“The attitude that I take is that everyday life is more interesting than forms of celebration, when we become aware of it. That ‘when‘ is when our intentions go down to zero. Then suddenly you notice that the world is magical.”
John Cage
(September 5, 1912 – 1992)
Sign: Virgo
Gay American avant-garde composer, music theorist, and writer, widely regarded as one of the most influential American composers of the twentieth century. His interests included chance, the I Ching, mushrooms, emptiness, calligraphy, fame, and Zen.
Best known for his use of a “prepared piano” as a one-man gamelan. A prolific worker, his compositions included Sonatas and Interludes (1946-8), his Number Pieces (1987-92), and the silent piano solo, 4′33′′ (1952).
“Faggot Forefathers” is a weekly series highlighting the lives of historically significant gay men and their contributions to our world.