This month is the 100th anniversary of the infamous contemporary composer, John Cage. I’ve only started getting into his music this semester for I will be performing some of his works at a Cage Circus which will be performed at the Aaron Copland School of Music this November. So far everything I’ve heard of his is quite delightful. This American composer, born 1912 and died 1991, is a mushroom lover whose early works were on the meditative tonal side and his later works were on the experimental, free form, sometimes wacky side. He’s a music chameleon himself!

Last night I went to Brooklyn to see my friend, Monika Haar, perform some works by Cage at an event happening all of the city this entire month called Cage Hop. The show was fantastic! I got to hear the different music realms John Cage is all about. The first song on the program, played delicately and beautifully by my friend, was one of his most meditative calming piano solo works called In a Landscape. Here’s a great recording of it (sit back and relax for this one):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF1DoVdHM9M

The last piece on the program was the complete opposite of the first. With a score based on colors and linear drawings, Aria is Cage’s parody to opera singing. Last night’s performer, Leighanne Saltsman, was absolutely incredible. She had the crowd laughing hysterically with her different voice characters ranging from a high pitched scratchy witch voice to an big operatic vibrato diva sound.  There are lyrics which are random and in 4 different languages: Italian, French, English and Armenian. I only wish I could have recorded it! It was totally ludicrous and I thought “hmm maybe I should try that piece”, but after seeing her perform it, I am some what scared of trying it. Here’s another fabulous performance of Aria I found on youtube (brace yourself for insanity):

Finally here’s a few words from the genius himself: