John Cage was an innovator, experimenter, composer, and, most importantly, a performer. John Cage's performances evoked a lot of emotion, whether it be good or bad. He is most famously known for his piece, "4'33". It was 4 minutes and 33 seconds of "silence". Although, it wasn't really silence. In the words of John Cage, "There is no such thing as silence." Cage's and many others' performances of this piece are showcases of the ambient noise we always hear around us. Some people would leave during these performances, others would save their criticism for the question and answer session after the performance. A few would enjoy the atmosphere and might have wanted it to continue when the 4'33 is up. Cage composed many pieces that stirred emotion like this one. He forced the public to question the definition of music and art. People developed a new understanding of music and approach to listening.
Many people to this day don't take "4'33" serious and see it as a gimmick. Cage always wanted to try new things and experiment with his art. I personally enjoy his unique methods. I recently completed a "musique concrete" project for another course I'm taking where we compile random sounds to create some sort of atmosphere. As I began the project, I was skeptical about how the product may turn out. I ended up being able to create a very cool and dynamic scene that I was proud to submit. It taught me to appreciate all the sounds around me.
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