It’s been said that In A Landscape is one of the purest forms of minimalist music due to its single divine theme and stillness. There is an absence of dynamics throughout which, paired with cyclical repetition of notes, creates a very still atmosphere. The mesmerising harmonics resonate throughout creating an ethereal atmosphere, which cleverly invited the audience to relax and reflect. By doing this the performer is able to capture and sustain the harmonic of the instrument.Ĭage sets up a strict symmetrical structure that the music follows at a slow pace. He then instructs them to only be released at the very last bar of the piece. The MusicĬomposed for solo piano or harp, Cage instructs on the score for the performer to sustain both the damper and sustain pedals together for the entire duration of the piece. In A Landscape reflects Cage’s delicate writing, which he builds a sense of peace and serenity upon. Cage’s revert back to basic harmonies and very slow progressions ended up seeming like a response to other maximalist works happening in the USA. This was so that the only thing common between music and dance was time. Interestingly, Cage and Cunningham worked in isolation from one another when composing and choreographing this work. It was written during a time where Cage was incredibly interested in the music of Erik Satie, in particular his ‘furniture music’ (‘musique d’ameublement’) – music for the listener to “take no notice of, to behave as if it did not exist.” Composed in 1948, John Cage’s minimalist solo piano work In A Landscape was composed with the idea that the purpose of the music was “to sober and quiet the mind, thus rendering it susceptible to divine influences.” The work was composed to accompany a dance by Merce Cunningham, subsequently to be danced by Louise Lipold.
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