What are the key features of the first of Cage's Three Dances for two prepared pianos?
John Cage: Three Dances for two prepared pianos, No. 1. The prepared piano, rhythmic structure (proportional/nested rhythm), percussive altered timbres, ostinato and the influence of gamelan and percussion music.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work, the first of John Cage's Three Dances for two prepared pianos. Covers the prepared piano, rhythmic structure, percussive altered timbres, ostinato, the gamelan influence and the features the appraising exam rewards.
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What this dot point is asking
This is the first New Directions set work: the first of John Cage's Three Dances for two prepared pianos. You must know the prepared piano technique, the work's rhythmic structure and relentless ostinati, its percussive altered timbres, its texture (rhythm and timbre foregrounded over melody and harmony), and the influence of gamelan and percussion music.
Context: Cage and the prepared piano
The prepared piano
Rhythm and rhythmic structure
Texture, melody and harmony
How Edexcel examines this
This set work is examined with describe/comment questions on the prepared piano, the rhythmic structure and ostinati, the percussive timbres, and the texture, supported by the anthology. It may anchor the single set-work essay or feature in the links essay (paired with another percussion, gamelan-influenced or experimental extract; it links neatly to Debussy's gamelan-inspired Pagodes). The mark scheme rewards the terms prepared piano, ostinato, rhythmic structure, proportional/nested durations, cross-rhythm, percussive, timbre, located and explained.
Try this
Q1. How is a prepared piano made, and what is the effect? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. Objects (screws, bolts, rubber, felt) are placed on or between the strings, altering timbre and pitch to create percussive, gong-like sounds.
Q2. What is the main organising principle of the first dance? [Short explanation]
- Cue. Rhythm and duration, through relentless ostinati and a proportional (nested) rhythmic structure, rather than harmony.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Edexcel 20198 marksDescribe the use of the prepared piano and rhythm in the first of Cage's Three Dances. (Component 3, Section A, with anthology)Show worked answer →
A Section A question on Cage's techniques.
Prepared piano. Objects (screws, bolts, rubber, felt) placed on or between the strings alter the timbre and pitch, turning the two pianos into a percussion ensemble of muted, gong-like and unpitched sounds.
Rhythm. The music is driven by relentless, energetic ostinati and a precise rhythmic structure built from proportional, nested durations; the pulse is fast and motoric, with cross-rhythms between the two pianos.
Effect. A bright, percussive, dance-like soundscape. Locate examples of the altered timbres and the ostinato.
Markers reward the terms prepared piano, ostinato, rhythmic structure, percussive, cross-rhythm, located in the music, not "a strange-sounding piano piece".
Edexcel 20228 marksComment on the texture and structure of this extract from Cage's Three Dances. (Component 3, Section A)Show worked answer →
An 8-mark question on texture and structure.
Texture. Two prepared pianos interlock with ostinati and rhythmic patterns, creating a layered, percussive, often contrapuntal texture; the absence of conventional melody and harmony foregrounds rhythm and timbre.
Structure. Built on proportional rhythmic structures (durations organised in nested proportions), with repeating sections and ostinati rather than tonal forms.
A strong answer describes the interlocking two-piano texture, the foregrounding of rhythm and timbre over melody and harmony, and the proportional rhythmic structure, rather than asserting "busy modern music".
Related dot points
- Area of Study 6 New Directions: the three set works (Cage's Three Dances, Saariaho's Petals, Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring), and the twentieth-century techniques of prepared piano, live electronics, extended techniques, and rhythmic and harmonic innovation.
An overview of Area of Study 6 (New Directions) for Edexcel A-Level Music. Introduces the three set works by Cage, Saariaho and Stravinsky and the twentieth-century techniques of prepared piano, live electronics, extended techniques and rhythmic innovation that the appraising exam rewards.
- Kaija Saariaho: Petals for solo cello and optional live electronics. Extended cello techniques, the contrast of pure and noisy sounds, live electronic processing (reverb, harmonisation), spectral timbre and free form.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work, Kaija Saariaho's Petals for cello and live electronics. Covers extended cello techniques, the contrast of pure and noisy sounds, live electronic processing, spectral timbre, free form and the features the appraising exam rewards.
- Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring, first three sections (A-level only): Introduction, The Augurs of Spring, Ritual of Abduction. Irregular and additive rhythm, polyrhythm, ostinato, dissonance, polytonality, and huge orchestration.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work (A-level only), the first three sections of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. Covers irregular and additive rhythm, polyrhythm, ostinato, dissonance, polytonality, the huge orchestration and the features the appraising exam rewards.
- Texture, structure (form) and rhythm as analytical tools: textural types, the standard forms, metre, syncopation, hemiola, polyrhythm and additive metre across the six areas of study.
A focused answer on texture, structure and rhythm for Edexcel A-Level Music appraising. Covers textural types, binary, ternary, rondo, sonata, ritornello and verse-chorus forms, metre, syncopation, hemiola, polyrhythm and additive metre, with the vocabulary and bar-referencing Component 3 rewards.
- Claude Debussy: Estampes, Nos. 1 (Pagodes) and 2 (La soiree dans Grenade). Impressionist piano music fusing Western harmony with Javanese gamelan and Spanish influences, using pentatonic and whole-tone scales, modality and habanera rhythm.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work, Debussy's Estampes Nos. 1 (Pagodes) and 2 (La soiree dans Grenade). Covers impressionist piano music fusing Western harmony with Javanese gamelan and Spanish influences, pentatonic and whole-tone scales, modality and the habanera rhythm the appraising exam rewards.
Sources & how we know this
- Pearson Edexcel A-Level Music (9MU0) specification (Issue 7) — Pearson Edexcel (2016)
- Pearson set work support guide: John Cage, Three Dances — Pearson Edexcel (2016)