Beethoven's Fifth. Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik". Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode". Smash Mouth's "All Star". What do these songs have in common? They have all taken their rightful place in the eyes of the public as some of the most significant, magnificent, and overall greatest pieces of music ever conceived by mankind. But what if I told you that there was a song, a whisper in the winds, a combination of melody and harmony spoken of amongst those who keep the legend alive, that surpasses these songs in every way imaginable? Which defies all previously held conventions of the limit of the human spirit and gives its listeners an entirely new outlook on this magical roller coaster ride we call life?
If you aren't familiar with a song with such glorious attributes, allow me to tell you about the single most important piece of media you will ever consume in your life. That's right, I'm talking about the one, the only, "Four Minutes, 33 Seconds", by the greatest composer of all time, Mr. John Cage.
Unusual title, right? Well if you happen to listen to the song, the reasoning behind the name becomes evident. Not only is that the amount of time the song takes, but there simply is no conceivable title that could succinctly summarize every aspect of this unbelievable piece. The only way to describe it properly is through a lifetime of research and writing, as countless scholars have soon since its completion in 1952. This measly article itself is completely inadequate as a proclamation of the merits of 4'33", but I needed to use my position to spread the word as far and wide as I could to those whose lives needed the influence of Cage's magnum opus.
As I mentioned, although today's society does not give this song 1/100th of the attention it deserves, musical scholars and analysts have recognized it for the work of genius that it is. In the 64 years since its inception, it has become the most discussed work in the history of musical literature by far. The Cage Library in Cage's hometown of Los Angeles houses the greatest collection of works on the song, with over 4,330,000 tomes devoted exclusively to this song.
4'33" has also earned the intense admiration of those in other musical walks of life. World-famous conductor Gustavo Dudamel calls it his "favorite piece to conduct by a landslide", saying, "it's not even close. Mahler symphonies, covers of 'Sweatshirt' by Jacob Sartorius, they don't hold a candle to Cage and his greatest work. Nothing does". The renowned composer Leonard Bernstein even asked for it to be the final thing he heard on his deathbed, and as Cage's melody washed over his age-worn mortal vessel, a peace came upon him and he gave his final words: "I see a bright light that I must go to, and I think it'll take me a little under five minutes to get there".
If you were to ask me what makes this song so special to me, I would say many, may things. The mood, the rhythms, the expression, the interweaving of melody and harmony in intricate, fascinating ways... But you know what really does the trick for me? The pauses. Cage has earned the reputation as the greatest musician of all time simply by merit of his command of rests in this one song, and if this seems unlikely or even impossible, you'll agree once you listen. Never before, and never again, will any work of art utilize an absence of creation in its medium with such titanic and unrelenting effectiveness.
Are you still skeptical? Do you remain unimpressed by these gargantuan credentials and eager to see this Cage guy put his money where his mouth is? Well if you really don't believe me, look it up for yourself. The entire song is on YouTube, but I must warn you: make sure you're sitting down before you start listening. Some converts have reported losing control of their limbs and falling once the cascade of euphoric utterances and grandiose emotions that constitute this piece wash over their helpless minds.
So what are you still doing here? Go ahead, go listen! Those of you that have already had the immense pleasure of prior introduction to 4'33", don't pretend that your day couldn't use the greatest pick-me-up possible. And for those of you who haven't... I've never been more certain of anything in my life than I am of how different your life will be five minutes after you click on the video. It's truly beyond description, so the best I can do is give you some extremely basic information to inform you of its merits and urge you to make the best decision of your life. You'll be a changed person after 4'33". I'd even bet that once you're done listening to it, the only response you'll be capable of making is sitting still, with your mouth agape, in
complete
silence.
