John Cage centenary celebrations continue on BBC Radio 3

BBC Radio 3 continues its exploration of John Cage this week (photo: Susan Schwartzenberg)

The centenary celebrations of John Cage and his music continue this week on BBC Radio 3.

The composer, whose works – perhaps most famously 4’33’’ – raised questions about music and performance which continue to provoke debate and strong opinions today, will be explored through five programmes across the coming week.

Starting tomorrow (Saturday September 15), performances include the Concerto for Prepared Piano from Ivan Volkov and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, followed later in the week by further explorations of the prepared piano by musician Aphex Twin and comedian Rainer Hersch.

There are also discussions about Cage’s influence on other artistic disciplines, including a conversation with sculptor Antony Gormley. See Radio 3’s website for more details about Cage coverage.

You can also explore the work of John Cage through two features on the Gramophone website:

Nine ways to fall in love with Cage: a guide to the composer’s music

Engaging with Cage: Philip Clark absorbs the sounds around John Cage’s apartment to understand why he wrote what he did