Richard Bunger Evans authored The Well-Prepared Piano, the authoritative source for John Cage's controversial multi-timbral piano invention. John Cage wrote the Foreword to this book.

As the first book to explain this "delicate topic," WPP shows how piano preparations can be safely applied to a piano without any damage whatsoever to the instrument, and without putting it out of tune. Materials and techniques are copiously described in text, drawings and photographs, along with a comprehensive list of repertoire for this instrument from Cage’s early works in the 1940’s through the last publication date of 1981.

The "WPP," as it is popularly known, is the first comprehensive explanation of this topic and explains all the piano-preparation principals and techniques a pianist needs to perform the prepared-piano music by Cage and other composers. Techniques throughout are illustrated with drawings by the author.

Bunger Evans made many recordings of works for prepared piano, starting with his first LP titled The Perilous Night and Other New Sounds in American Music, and continuing with an LP for Musical Heritage Society titled Prepared Piano: The First 40 Years, as well as a series of recordings of John Cage’s works authorized by Cage himself.

Original 1981 copies of the The Well-Prepared Piano are available for purchase on this site. See FOR PURCHASE page for details.

The Well-Prepared Piano was first published by Colorado College Music Press (Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1973). Richard Bunger Evans prepared an extensive revision of the book, which was then published in the U.S. (in English) by Litoral Arts Press (San Pedro, California, 1981).

The Japanese edition of The Well-Prepared Piano published in Japan (in Japanese) by Zen-On Music Company Limited (Tokyo, Japan, 1983), was translated and edited by Jo Kondo and Joaquim Benitez.

See also COMPOSITIONS