John Cage - 4'33" by David Tudor

I think everything that makes sound can be looked as music, depending on your perspective. What you call noise can be music to somebody ear. I think that's the very understanding of John Cage is that to not limit music to what is normally accepted. Even if there is silence the music you create in your head alone is magical. Just like when you meditate, there is extraordinary positive effect from that. Music is so abstract that in can be translated in so many ways.

His point was twofold. Firstly, what can you take away from music before it becomes not music? Cage came to the conclusion it was 'structure' and that everything else was optional.

Secondly, the piece was intended to be a play on ambient sound, something thats become increasingly ignored and rare in todays noisy world.

I think the silence represents creating the music within your own mind. That's the philosophy of John Cage is anything can be music depending on your own personal perspective.

I think what it was that he wanted people to get out of it is that even though there is no noise whatsoever, I imagine an absolutely stunning song being played without it even being played!

4'33" n'est pas vraiment un morceau, je pense plutot que John Cage a simplement voulu mettre le doigt sur le fait que le silence est un materiau saturé d'énergie. Lui-meme a fait une experience dans une chambre totalement insonorisée que j'ai eu la chance de faire moi-aussi. L'effet du silence est saisisant. La pression de l'air semble augmenter, On ressent des vibrations très graves, on percoit aussi des sons stridents. Tout cela est dans le silence.

(suite ) Faites l'experience un jour à la campagne ou à la montagne. On se rend compte alors que la musique est partout et que le moindre coup de vent devient un climax symphonique. On est emerveillé par le moindre son, la moindre note. Car c'est du silence que la musique tire son énergie.
"La musique est un ornement du silence" André Jolivet

Frank Zappa recorded this piece for a compilation of John Cage's music on CD called 'A Chance Operation', and his version was oddly moving because Zappa was suffering at the time from the prostate cancer that would eventually kill him - you can hear him shuffling on the piano stool, trying to keep still. I agree with you about this piece needing a context. My problem with concert performances is that they usually sound the same. Listening at home, you might get all sorts of interesting noise.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Esto es una broma XD.... ojala, no creo que alguien gaste su dinero para ver a este hombre haciando nada haahahaha

pput the sound on !!!! I can't hear, dammit

OMG LMFAO seriously this is such a joke
I feel bad for the people paying to watch this shit, what a ripoff