John Cage: Bacchanale (1938/1940)

John Cage (1912-1992): Bacchanale, for prepared piano (1938/1940). Margaret Lang Ten, pianoforte preparato. Cover image: painting by Blinky Palermo (part.) Bacchanale is Cage’s first work for prepared piano. He intended to write a piece for percussion ensemble, but the performance hall being too small, he started experimenting with objects inside the piano. The preparations are quite simple: weather-stripping, pieces of rubber, screws and bolts, placed between the strings. “Sy