BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM: JOHN CAGE
A week or two ago Susie and I heard two women, Olivia Black and Lea Bertucci, play their own compositions in the tradition of John Cage and Black Mountain College music. Tonight we heard two pieces by teachers in the 50’s at Black Mountain College, Stefan Wolpe and John Cage, played by the Moments Quartet. This was music without a tune, without a steady beat, without harmony, all of which are central to most music, including the bluegrass music that I have been listening to in Marshall with its heavy beat and constantly repeated chords and accompanying voice and words. The music seemed to my untrained ear to be without form, and to me seemed to be extremely difficult to play in its formlessness. I don’t know why it held my interest. Maybe it was the formlessness with no beat or tune to indicate what might come next. It was for me like wandering in the dark, all surprises.
BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 