COMPOSITIONAL PARTICULARITIES AND ASIAN INFLUENCES IN THE MUSICAL CONCEPTION AND WORKS OF JOHN CAGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbmusica.2022.1.09Keywords:
John Cage, Asia, Avant-garde, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen, I-Ching, indeterminacyAbstract
One of the most important figures of the 20th century, avant-garde composer, artist, writer, and theorist John Cage was deeply influenced by various philosophical orientations from South and East Asia, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, and I-Ching. He studied various doctrines and the works of several Asian philosophers, which resulted in the reorientation of his philosophical and aesthetic ideas. At the same time, this influenced his musical style, the conception of his compositions, as well as his thoughts on the functions of art – discernible in his music. Cage identified himself with certain ideas he encountered in the philosophical texts he studied, but he refrained from describing himself as representative of any of these orientations. Unlike other Western composers inspired by oriental art and music, Cage was rather influenced by the philosophical dimension of Asia. He avoided the use of Asian music sources in his works and was not interested in using new sounds for the sake of creating a novel musical discourse but aimed to evoke or emphasize certain philosophical ideas through his composition. The aim of the present paper is to present the Asian philosophical influences that marked the figure of John Cage, his perspective on life and art, and influenced his rhetoric, as well as the ideas that he employed within his compositional process.
REZUMAT. PARTICULARITĂȚI COMPONISTICE ȘI INFLUENȚE ASIATICE ÎN CONCEPȚIA ȘI CREAȚIA LUI JOHN CAGE. Una dintre cele mai importante personalități ale secolului XX, compozitorul avangardist, artistul, scriitorul și teoreticianul John Cage a fost profund influențat de diferite orientări filozofice de origine sud sau est Asiatică, precum Hinduismul, Budismul, Taosimul, Zen sau I-Ching. Cage a fost fascinat de lucrările mai multor filozofi orientali și le-a studiat doctrinele, rezultatul fiind schimbarea și reorientarea ideilor sale filozofice și estetice referitoare la funcțiile artei și implicit ale muzicii. În același timp, a fost influențat stilul său muzical și concepția asupra compozițiilor sale, Cage s-a identificat cu unele idei întâlnite în textele filozofice pe care le-a studiat, dar a evitat să se descrie ca fiind reprezentantul uneia dintre aceste orientări. Spre deosebire de alți compozitor occidentali inspirați de arta și muzica Asiei, Cage a fost mai degrabă influențat de dimensiunea filozofică a acestei lumi. A evitat utilizarea surselor muzicale asiatice în lucrările sale și nu a fost interesat de utilizarea unor sonorități neobișnuite doar cu scopul de a concepe un discurs inovativ, ci a dorit evocarea sau sublinierea anumitor idei filozofice în creațiile sale muzicale. Scopul acestei cercetări este prezentarea doctrinelor filozofice de origine asiatică, ce au marcat personalitatea lui John Cage, perspectivele sale asupra vieții și artei, care au influențat retorica sa, precum și ideile utilizate în cadrul procesului de compoziție muzicală.
Cuvinte cheie: John Cage, Asia, Avangardă, Hinduism, Budism, Zen, I-Ching, nedeterminare
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