John cage brief biography of mahatma
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SECOND INVERSION
by Maggie Molloy
This post is part of a series on John Cage’s “Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse).”For earlier installments of the series, please visit: Introduction, Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V.
Since its invention in the early 18th century, the piano has been the cornerstone of the Western classical music tradition. It has been the conduit for the musical masterpieces of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and countless other composers. It has been the staple instrument in all studies of Western music theory, the standard instrument for accompanying soloists, and the shimmering star of recital stages around the globe.
The depth and breadth of classical piano repertoire is astounding. As an instrument, it has garnered a reputation as one of the most beautiful and most perfect modes of human expression—and John Cage threw a wrench in it. Literally.
In Cage
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Gita Sarabhai
Indian musician and patron (–)
Geeta Sarabhai Mayor (née&#;Sarabhai; – 11 March ) was an Indian musician, well known for her patronage in music. She was among the first women to play the pakhavaj,[1][2] a traditional barrel-shaped, two-headed drum.[3] She promoted exchanges between Indian and Western music, particularly for bringing Ahmedabad to New York City.[4] During a study stay in New York, she taught Indian music and philosophy to the experimental composer John Cage, in exchange for a course on the theory of Western music.[5] The course included the twelve-tone technique of Arnold Schoenberg.[6] In , Geeta Sarabhai founded the Sangeet Kendra in Ahmedabad, whose mission is to document and promote classical and popular Indian musical traditions.[7][8] Gita was a part-time faculty of music at National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.[9]
Life and career
[edit]Geeta
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Glass's "Satyagraha"
Synopsis
Today in , “Satyagraha,” a new opera bygd the American composer Philip Glass, had its premiere in Rotterdam by the Netherlands Opera.
Four years earlier, in , Glass’s first big musikdrama, “Einstein on the Beach,” had scored a big hit not only in Avignon, France, where it had premiered, but also at a special, non-subscription performance at the storstads- Opera in New York.
But “Einstein” had been written for Glass’s own electronic keyboard ensemble, while the new musikdrama “Satyagraha” was written for the more traditional musikdrama pit orchestra of strings, winds and brass… with an electric organ and synthesizer thrown in for good measure. THAT was, in some ways, a new language for Glass to learn.
And speaking of new languages, for musikdrama singers used to singing in Italian, French or German, the libretto for “Satyagraha,” crafted by Glass and Constance DeJong, was to be sung in ancient Sanskrit, based on texts from Bhagavad-Gita.
"Satyagr