Quote

Music is edifying, for from time to time it sets the soul in operation.

John Cage

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

John Cage
Age: 79 †
Born: 1912
Born: September 5
Died: 1992
Died: August 2
Composer
Illustrator
Music Theorist
Musician
Musicologist
Painter
Philosopher
Poet
University Teacher
Writer
LA
California
John Milton Cage Jr.
John Milton Cage
Jr.
John Milton
Jr. Cage
J. C.
Operations
Soul
Music
Time
Edifying
Operation
Sets

More quotes by John Cage

Image
If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.
John Cage
Image
Art's purpose is to sober and quiet the mind so that it is in accord with what happens.
John Cage
Image
Beware of losing what isn't in your head.
John Cage
Image
Paper should be edible, nutritious. Inks used for printing or writing should have delicious flavors. Magazines or newspapers read at breakfast should be eaten for lunch. Instead of throwing one's mail in the waste-basket, it should be saved for the dinner guests.
John Cage
Image
The act of listening is in fact an act of composing.
John Cage
Image
When I went to the analyst for a kind of preliminary meeting, he said, 'I'll be able to fix you so that you'll write much more music than you do now.' I said, 'Good heavens! I already write too much, it seems to me.' That promise of his put me off.
John Cage
Image
Get yourself out of whatever cage you find yourself in.
John Cage
Image
We need not destroy the past. It is gone.
John Cage
Image
Our business in living is to become fluent with the life we are living, and art can help this.
John Cage
Image
Everyday is a beautiful day, Everything is pleasing
John Cage
Image
Our intention is to affirm this life, not to bring order out of chaos, nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply to wake up to the very life we're living, which is so excellent once one gets one's mind and desires out of its way and lets it act of it's own accord.
John Cage
Image
Whether I make them or not, there are always sounds to be heard and all of them are excellent.
John Cage
Image
The attitude I take is that everyday life is more interesting than forms of celebration, when we become aware of it. That when is when our intentions go down to zero. Then suddenly you notice that the world is magical.
John Cage
Image
So somebody has talent? So what? Dime a dozen. And we're overpopulated. Actually we have more food than we have people and more art. We've gotten to the point of burning food. When will we begin to burn our art?
John Cage
Image
All great art is a form of complaint
John Cage
Image
To accept whatever comes, regardless of the consequences, is to be unafraid.
John Cage
Image
Out of the work comes the work.
John Cage
Image
It's useless to play lullabies for those who cannot sleep.
John Cage
Image
Why do you not do as I do? Letting go of your thoughts as though they were the cold ashes of a long dead fire?
John Cage
Image
When we separate music from life we get is art.
John Cage