Reading Response #2

1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.

I chose the article by John Cage entitled “The Future of Music: Credo” published n 1958 which was originally a lecture he gave in 1937. Cage describes his thoughts on what music will become in the future. When prospecting on future advancements, many ideas are often misunderstood or considered absurd but Cage is able to describe his imaginative ideas in a clear, understandable way. I chose this article because I thought it would be interesting to see if any of Cage’s ideas on what music was going to evolve into have already come true.


2. What are the main points of the essay?

Cage sees music of the future being composed of any and all sounds through electrical means but to fully utilize new technology in making music we have to break away from the old style of music that was made for instruments. New music must be written that is suited to these new electrical instruments. Cage also points out that in this new way of making music sounds will be infinite as well as the time that they can be placed in; this transforms the composer into more of an ‘organizer of sounds’.


3. How are the ideas or arguments in this article relevant to your own practice as a media artist?

As a media artist this article has opened new doors that lead to a whole new medium to delve into and explore. Cage’s ideas provide a springboard of a new way of viewing music and sound that sends the mind spinning with new ideas of what can be recorded and produced as music. As a media artist it is important to always be exploring and testing the current limits of mediums.