The Australian composer and pianist, Nigel Butterley, is clearly sympathetic to this side of Cage and also sustains the cycle successfully: as live performances reveal, this study in traditional Indian emotions is a complete entity. It is fully notated and the only variations between performances should be the preparations. The rhythmic aspect of Cage is closely worked out but all three performers at times need to observe more strictly both written sounds and silences—Cage was very particular about silence!

Fremy is too slow in the opening sonata: Butterley is just right. In Nos. 2 and 7 Fremy seems to have got a more enticing sound, but in No. 4 both players shorten some notated silences. They are both convincing in the slightly more substantial movements in the middle and the increasingly meditative endings.

If there is not much to choose between these two dedicated performances there is a bonus on the Australian Tall Poppies label: Gerald English adds to his profile on record by singing the James Joyce setting The Wonderful Widow (transposed into low range, as the composer invites). Unlike the 1958 New York Town Hall performance (recorded on LP by George Avakian) with Cage at the piano, the piano part played on the body of the instrument is reasonably accurate. The Music for Marcel Duchamp is a further bonus, making the Butterley disc the obvious buy.'

-- Peter Dickinson, Gramophone [10/1994]