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iTunes Offers Silent Freebie

First movement of John Cage's 4'33 becomes April Fool's giveaway

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 1, 2009 1:32 AM CDT

(Newser) – ITunes' April 1 giveaway is a landmark composition by avant-garde American composer John Cage, Gizmodo reports. The first movement of Cage's 4'33—an experimental piece consisting entirely of silence—has been made available for free download, although listeners who enjoy the first minute and 46 seconds of silence and want to hear the rest will have to cough up $1.98.

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American composer John Cage, (1912 - 1992), had a profound influence on avant-garde music and dance. He wrote 4'33 in 1953. (Getty Images)

John Cage's 4'33 calls for performers to leave their instruments alone, making the piece consist entirely of background sounds like the turning of blank sheets of music. (Shutter Stock)

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The BBC Symphony Orchestra "play" John Cage's 4'33. (TiraGuscio)

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iTunes Offers Silent Freebie