John Cage's Sonatas
and Interludes (1946-1948) is a large-scale masterpiece written for
prepared piano, the invention which made Cage famous. The work consists of sixteen short sonatas arranged
in groups of four; each group is followed by a single interlude. The form of the sonatas is the binary
structure used by Scarlatti 200 years earlier, but the transformation of the
keyboard sound is a strikingly modern idea, certainly one of the most
revolutionary developments in twentieth-century music. Metal bolts, pieces of rubber, and strips of
plastic are inserted between the piano's
strings, magically transforming the sound.
Classical Music | Piano Music
John Cage
Sonata V for prepared piano Play
Recorded on 03/10/1998, uploaded on 01/23/2010
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
John Cage's Sonatas and Interludes (1946-1948) is a large-scale masterpiece written for prepared piano, the invention which made Cage famous. The work consists of sixteen short sonatas arranged in groups of four; each group is followed by a single interlude. The form of the sonatas is the binary structure used by Scarlatti 200 years earlier, but the transformation of the keyboard sound is a strikingly modern idea, certainly one of the most revolutionary developments in twentieth-century music. Metal bolts, pieces of rubber, and strips of plastic are inserted between the piano's strings, magically transforming the sound.
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Nocturne in c minor, Op. 48, No. 1
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