John Cage - Sonata II

“Sonata II” composed between 1946 and 1948 left an incredible impression on me. When I first started listening to and watching it, I thought how fascinating art could be. It is different from “Eight”, yet if you listen to it carefully, the mystification and puzzlement they both invoke can be quite related. In my opinion, the instruments are really important when it comes to performing music, in this case Cage gives us the opportunity to see closely how “Sonata II'' is performed on piano. Watching the strings moving at the beginning of the video gave the impression as more people are included in the performance.

However, soon I see a girl and her connection with the instrument itself being personal and intimate, playing the notes with such passion. At 0:54, we can see a girl’s relation to the instrument itself as well as her intoxication with the notes.

The thing I like the most in this piece is the intensity being  neither fast, nor slow, but perfectly compatible to the ear. For example, at 2:00 there is an accelerated tonality with the rapid movement of the fingers while playing the piano, slightly changing to the slower one switching to the move of strings. The interrelation between the instrument and sounds is sublime, because it makes one think about the music itself profoundly.

Nonetheless, is watching the performance of the sounds the same as just listening to it? I suppose not, they both bring their own magic. While listening to “Eight”, it made me imagine and feel different types of sounds, both calming and perplexing, yet enchanting. On the other hand, “Sonata II” with a prepared piano gives a different notion due to the visual effect it provides as well.

Considering the fact “Sonata II” was introduced to Indian visual arts, it is unique in its form due to the emotion it evokes being deep and affective, the sense of sorrow and anger combined in the piece gives its contrasting understanding of the art. The differentiation Cage makes using the instrument to express his talent and art contributes to create the sense of grandness which can be highly considered as a masterpiece.