John Cage (1912-1992) was not a Minimalist composer, at least not in the same sense as most of tonight's composers. But Cage influenced a generation of composers and other artists, particularly in the downtown New York scene of the 1960s and '70s. In a Landscape is an early work (1948) for solo piano written for choreographer Louise Lippold. The piece floats by, dreamlike, like a work by Erik Satie. In a Landscape is lovely and peaceful, with pedal sustaining the tones and adding resonances throughout its simple, unaccompanied melody. Listening to the piece one might imagine sitting in a zen garden.

- Jessie Rothwell is the Publications Coordinator for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also writes music, plays the oboe, and sings Bulgarian folk music.