Third Construction by John Cage

Performed by Lagan Percussion
Ricky Bracamontes, Taylor Davis, James Ferris, and Daniel Strange

At Vic Firth, we're excited to present this new video of John Cage's "Third Construction" because to us it represents a new era in concert performances. No longer are fine young artists such as these confined to the recital hall, but they can freely express their musicality and visual creativity in unique spaces for much wider audiences than have been available in the past!

Lagan Percussion is a group that strives to create and present important musical events to receptive and curious audiences. Lagan hopes to invite listeners into a new musical world, and bring contemporary percussion music to the forefront of conversation.

ABOUT THE PIECE:
Construction is the title of several pieces by American composer John Cage, all scored for unorthodox percussion instruments. The pieces were composed in 1939--42 while Cage was working at the Cornish School of the Arts in Seattle, Washington and touring the West Coast with a percussion ensemble he and Lou Harrison had founded. The series comprises three Constructions.

Third Construction
Composed in 1941 and dedicated to Xenia Kashevaroff-Cage, to whom Cage was then married and who played in his percussion orchestra. Third Construction is scored for four percussionists. There are 24 sections of 24 bars each, and the rhythmic structure is rotated between the players: 8, 2, 4, 5, 3, 2 for the fourth, 2, 8, 2, 4, 5, 3 for the first, etc.