UPDATE: I need three more American cat photos to make ten. Response was poor, I’m sad to say.
Here’s Nola the Cat, one of the stars of Chicago’s Acro-Cats, performing John Cage’s famous (non)piece 4’33”.
Look, if it’s applauded when a human does it, why should it be considered as any less good when a cat turns in an identical performance?
This can’t be the first time this has been done, but it’s the first I’ve seen. Brilliant.
The cat will probably be sued for copyright violation.
“Fair Use” — like 2 Live Crew sampling “Pretty Woman” on Nasty As They Wanna Be. 🙂
I was referring to this old practical joke: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-11964995
Lovely story, Stuart. I don’t think that fair use sampling counts, Ken, when you use the entire piece 🙂
I cheated and jumped to the end.
In my defence I’ve heard it before.
I watched this patiently waiting for something. I then looked up a performance by a person. I have a picture of the only cat I’ve ever had but it’s a picture of a picture of my younger sister and the cat. It’s a little blurry.
Hey I would’ve sent a cat pic but I’m not American 😛
When by mishap we broadcast the dreaded ‘dead air’ in my area of BBC radio I would say, “That was a short extract from John Cage’s 4’33’.” It usually lightened things up.
My cat friend Mitzy would be unable to perform this piece. She is constantly talking or purring.
I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.
My backside just performed 4’33”.
After which I ran out of patience and went off to find some cascara.
So John Cage can (wait for it – ) sue my ass.
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(Sorry ’bout that, couldn’t help it.
I would like to watch Cage and Nola perform 4’33 as a duo. Too late, I guess.
What a virtuoso! Such feeling! Such expressive silence! The crescendo half way through was very moving.
Sadly, I 1. don’t have a cat, and 2. am not American.
Well, to be fair, the cat is only performing a *transcription* of 4’33”, which was for piano originally . Although if the cat transcribed it herself, or played by ear, that’s impressive.
Right – in a way (according to a cellist friend of mine) this piece is being performed wrong, as it is supposed to be the sounds of sitting at the piano, the opening of the score, etc.
Actually, the original score for 4’33” doesn’t specify what instrument should not be played (although David Tudor did use a piano for its premiere performance).
How did they get the cat to sit still so long? Mine would be cleaning themselves, or lying down or going off.
To quote John Cage, this composition is “an affirmation of life – not an attempt to bring order out of chaos nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply a way of waking up to the very life we’re living.” For my money, Cage is one of the greatest composers–and thinkers–who ever lived.
Are the Cat’s back legs glued to the mat?