Kyle Gann

Simply the best book in the 33 1/3 series of focused books on music that never appeared in the 33 1/3 series. Of course, there couldn't ever have been a 33 1/3 book on John Cage's 4'33", because it was a composition, not a recording -- whether or not it is recordable is another question, just one of the koan-like nuggets that comprise Gann's survey of a piece of music that is seen as a prank by some and a philosophical entreaty by others. That 210-plus pages could be written about a work in show more which nothing is, technically speaking, played is a testament to the lessons inherent in Cage's most famous work. Gann divides up the story of the work into the Cage himself, influences on the piece, the piece and its reception, and its own influence on culture. show less

A brisk and fascinating discussion of that notorious piece of non-music. To this Cage ignoramus, it seems as good an introduction to his thought as it would be possible to find.

This is a much needed overview of Robert Ashley's life and work. The biographical information helps to elaborate many references in Ashley's compositions. The chronology provides some insight into how his work evolved and how some of his pieces are related. There are detailed descriptions of the operas which reveal the underlying structures of these elaborate compositions. The book includes a chronological list of works, a discography and a selected bibliography as appendices.