31'57.9864"	Composed in 1954. Premiered in Donaueschingen, October 17, 1954 with 34'46.776" for a pianist	This work is part of "The Ten Thousand Things" project. Notation of this work is spatial, with space being equal to time. The material provided may be used in whole or in part, and the resulting work may also be joined with other time-length pieces to provide a solo or ensemble work for any combination of players up to 2 pianists, 5 string players, and 1 percussionist. The production of harmonics and use of the pedal is free, and noises are included, in 3 categories. The preparations fall into 5 categories and are chosen by the performer (defined by string and material, as well as placement), as are decisions about preparation changes to be made during performance. This work is relatively easy to play -- Cage composed it for himself to perform, together with 34' 46.776" for a Pianist, which he wrote for David Tudor. Certain specifics of the work are graphed. The rhythmic structure is 3-7-2-5-11. The compositional means were chance operations and the use of the imperfections found in the paper upon which the work was written.
Meditation	Composed in 1943.	This is the original title of a work later known as Tossed as it is untroubled (Meditation).
A Book of Music	Composed in 1944. Premiered in New York, January 21, 1945.	This is a virtuoso concert work in 2 parts, Part I lasting about 12 minutes, part II, 18. Each part is subdivided into several smaller sections. Part I, in 4 short movements (I - IV), has a rhythmic structure of 2-7-2-3 and 2-7-2-3-3 and a tempo of 66. Part II is longer and more complex and has 3 major sections (V, VI and IX), in a tempo of 176. Here, the rhythmic structure is 5-21-5-7 and 5-21-5-7-7. The second and third sections of part II are interrupted by five short movements (VIIa, VIIb, VIIIa, VIIIb and VIIIc) for alternating solo keyboards; these sections have a slower tempo (132). The notation is conventional and the preparations are relatively elaborate.
A Valentine Out of Season	Composed in 1944.	This work was used for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham entitled Effusion avant l'heur (later Games; also Trio), premiered in the summer of 1949. It is a suite of three pieces, each quite distinct, the middle one dance-like. Overall, it is quite simple, as is the preparation of the piano. Cage wrote this piece just prior to his separation from his wife Xenia, hence, perhaps, the title.
Amores	Composed in 1936, revised in 1943. Premiered in New York, February 7, 1943. Premiered in Milan, Jan 29, 1959.	Movements I and IV of this composition were used as music for the eponymous choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham, which premiered in the summer of 1949. The work consists of 4 parts: I. Solo (prepared piano) - II. Trio (9 tom-toms, pod rattle) - III. Trio (7 woodblocks, not Chinese) - IV. Solo (prepared piano). The preparations comprise 9 screws, 8 bolts, 2 nuts, and 3 strips of rubber. The piano part expresses eroticism and tranquility, based on the permanent emotions in Indian tradition. The rhythmic structure of Solo No. 2 is 3, 3, 2, 2 and of Trio 1 10 x 10. Trio No. 2 was written in Santa Monica, California, as part of Cage’s Trio (1936).
And the Earth Shall Bear Again	Composed in 1942. Premiered in New York, December 6, 1942.	This is a sprightly, rhythmic solo piece, with moderately complex preparations (18 tones). It is included in the C.F. Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940-47, Vol. 1” (catalog number noted). This volume also contains Cage's short essay entitled “How the Piano Came to Be Prepared,” which was originally written for Richard Bunger’s book The Well-Prepared Piano.
Bacchanale	Begun in 1938, returned to and completed in 1940. Premiered in Seattle, April 28, 1940.	Bacchanale was Cage's first work for prepared piano, composed in response to a request for a "dance accompaniment" by fellow faculty member at the Cornish School, Syvilla Fort. As per Fort’s request for a work with an African “inflection,” Cage intended to write a piece for percussion ensemble. However, given that the performance space was too small to accommodate a battery of percussion instruments, and that he had only a traditional grand piano with which to work, he began experimenting with objects placed inside the piano – under and between its strings – attempting to alter its sounds. The final preparations are quite simple: weather-stripping, pieces of rubber, and screws and bolts. The prepared piano became a signal instrument for Cage. Years later, in 1949, after the N.Y. premiere of his magnus opus for the instrument, Sonatas and Interludes (1946-48), Cage received citations from both the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Academy of Arts and Letters for having "extended the boundaries of music."
Daughters of the Lonesome Isle	Composed in 1945. Premiered in Bronxville, N.Y., February 27, 1946.	This is a solo piano piece with an atmospheric character, divided into 19 clearly defined sections, its phraseology in accord with that of the dance for which it was written. The preparations of the 39 notes are moderately complicated.
