When I was a young music ed major, I remember learning about John Cage and his silent piece “4:33.” You can see an excerpt of John Cage performing this work via the WGBH Media Library and Archives’ Open Vault!
Search HALCat to find Andersen Library’s books and sound recordings to learn more, such as The Cambridge companion to John Cage (3rd-Floor Main Collection, ML410.C24 C36 2002), Composition in retrospect (3rd-Floor Main Collection, PS3553.A32 C6 1993), Song books: Solos for voice 3-92 (3rd-Floor Main Collection, M1470.C34 S6x), and Sonatas and interludes for prepared piano (2nd-floor Browsing “Academic” CDs, M23.C33 S7 1999, or stream via Naxos Music Library database). Search article databases for articles such as “Happy New Ears! In Celebration of 100 Years: The State of Research on John Cage” (Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, 2012, vol.69:no.1, pp.9-22) and “John Cage and Recorded Sound: A Discographical Essay” (Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, 2010, vol.67:no.2, pp.382-409).
Please ask a librarian if you would appreciate assistance with finding additional materials.
Wouldn’t the recording of this be all silence?
Yes, it would! There’s an interesting article aboutJohn Cage and his evolution or development as a composer at http://rosewhitemusic.com/piano/writings/silence-taught-john-cage/