Atlas Eclipticalis
The Music of John Cage and Earle Brown
Composition Realizations by John Bickerton
The John Cage Trilogy
Inspired by Hidekazu Yoshida’s interpretations of Japanese Haiku poetry, John Cage formed a trilogy of his existing works honoring the essence of the poetry. Atlas Eclipticalis (1961), the first piece in the trilogy, represents nirvana. Variations IV (1963), the second work, represents samsara—the turmoil of everyday life. 0’00” (1962), the third piece, represents individual action.
The album continues with realizations of 2 graphic scores by Earle Brown, November 1952 and December 1952. The CD closes with a performance of John Cage’s Radio Music.