9 1 2 – 1 9 9 2 ) ▁started ▁compos ing ▁pieces ▁for ▁solo ▁prepared ▁piano ▁around ▁ 1 9 3 8 – 4 0 . ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁early ▁works ▁for ▁this ▁instrument ▁were ▁created ▁to ▁accomp any ▁d ances ▁by ▁C age ' s ▁various ▁collabor ators , ▁most ▁frequently ▁Mer ce ▁C unning ham . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁frequent ▁critic isms ▁of ▁prepared ▁piano , ▁C age ▁c ited ▁numerous ▁prede cess ors ▁( such ▁as ▁Henry ▁Cow ell ). ▁In ▁the ▁l iner ▁notes ▁for ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁recording ▁of ▁his ▁most ▁highly ▁acc laimed ▁work ▁for ▁prepared ▁piano , ▁Son at as ▁and ▁Inter l udes , ▁C age ▁wrote : ▁" Com pos ing ▁for ▁the ▁prepared ▁piano ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁criticism ▁of ▁the ▁instrument . ▁I ' m ▁only ▁being ▁practical ." ▁This ▁article ▁presents ▁a ▁complete ▁list ▁of ▁C age ' s ▁works ▁for ▁prepared ▁piano , ▁with ▁comments ▁on ▁each ▁composition . ▁All ▁of ▁C age ' s ▁ind et erm inate ▁works ▁for ▁un spec ified ▁forces ▁( the ▁Vari ations ▁series , ▁Font ana ▁Mix , ▁Cart ridge ▁Music , ▁etc .) ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁performed ▁on ▁or ▁with ▁P rep ared ▁P iano . ▁ ▁Solo ▁ ▁Bac chan ale ▁In ▁inter views ▁conducted ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁C age ▁specified ▁that ▁this ▁piece ▁was ▁composed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁However , ▁the ▁manuscript ▁used ▁for ▁Edition ▁Peters