Nowth upon Nacht
Encyclopedia
Nowth upon Nacht is a song for voice and piano by John Cage
. It was composed in 1984 in memoriam for Cathy Berberian
, the celebrated soprano singer, wife of composer Luciano Berio
.
The text is taken directly from a passage from page 556 of James Joyce
's Finnegans Wake
. This passage follows right after another, which Cage used earlier in The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs
, and Nowth upon Nacht is intended to be performed right after that piece. The vocal line is declamatory and uses a small number of high pitches. Cage did not make any alterations to Joyce's text. The pianist does not touch the keys but produces noises by shutting the piano lid with the sustain pedal depressed.
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
. It was composed in 1984 in memoriam for Cathy Berberian
Cathy Berberian
Catherine Anahid Berberian was an American soprano and composer. She interpreted contemporary avant-garde music composed, among others, by Luciano Berio, Bruno Maderna, John Cage, Henri Pousseur, Sylvano Bussotti, Darius Milhaud, Roman Haubenstock-Ramati , Igor Stravinsky.She also interpreted...
, the celebrated soprano singer, wife of composer Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work and also for his pioneering work in electronic music.-Biography:Berio was born at Oneglia Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian...
.
The text is taken directly from a passage from page 556 of James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake is a novel by Irish author James Joyce, significant for its experimental style and resulting reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language. Written in Paris over a period of seventeen years, and published in 1939, two years before the author's...
. This passage follows right after another, which Cage used earlier in The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs
The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs
The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs is a song for voice and closed piano by John Cage. It was composed in late 1942 and quickly became a minor classic in Cage's oeuvre...
, and Nowth upon Nacht is intended to be performed right after that piece. The vocal line is declamatory and uses a small number of high pitches. Cage did not make any alterations to Joyce's text. The pianist does not touch the keys but produces noises by shutting the piano lid with the sustain pedal depressed.