New interactive apps and website bring John Cage’s music to life

Researchers at the universities of Huddersfield and Leeds launch new resources on the key musical work by John Cage.

A new website, cageconcert.org, and two new apps bring to life a key musical work by experimental composer John Cage.

Cageconcert is a joint AHRC-funded venture between researchers at the University of Huddersfield and the University of Leeds. It is led by Professor Philip Thomas and Professor Martin Iddon, who are joined by Dr Christopher Melen and Dr Emily Payne.

The project explores the historical context of the work, undertakes close analytical examination of the notations, and takes in approaches to performance, both historical and contemporary.

The Concert for Piano and Orchestra (1957–58) by John Cage is widely regarded as a seminal work within twentieth-century music and techniques. However, how the work might be understood and performed remains a puzzle.As well as the innovations in notations, formally - as a set of parts without score, to be performed in any combination and relationship, including with other works - it throws open the notions of open form and the open work to a far greater degree than any earlier work by any twentieth-century composer.

The cageconcert.org website demystifies the Concert for a wide range of audiences: advancing how the work is viewed and understood and providing insights and a range of performing possibilities for musicians.

It includes a series of documentary films made with musicians from acclaimed new music ensemble Apartment House about performing the Concert and provides a rich resource that enables users to better understand the techniques and processes explored by Cage in this remarkable work.

For more information:

Email: cage@hud.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)1484 471336