Now playing 4’33”
By Clare
Since I was getting inspired by John Cage’s ideas, I have to do something with 4’33”! This is ALWAYS a great piece to share with my students to raise their curiosity about the definition of music! They ALWAYS request to “perform” 4’33” in the upcoming recitals, and they all were creative with their interpretations of 4’33”! (Of course, the only condition with me is that this cannot be the only piece that they perform in the recital! Haha)
4’33” had the same effect on me when I learned about it for the first time. Since I was into zen as a kid, the idea of any sound can be considered music was very acceptable to me. I remember back in elementary school and thinking about since people with perfect pitch can name a pitch with sounds, could I say that all sounds can be considered music? Years later when I learned about Cage’s philosophy, I was glad that someone else thought the same!
4’33” means four minutes and thirty-three seconds, and it’s a piece that Cage based on the idea of zen. What is most interesting about this piece is that you don’t make any sound during the performance; the sounds of the environment become the performance itself! So let’s say, you are in the audience, you see a performer going on stage and just sits in front of the piano, closing the keyboard lid and become still, after a while you might wonder what is going on and whisper to people next to you. Now if you made any sound at all, you are part of this performance! It can be performed in any combination of instruments, and it has three movements. Interestingly, Cage did mention that only between movements you may open the piano keyboard lid!
The name 4’33” is from the original premiere that took four minutes and thirty-three seconds in total. However, any performer can decide on the length of their performances, and therefore making each performance an absolutely unique performance!
I did a lot of research, and many designs about 4’33” have already been done…such as using Cage’s handwriting and print 4’33”, a funny one that says “The best performer of 4’33”…etc.! It took many days until one day it came to me that I thought “what about now playing?!” My idea is that since the piece involves the environment sounds to be part of the performance, it can always be “playing”! So whoever wears it is always “playing” 4’33”! I then searched online…..THERE’S IS NONE! YAY! I finally came up with an idea that hasn’t been used!
I was thinking to add a play button and turn it into more like a digital player that says “now playing”. But after all considered, I decided to keep the design very simple, because I believe with the idea of zen, and the idea of “no thing”, Cage will lean towards more of a minimalistic design.
So now, whoever wears this will always be performing 4’33”! 😂😂
