Cage-Dance Music for Elfrid Ide (S)-P/PN

The compositional background of this work remains somewhat cloudy. While serving on the Dance Faculty at Mills College (in the summer of 1940 and 1942), Cage wrote the music to accompany the graduation thesis of the talented graduate student and dance instructor Elfrid Ide. The dance received it first and likely only performance at Mills College on May 20, 1941 as part of Ide's thesis dance Concert.

Number of Players: 6-3
Difficulty: Grade 5
Instrumentation:

Movement I: For six percussionists. (Hand Claps, Claves, Rattle, Whisk, Cowbell, Slitblockm 6 Tom-Toms)

Movement II: For four percussionists. ( Slide Whistle, Cymbal, Tpy Piano,Ratchet, Squawker, Bass Drum, Low Tom Tom, 3 Muted Gongs)

Movement III: For pianist and Two Percussion Players (Claves, Slapstick, Rattle)

John Cage was born on September 5, 1912 in Los Angeles, California and died in New York City on August 12, 1992. He studied liberal arts at Pomona College. Among his composition teachers were Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg. Cage was elected to the American National Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and received innumerable awards and honors both in the United States and in Europe.