Double Music (1941). John Cage/Lou Harrison

I was inspired by tonight's Olympic synchronized platform diving:

Nine judges assess synchronised diving. Four judge the execution of individual dives, and five assess synchronisation - how the pairs mirror height, distance from the springboard or platform, speed of rotation and entry into the water.

And in a posthumous honor surprisingly not covered by NBC, Olympic gold medals for synchronized composing were awarded to John Cage and Lou Harrison for their Double Music. In a successful act of simultaneity and collaboration from 1941, John Cage composed two percussion parts for the piece (soprano and tenor) and independently, Lou Harrison the other two (alto and bass). Instruments included bells, brake drums, etc., all of which makes for a fun, fast work. johncage.info calls it "festive." Amazon samples.

Synchronized composers Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar were awarded the silver medal for Passages. Olympic judges are still searching for a third pair eligible for the bronze.

In 1941: John Cage was teaching at the Chicago School of Design. Comedian and actor Bob Hope staged his first USO show. Gilbert Gable, an Oregon mayor, announced that seven counties in Oregon and California should form their own state of "Jefferson."