--- title: "11 Music is Quotes By John Cage" description: "11 Music is quotes by John Cage. Plus more from John Cage and more Music is sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/john-cage-2094_composing_the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silen_102405.png" --- > [The material of music is sound and silence. Integrating these is composing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silence-integrating-these-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/john-cage-2094_composing_the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silen_102405.png) > [Music is edifying, for from time to time it sets the soul in operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/music-is-edifying-for-from-time-to-time-it-sets-the-soul-in-operation/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/john-cage-2094_music_music-is-edifying-for-from-time-to-time_379987.png) > [My favorite piece of music is the one we hear all the time if we are quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-favorite-piece-of-music-is-the-one-we-hear-all-the-time-if-we-are/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/john-cage-2094_music_my-favorite-piece-of-music-is-the-one-we_422951.png) > [My favorite music is the music I haven't yet heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-favorite-music-is-the-music-i-haven-t-yet-heard/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/john-cage-2094_favorite-music_my-favorite-music-is-the-music-i-haven-t_1353669.png) > [Music is a means of rapid transportation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/music-is-a-means-of-rapid-transportation/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/john-cage-2094_mean_music-is-a-means-of-rapid-transportation_1968797.png) > [If this word "music" is sacred and reserved for eighteenth and nineteenth century instruments, we can substitute a more meaningful term: organization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-this-word-music-is-sacred-and-reserved-for-eighteenth-and/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/john-cage-2094_century_if-this-word-music-is-sacred-and-reserve_2624719.png) > [My favourite music is the music I haven't yet heard. I don't hear the music I write: I write in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-favourite-music-is-the-music-i-haven-t-yet-heard-i-don-t-hear-the/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-cage-2094_favourite_my-favourite-music-is-the-music-i-haven_2882045.png) > [Let no one imagine that in owning a recording he has the music. The very practice of music is a celebration that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/let-no-one-imagine-that-in-owning-a-recording-he-has-the-music-the/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/john-cage-2094_celebration_let-no-one-imagine-that-in-owning-a-reco_597634.png) > [ My favorite piece \[piece of music\] is the one we hear all the time if we are quiet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-favorite-piece-piece-of-music-is-the-one-we-hear-all-the-time-if/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/john-cage-2094_ifs_my-favorite-piece-piece-of-music-is-the_1098264.png) > [We are living in a period in which many people have changed their mind about what the use of music is or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/we-are-living-in-a-period-in-which-many-people-have-changed-their/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/john-cage-2094_activity_we-are-living-in-a-period-in-which-many_1059989.jpg) > [Percussion music is revolution. Sound and rhythm have too long been submissive to the restrictions of nineteenth century music. Today we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/percussion-music-is-revolution-sound-and-rhythm-have-too-long-been/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/john-cage-2094_bowls_percussion-music-is-revolution-sound-and_793637.png) ## Other authors on Music is ## More by John Cage > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [ It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic \[totally silent\] chamber not expecting in that silent room… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years-ago-that-i-went-into-an/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [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.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/so-somebody-has-talent-so-what-dime-a-dozen-and-we-re-overpopulated/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-important-questions-are-answered-by-not-liking-only-but-disliking/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [The material of music is sound and silence. Integrating these is composing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silence-integrating-these-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [There is poetry as soon as we realize that we possess nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-is-poetry-as-soon-as-we-realize-that-we-possess-nothing/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [To see, one must go beyond the imiagination and for that one must stand absolutely still as though at the center of a leap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/to-see-one-must-go-beyond-the-imiagination-and-for-that-one-must/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Value judgments are destructive to our proper business, which is curiosity and awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/value-judgments-are-destructive-to-our-proper-business-which-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Our intention is to affirm this life, not to bring order out of chaos, nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/our-intention-is-to-affirm-this-life-not-to-bring-order-out-of-chaos/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [There are some good people in it, but the orchestra as a whole is equivalent to a gang bent on destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-are-some-good-people-in-it-but-the-orchestra-as-a-whole-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Art's purpose