In the Name of the Holocaust	Composed in 1942. Premiered in Chicago, February 14, 1943.	This work was originally used as music for the eponymous choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham. The title refers to the atrocities of World War II, but it also derives from the words 'Holy Ghost', referring to James Joyce. The music is bitter and gloomy, as might be expected.
Music for Marcel Duchamp	Composed in 1947.	This work was originally written for the Duchamp portion of Hans Richter's film entitled Dreams That Money Can Buy. The composition evokes timbres and harmonies of Asian music, as well as the music of Erik Satie, i.e. it is static, meditative, and timeless. The music uses few tones, muted by weather stripping (seven pieces), a piece of rubber, and one bolt. The soft materials avoid fluctuations in resonance. This was important for Cage because the music had to be recorded, and in the first recordings Cage commented on "how poor the piano [...] sounded". The rhythmic structure is 11 x 11 (extended): 2-1-1-3-1-2-1. One new idea in this work is evident in Cage’s use of silence, heard especially in the last part, where 7 x 2 bars of music are followed by 2 bars of silence. These repetitions create tension and constitute a new dimension in Cage's music, stepping away as they do from his usual rhythmic propulsions. This work is available in the C.F. Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940 - 47, Volume 2" (catalog number noted).
Mysterious Adventure	Composed in 1945. Premiered in New York, January 9, 1945.	This work was originally used as music for the eponymous choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham, using a compatible rhythmic structure. It is divided into 5 sections, arranged in block-like, modular segments that reappear in various forms. The work’s frenetic activities, not having particular direction, as well as its repetitions, make it a rather trivial piece, less successful than other of Cage’s simpler, more understated pieces, wherein tension and drive are better maintained. The piano preparation is moderately complicated, involving 27 notes. It is available in the CF Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940-47, Vol. 2" (catalog number noted).
Our Spring Will Come	Composed in 1943.	This music was used for the eponymous choreographed piece by Pearl Primus. In it, Cage uses prepared as well as unprepared piano tones, giving the composition an unusual effect. The preparations include bamboo strips, screws (including hook), nuts, and bolts. This is a lively and rhythmically intense work, set in a kind of rondo form. It is available in the C.F. Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940-47, Vol. 1" (catalog number noted). The published version was edited by Richard Bunger, approved by Cage.
Prelude for Meditation	Composed in 1944.	This work is available in the C.F. Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940-47, Vol. 2" (catalog number noted). This work has a tiny range of sounds and is rhythmically very simple. As in other works from this period, Cage uses only the white notes of the piano. It is somewhat reminiscent of the music of Erik Satie, of whom Cage was extremely fond.
Root of an Unfocus	Composed in 1944. Premiered in New York, April 5, 1944.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham of the same title. This piece is written in a rhythmic structure corresponding to that of the dance for which it was written. Its character is quite dramatic, with many repeated elements, played either very loudly or very softly. There is little development; the work begins and ends in a static situation. The preparation of the piano is not extensive.
Sonatas and Interludes	Composed between 1946 and 1948. Premiered in Black Mountain, N.C., April 6, 1948.	The Sonatas and Interludes are Cage's prepared piano masterwork. Much has been written about it, and in just about any article or book about the composer. The list of available CD recordings amounts to 14 at the time of this writing (December 2000). In this composition, Cage expresses his interpretation of the permanent emotions of Indian tradition: the Heroic, the Erotic, the Wondrous, the Comic (the four light moods), Sorrow, Fear, Anger, the Odious (the four dark moods), and their common tendency toward (central) Tranquility. This was Cage's first composition using Hindu philosophy as a basis, and he composed the Sonatas and Interludes in a period of time during which he was reading extensively the works of the Indian art historian and critic Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. Sonatas I through VIII and XII through XVI are written in AABB rhythmic structure, using varying proportions. The first two interludes have no structural repetitions, while the last two interludes as well as Sonatas IX, X and XI have prelude, interlude, and postlude. In his book The Music of John Cage, James Pritchett gives a very thorough structural analysis. The order of the Sonatas and Interludes is as follows: Sonatas I-IV; First Interlude; Sonatas V-VIII; Second Interlude; Third Interlude; Sonatas IX-XII, Fourth Interlude; Sonatas XIII-XVI. Sonatas XIV and XV are paired together under the name "Gemini - after the work of Richard Lippold" (an American sculptor). The preparation of the piano is quite elaborate and takes between 2 to 3 hours to complete. A total of 45 notes are prepared, mainly with screws and bolts, but also 15 pieces of rubber, 4 pieces of plastic, 6 nuts, and one eraser. In more recent years there has been a tendency to perform this work on a smaller piano, instead of a concert grand. The rationale for this may be justified, in the sense that Cage probably wrote the work on his own, smaller piano.
