philosophy, Zen Buddhism, in the 1950s, Cage emphasized randomness in music: for example, the pitch, duration and timbre of the piano piece "Music of Changes" (1951) are chosen according to the drawings of the Chinese "Book of Changes" (I Ching), by tossing a coin. Theater Piece (1952) is considered the first happening. The composer claimed that any environmental sounds are music, used unusual means of sound extraction, graphic notation. in 1952 created the first track for the tape "Imaginary Landscape V". In 1967-1969 he created the first computer work "HPSCHD" with L. Hiller (1-7 for harpsichord and 1-51 for tape recorder). Cage considered "4'33" (1952) to be his most significant work: one or more performers are silent on stage for 4 minutes and 33 seconds.
