John Cage’s Concert for Piano and Orchestra
Martin Iddon and Philip Thomas Oxford University Press 978-0-19093847-5 480pp (hb) £47.99
When it was premiered in New
York in 1958, John Cage’s Concert for Piano and Orchestra caused a disruption that has been compared with the Paris performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. (In recent years Cage’s music has moved into the mainstream: the collective ‘Cage Against The Machine’ released a recording of 4’33” in 2010 to protest at the proliferation of X-factor-style noise pollution).
This painstakingly researched study guide (part of a joint venture between the Universities of Huddersfield and Leeds) follows the work’s conception to completion, from Elaine de Kooning’s request for ‘a tiny little work for me for the tiny little sum enclosed’ to the infamous firstnight recording. The writers offer detailed analysis of Cage’s mapping processes, the role of the conductor – who must recreate the movement of the second hand of a clock with precise timing – and how early editions of the work were published. The descriptions of pianist David Tudor’s performances (‘[the score] could be black as sin and I could still play it’) are second to none. It would have been useful to place the work into the wider landscape – there is little information about the impact of Concert for Piano and Orchestra beyond the 1960s, as a musical, visual and aesthetic achievement. Claire Jackson ★★★★
Music quality Audiophile headphones will elevate high-quality recordings but will also highlight the flaws in compressed MP3 files. Not a problem if you’re playing a CD, but if you’re streaming from a computer, I would suggest Cd-quality or better (16-bit/44.1khz).
Headphone amp If you have well-recorded music and great audiophile headphones but are relying on your smartphone or laptop amp, you won’t be hearing your headphones’ full potential. Adding a headphone amp will make a noticeable difference with vastly improved clarity (try ifi, Chord or Audiolab).
Drivers Traditionally, headphones use Dynamic (moving coil) drivers that work like mini speakers. The more expensive Planar magnetic drivers place a thin film and wires between two magnets which makes them responsive, distortion-free and precise. They weigh more and project less bass.