Spontaneous Earth	Composed in 1944. Premiered in New York, April 5, 1944.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham of the same title. It is available in the CF Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music1940 - 47, Vol. 2" (catalog number noted). Not much has been published about this piece, but, like much of Cage’s work from this period, it was composed for a dance by Merce Cunningham. It is piece with many repetitions, and its range of notes is limited. The preparation of the piano is uncomplicated.
The Perilous Night	Composed between 1943 and 1944. Premiered in New York, April 5, 1944.	This is a composition in six untitled movements. It was written during a period in Cage’s life that was tinged with confusion and sadness, resulting, in large part, from his imminent separation from his wife, Xenia. The title derives from a collection of Irish folktales. The music recounts the dangers of erotic love, the misery of people separating, and the loneliness and terror one may experience when love becomes unhappy. The piano preparation is moderately elaborate and each of the work’s six movements has a different rhythmic structure.
The Unavailable Memory of	Composed in 1944. Premiered in New York, April 5, 1944.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham of the same title. This work is available in the C.F. Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940-47, Vol. 2" (catalog number noted). This composition was edited by Richard Bunger in 1977. It is static and contemplative, and notated entirely in the bass-clef. It consists of various arpeggiations using the same five pitches.
Three Dances	Composed in 1944. Returned to and revised in 1945. Premiered in New York, January 21, 1945.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham, "Dromenon," with stage design by Sonja Sekula. The rhythmic structure of these dances is 2, 5, 2 - 2, 6, 2 - 2, 7, 2 when the tempo is 88; the proportions change when the tempo changes, in order not to maintain the overall structural proportions. This is a virtuoso piece, with a climax in the stormy third dance where open keyboard sounds are mixed with lively prepared piano effects. The preparations are quite elaborate, involving around 36 notes on each piano, and with a wide variety of materials including screws, pennies, rubber, plastic, weather stripping, and various bolts and nuts. The piece was commissioned by the piano duo Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale.
Tossed as it is Untroubled	Composed in 1943. Premiered in New York, April 5, 1944.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham of the same title. It is available in the C.F. Peters compilation "Prepared Piano Music 1940-47, Vol. 1" (catalog number noted). The original title of this piece is Meditation. The dance was called Tossed as it is untroubled. This is a lively dance piece, quite monophonic, set in a periodic rhythm, and written in a rhythmic structure 7 times 7.
Totem Ancestor	Composed in 1942. Premiered in New York, October 20, 1942.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham of the same title. A version for dance with Laban Notation is available (EP 6762a). The 11 notes comprising this piece are prepared with screws, bolts, weather stripping, and a free-rattling nut. It was written for the dance by Merce Cunningham of the same title and follows its phraseology.
Two Pastorales	Composed between 1951 and 1952. Premiered in New York, February 10, 1952.	The Two Pastorales were composed employing chance operations involving the same compositional techniques as Cage employed in his composition of Music of Changes. The strings are plucked with the finger, or occasionally muted with cymbal sticks. The performance instructions are very precise. Notation of sounds to be made is spatial, and tempo is indicated by large numbers entered above the staff.
Triple-Paced (First Version)	Composed in 1943. Premiered in New York, April 5, 1944.	This work was originally used as music for the choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham of the same title. This is Cage’s first version of Triple paced. A second version for prepared piano was composed one year later. Merce Cunningham used the second version as music for his dance. Published by Edition Peters in in "Works for Piano, Prepared Piano and Toy Piano, Volume 4: 1933-1952".
Triple-Paced (Second Version)	Composed in 1944.	This is the second version of Cage’s Triple paced. A first version for piano was composed one year before. Published by Edition Peters in "Works for Piano, Prepared Piano and Toy Piano, Volume 4: 1933-1952".
Music for "Works of Calder"	Composed between 1949 and 1950.	This composition was written for use in a short film by Herbert Matter on the subject of the artist Alexander Calder. The soundtrack, recorded in Calder’s studio in January 1950, incorporates the sounds of mobiles bumping into one another. The idea of the music was that sounds as noises be relevant to what one is seeing in the film, i.e. "Rhythmically composed sequences [that] suggest a parallel between familiar forms and movements in nature and the movements of Calder's mobile" (from John Cage: “A Few Ideas About Music and Film”). In 1951, Cage’s score was awarded First Prize by the Woodstock Art Film Festival. The master is held at the Museum of Modern Art Film Library in New York. Published by Edition Peters in "Works for Piano, Prepared Piano and Toy Piano, Volume 4: 1933-1952".