The article, “Searching for Sound” by Alex Ross provides an insightful and informative look into the life and work of John Cage. I found this article really interesting, and I enjoyed reading about how John Cage was so adamant about pursuing his radical approach to music, even in the face of criticism. He didn’t care to receive praise for his work, and especially did not change his work to reflect the opinions of others. I admire his desire to radicalize his ideas further and further with every project, and to keep pursuing his goal of breaking down barriers in the music industry. As Ross states in the article, “As much as any artist, he enjoyed receiving applause and recognition, but he had no need for wider public or institutional approval”. This overwhelming ability to trust in his own work to this degree is something that every artist should try to embody in their creative process.
I also found the concept of silence as a sound to be really interesting. I have never heard of a musician incorporating silence into their compositions, and I can see why John Cage was seen as such a radical thinker at this time. His appreciation for silence is an inspiring idea that many people don’t seem to have respect for these days. I enjoyed reading that when he taught at the New School, one of the exercises was listening to a pin drop. He took a popular saying related to silence and allowed his students to find appreciation in the musicality of an intentional break of silence. I really liked the section of the article that detailed Cage’s move to the city and how the traffic and pedestrian noises felt like music to him, and inspired him to “compose the sounds of the city”. I think that his idea that music is all around us is quite inspiring, and I have a newfound appreciation for music that doesn’t initially seem like music on the surface.
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