Cage2

Description

With CAGE2 Bertrand Chamayou brings together 20 dance-inspired pieces written for prepared piano by the American composer John Cage (1912-1992). It continues Chamayous recorded exploration of Cages music, which began with the Erato album Letter(s) to Erik Satie and its juxtaposition of pieces by Satie and Cage. The prepared piano was invented in 1940, when Cage was writing a score for the dancer-choreographer Syvilla Fort: he ingeniously inserted small objects (such as bolts, screws, coins, and pieces of rubber or fabric) between the strings of a grand piano, thus giving rise to a variety of timbres and percussive effects. Dance was an important theme in Cages life and career, and the title CAGE2 is taken from a stage show that Bertrand Chamayou and dancer-choreographer Élodie Sicard toured around France. Cages pieces, with their iridescent timbres, insistent rhythms and quirky spirit are mesmerising in their effect. It becomes clear why, as the New York Times wrote: Mr Cages influence was extremely far-reaching. He started a revolution and in doing so he opened the door to Minimalism, performance art and virtually every other branch of the musical avant-garde.