John Cage: Music of Changes - Book I. John Cage's 4'33" John Cage "4'33" 4′33″ Conceived around 1947–1948, while the composer was working on Sonatas and Interludes,[2] 4′33″ became for Cage the epitome of his idea that any sounds may constitute music.[8] It was also a reflection of the influence of Zen Buddhism, which Cage studied since the late 1940s.
In a 1982 interview, and on numerous other occasions, Cage stated that 4′33″ was, in his opinion, his most important work.[9] The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes 4′33″ as Cage's "most famous and controversial creation".[2] History of composition[edit]