Cage - Four5

There is often a sense of neutrality with Cage, things happen and they are neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad. This doesn't reflect the complexities of life where we must continually make judgements and reach meaningful decisions. The question of whether the postmodern aesthetic should lead to a postmodern ethic is a troubling one. For many, John Cage's music is the Emperor's new clothes and it could be so, but Cage started a fashion trend which contains such breadth of apparel that there surely is something more than nihilism.

As Cage himself instructs, this work is comprised of single tones in flexible time brackets for four saxophones or multiples thereof. The pitches do not sound as written. The intonation should be unique to each player, thus a unison should be “a unison.of differences.” Sounds may be long or short. When they have duration, the loudness should be soft. Very short sounds are free as to loudness, even sfz if wished or ppp.”