Music for Two Pianos

AMG Review of Music for Two Pianos

Martin Walters
All Music Guide

There are few critics of the great American composer John Cage because his music holds such an iconic position in the avant-garde world. Like any composer, his work often suffers from over-interpretation, and with hundreds of recordings of his work on the market it is often difficult to know where to begin. Among these recordings there are of course a handful where the experimental composer was overseeing the productions and performances of his own work. Music for Two Pianos is a prime example of what separates the good from the great in John Cage recordings. Of his many compositions for piano, this work defines his aesthetic and conceptual interests in the instrument. From his "prepared" piano through to minimal and almost folk simplicity, atonality, and Eastern-inspired texture, all of the most striking traits of his piano works are explored in detail here.