Kenneth Silverman’s biography about composer John Cage – Begin Again

John Cage stands large in 20th century history as one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. As a composer he was an utterly original master of the form, his experimental attitude best exemplified by his most widely known work "4'33," in which not a single note was played. Being acknowledged as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century would be enough, but he went beyond mere composition, finding ways to alter and expand the way we define not only music but the way we encounter art. Pulitzer Prize winning author Kenneth Silverman joins us to discuss his fascinating new biography of a man the breadth of whose work was only matched by its sheer diversity.

John Cage stands large in 20th century history as one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. As a composer he was an utterly original master of the form, his experimental attitude best exemplified by his most widely known work "4'33," in which not a single note was played. Being acknowledged as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century would be enough, but he went beyond mere composition, finding ways to alter and expand the way we define not only music but the way we encounter art. Pulitzer Prize winning author Kenneth Silverman joins us to discuss his fascinating new biography of a man the breadth of whose work was only matched by its sheer diversity.

Guest:

Kenneth Silverman, author, Begin Again: A Biography of John Cage (Knopf)