Test yourself: Can you tell the difference between music and noise? - Hanako Sawada

In 1960, American composer John Cage made an appearance on national television to showcase his latest work. Instead of using traditional musical instruments, Cage surrounded himself with everyday objects found in a household, such as a bathtub, ice cubes, a toy fish, a pressure cooker, a rubber duck, and several radios. Armed with these unconventional tools and a stopwatch, he performed a piece called "Water Walk" with a serious expression and remarkable precision. The audience's reactions varied, with some finding the performance humorous and others considering it utterly absurd. The prevailing question on most viewers' minds was whether this could even be classified as music. Answering this question proves to be more challenging than expected, as our perception of music often relies on our preconceived expectations.

For instance, if you were in a jazz club, listening to the rhythmic honking of horns, most people would agree that it is music. However, if you were on a highway hearing the same sounds, many would dismiss it as noise. This distinction is influenced by our expectations. We tend to categorize something as music if it follows a recognizable structure or utilizes popular sounds arranged in familiar patterns. Even within the realm of music, we anticipate certain genres to incorporate specific instruments and harmonies. These expectations stem from established musical traditions, but those traditions are not set in stone. They vary across cultures and time periods.

During the early 20th century, when artists were pushing the boundaries of their respective fields, John Cage sought to explore new possibilities beyond these constraints. He embarked on a journey of inventing novel instruments that blurred the lines between art and everyday life. He also reinvented existing instruments using unexpected objects. Furthermore, he delved into the integration of music with other art forms. Collaborating with his creative and romantic partner, Merce Cunningham, Cage organized recitals where his music and Cunningham's choreography were created independently before being performed together.

Regardless of his approach, Cage delightfully challenged listeners to question the boundaries between music and noise, as well as between sound and silence. One of his most renowned compositions exemplifies this audacious exploration—a solo piano piece consisting solely of musical rests for four minutes and 33 seconds. This composition aimed not to play a prank but to provoke a question: Could the opening and closing of a piano lid be considered music? What about the sound of a stopwatch or the rustling and murmurs of a crowd? Similar to the white canvases of his contemporaries in the world of painting, Cage prompted the audience to reevaluate their expectations of what music could be. Although this piece did not evoke the dramatic elements of traditional compositions, it undeniably elicited a strong emotional response.

Cage's work often prioritized spontaneous and ephemeral experiences over precise and predictable performances. He even developed systems that incorporated chance elements in the composition process. One of his favored methods involved using the I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination text. By using a few coins, the I Ching allowed readers to generate patterns of lines that could be interpreted to answer questions and provide insights. Cage adapted these patterns into tables that determined musical durations, tempos, and dynamics. He eventually employed early computers to assist in generating these random parameters. In some pieces, Cage went even further by offering musicians incomplete compositions with broad instructions, allowing them to compose on the spot following his guidelines.

Cage's unconventional approach was met with resistance from some composers who believed that it was the composer's responsibility to meticulously organize sound and time for a specific and intentional purpose. They questioned where the line should be drawn if these unconventional compositions were indeed considered music. However, like an intrepid explorer, Cage refused to be constrained by limitations and was uninterested in adhering to established rules. He dedicated himself to shattering expectations and created a series of unique experiences that continue to inspire musicians and audiences to embrace the unexpected.