György Kurtág György Kurtág György Kurtág (; born 19 February 1926 in Lugoj) is an award-winning Hungarian classical composer and pianist. He was an academic teacher of piano at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music from 1967, later also of chamber music, and taught until 1993. György Kurtág was born in Lugoj in the Banat region of Romania, to Hungarian parents. He became a Hungarian citizen in 1948, after moving to Budapest in 1946. There, he began his studies at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where he met his wife, Márta Kinsker, as well as composer György Ligeti, who became a
Works for prepared piano by John Cage Works for prepared piano by John Cage American avant-garde composer John Cage (1912–1992) started composing pieces for solo prepared piano around 1938–40. The majority of early works for this instrument were created to accompany dances by Cage's various collaborators, most frequently Merce Cunningham. In response to frequent criticisms of prepared piano, Cage cited numerous predecessors (such as Henry Cowell). In the liner notes for the very first recording of his most highly acclaimed work for prepared piano, "Sonatas and Interludes", Cage wrote: "Composing for the prepared piano is not a criticism of the instrument. I'm only being practical." This article