Two Silences – John Cage and Toru Takemitsu

This paper conducts a comparative analysis of the concepts of silence in the works of John Cage and Toru Takemitsu. The study aims to explore the philosophical origins of the notion of silence, as well as the ways of interpreting and applying the concepts in the musical language of both composers. The analysis includes the historical and cultural context of the formation of Cage's and Takemitsu's aesthetic views, as well as the individual characteristics of their creative paths. Special attention is given to the question of how silence functions in musical time and space, and how it is perceived by the listener and performer. The aim of the paper is to compare Cage's and Takemitsu's approaches to silence and to determine whether the concepts formulated by them persist throughout their works or only manifest in pieces where silence is prominently featured. To this end, non-programmatic compositions that are not devoted to silence are considered, those being Takemitsu's solo piano piece "For Away" and Cage's sixth solo piano etude from the "Etudes Australes" cycle. The research method includes a step-by-step examination of each composer's concepts of silence while taking into account the historical context, philosophical definitions, and an analysis of the musical text, as well as subsequent comparisons. The scientific novelty of this study lies in the analysis of Cage's and Takemitsu's concepts of silence through the lens of lesser-known piano works, which allows tracking the consistency of their aesthetic and philosophical principles. The results of the research reveal several differences in their approaches and concepts of silence, demonstrating its multifaceted nature: silence is not limited to a conventional understanding, but can manifest in various ways—such as the "boundary of the auditory range" or the "flow of continuous music." The paper draws parallels between musical interpretations of silence and other fields of knowledge, such as quantum physics, Indian philosophy, Japanese cultural heritage, and Zen Buddhism. Takemitsu's silence is defined as "spiritual" and "musical," while Cage's silence is characterized as "practical" and "intellectual."