20 Years Before John Cage’s 4’33”, a Man Named Hy Cage Created a Cartoon about a Silent Piano Composition (1932)

Quite a find by Futility Closet:

In John Cage’s 1952 composition 4’33”, the performer is instructed not to play his instrument.

American music critic Kyle Gann discovered this 1932 cartoon in The Etude, a magazine for pianists.

The cartoonist’s name, remarkably, is Hy Cage.

Need any background on Cage’s 4’33”? Explore the posts in the Relateds below.

via Boing Boing

Related Content:

John Cage’s Silent, Avant-Garde Piece 4’33” Gets Covered by a Death Metal Band

John Cage Performs His Avant-Garde Piano Piece 4’33” … in 1’22” (Harvard Square, 1973)

The Curious Score for John Cage’s “Silent” Zen Composition 4’33”

The BBC Symphony Orchestra Performs 4′33,″ the Controversial Composition by John Cage, Born 100 Years Ago Today


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