is to sober and quiet the mind so that it is in accord with what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/art-s-purpose-is-to-sober-and-quiet-the-mind-so-that-it-is-in-accord/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [People who aren't artists often feel that artists are inspired. But if you work at your art you don't have time to be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/people-who-aren-t-artists-often-feel-that-artists-are-inspired-but-if/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“Farting, don't think, just fart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/farting-don-t-think-just-fart/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Not one sound fears the silence that extinguishes it. And no silence exists that is not pregnant with sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/not-one-sound-fears-the-silence-that-extinguishes-it-and-no-silence/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [My work became an exploration of non-intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-work-became-an-exploration-of-non-intention/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/john-cage/#itemlist", "name": "11 Music is Quotes By John Cage", "numberOfItems": 11, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The material of music is sound and silence. 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"text": "If this word \"music\" is sacred and reserved for eighteenth and nineteenth century instruments, we can substitute a more meaningful term: organization of sound.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cage" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-this-word-music-is-sacred-and-reserved-for-eighteenth-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/john-cage-2094_century_if-this-word-music-is-sacred-and-reserve_2624719.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/john-cage-2094_century_if-this-word-music-is-sacred-and-reserve_2624719.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/john-cage-2094_century_if-this-word-music-is-sacred-and-reserve_2624719.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If this word \"music\" is sacred and reserved for eighteenth and nineteenth century instruments, we can…” — John Cage", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My favourite music is the music I haven't yet heard. I don't hear the music I write: I write in order to hear the music I haven't yet heard.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cage" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-favourite-music-is-the-music-i-haven-t-yet-heard-i-don-t-hear-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-cage-2094_favourite_my-favourite-music-is-the-music-i-haven_2882045.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-cage-2094_favourite_my-favourite-music-is-the-music-i-haven_2882045.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-cage-2094_favourite_my-favourite-music-is-the-music-i-haven_2882045.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My favourite music is the music I haven't yet heard. 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The very practice of music is a celebration that we own nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cage" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/let-no-one-imagine-that-in-owning-a-recording-he-has-the-music-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/john-cage-2094_celebration_let-no-one-imagine-that-in-owning-a-reco_597634.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/john-cage-2094_celebration_let-no-one-imagine-that-in-owning-a-reco_597634.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/john-cage-2094_celebration_let-no-one-imagine-that-in-owning-a-reco_597634.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let no one imagine that in owning a recording he has the music. 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Something that doesn't speak or talk like a human being, that doesn't know its definition in the dictionary or its theory in the schools, that expresses itself simply by the fact of its vibrations. People paying attention to vibratory activity, not in reaction to a fixed ideal performance, but each time attentively to how it happens to be this time, not necessarily two times the same. 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Sound and rhythm have too long been submissive to the restrictions of nineteenth century music. Today we are fighting for their emancipation. Tomorrow, with electronic music in our ears, we will hear freedom. At the present stage of revolution, a healthy lawlessness is warranted. Experiment must necessarily be carried on by hitting anything-tin pans, rice bowls, iron pipes-anything we can lay our hands on. Not only hitting, but rubbing, scraping, making sound in every possible way...What we can't do ourselves will be done by machines which we will invent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cage" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/percussion-music-is-revolution-sound-and-rhythm-have-too-long-been/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/john-cage-2094_bowls_percussion-music-is-revolution-sound-and_793637.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/john-cage-2094_bowls_percussion-music-is-revolution-sound-and_793637.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/john-cage-2094_bowls_percussion-music-is-revolution-sound-and_793637.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Percussion music is revolution. Sound and rhythm have too long been submissive to the restrictions of…” — John Cage", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/john-cage/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/john-cage/", "name": "Music is Quotes by John Cage", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/john-cage/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/john-cage-2094_composing_the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silen_102405.png" }, "description": "11 Music is quotes by John Cage. 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