Acrostich sur le nom de CAGE

Sinfonietta for String Orchestra by Jean-Thierry Boisseau

Duration : circa 18'00

Dedication : à la mémoire de John Cage

Menu:

• Performance Notes
• Notes en français
• Purchase Sheetmusic
• Other works by Jean-Thierry Boisseau
• English Startpage
• Page initiale en français

Other works for Strings by Jean-Thierry Boisseau:

• Cinq Episodes for String Quartet
• Concerto for Organ, Strings and Percusion

Notes

This Sinfonietta for Strings is dedicated to the memory of John Cage. If it seems to have no connection to the music of Cage, this isn’t just an impression. Indeed, this work effectively has nothing to do with the musical works of Cage, no more than the Cage's music had much to do with Cage the man. Outside of the excuse of the acrostic (Cage himself enjoyed these literary games) on the four letters of his family name, this piece has an indirect but sufficent link to Cage. This comes from the manner in which the obsessive counterpoint that makes up much of this work is close to the form of a mushroom. Cage, as many know, was indeed a mushroom expert and loved to hunt for them in various forests. Those who are Cage fans, will understand both mushrooms and counterpoint. I chose to honor Cage by writing a piece in total opposition to Cage’s preoccupations and light years away from from his own tastes. This seems to me to be the most “Cage-ian” of approaches, beginning with the principle that the most certain way “to be” is “not to be”.

One could, if one wished, find in the piece (outside of any mycological intrusions) other compositional devices....ad libitum. The sections beginning with the letters C, A, E must be played as written. The section named by the letter G is made up of three sucessive canons. It may be played as written, but one could also choose a different order for the canons or only play one or two of them (in the same order or a different order).