John Cage's 4'33": Using Aesthetic Theory to Understand a Musical Notion
Mark Robin Campbell · Journal of Aesthetic Education · 1992
When we are puzzled about what an artwork is, we are in a quandary. Usually our predicament begins in wonderment. Questions pop to mind, especially questions about the nature, meaning, and value of the work. What exactly are the features or aspects or qualities of the artwork that should garner our attention? What are the elements that should focus our appreciation or judgment? What descriptions do we use to define what the work is? Are there some descriptions that count more than others in determining what an artwork is? What are they? Does our response have any role in determining what an artwork is? How do we go about deciding what the work is? So begins the puzzle of John Cage's . Is 4'33 music? Has Cage intended for us to listen to a piece of music that is composed of four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence? Is that a listening experience? Can we say that we have had a musical experience? What features can we describe that account for this piece of art as a musical experience? These questions form the basis for our inquiry into understanding the nature, meaning, and value of musical experience.