Cornelius Cardew (7 May 193613 December 1981) was an English
experimental music composer, and founder (with
Howard Skempton and
Michael Parsons) of the
Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected experimental music, explaining why he had "discontinued composing in an avantgarde idiom" in his own programme notes to his Piano Album 1973 in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".