The Selected Letters of John Cage. John Cage
making a sound-background for a reading of the Bill of Rights. However, I doubt very much whether he has a real appreciation of music of contemporary spirit. At any rate, I gave him your present address.
I am to write “music” for an educational film, 16 m.m., concerning the modern dance. I would like to do it directly with film, without instruments; so far, the expense of such work seems to be prohibitive. I hope I can find some way to avoid excessive expense and really do it.
I hope that you have a good new year and my regards to Mrs. Varese.
To Doris Dennison and Margaret [Jansen]75
September 8 [1941] | 323 E. Cermak Road, Chicago 76
Dear Doris and Margaret:
We have been very busy “nesting” and still have a good deal to do: painting, making furniture, etc. Gretchen and Alex are helping us remodel a large room which is in their building. We rent it for $5.00 a month, but when we finish it will be one of the most beautiful places in the world. The walls and ceiling are covered with burlap. Bamboo mats around the bed on the wall. Bamboo blinds. Furniture is painted white except for top surfaces and panels which are natural wood varnished. Woodwork off white and floor blue. All the furniture is modern and everything is easy to clean because as we were warned Chicago is filthy. Open windows produce soot. Whole piles of dust form without your knowing how. We have about 3 more days of work before we are finished cleaning and building and painting.
I have a job! At the University of Chicago as Kay Manning’s composer-accompanist. She is from the Humphrey-W. Group.77 Also, of course, the Bauhaus work which will be as exciting as I can make it. In the next day or so I will see someone at Bell and Howell, the sound on film place (which has its headquarters and lab in Chicago) and try to wrangle equipment for experimental purposes from them. If I succeed, it will make this move really important.
In the course of time, I will get or try to get other jobs and then offer you the ones you want if you will come here too. Although the place is really a real Hell. The weather is exciting in that it gets unbearably hot and muggy and then does what you want it to do and knows it must do: lightning, thunder, and downpour of rain. Even Xenia is excited and happy when there is proof that electricity and rain are coming.
I have a beautiful desk to write music on.
I like the record very much, but I thought that Lou [Harrison]’s remarks were pussyfooting around the bush. His work is no more in sonata form than I am. The important thing is that percussion must be heard with excitement and not as though it were the same old stuff.
We were very depressed at first, because Chicago is the Ugly City. But we are making our corner of it so beautiful and I will be able to do good work here, that now we feel more normal. Gretchen and Alex are the best of friends.78 Alex paints and just won (since we’ve been here) a $300.00 purchase prize from the S.F. Museum of Art. His painting which won the prize is probably on exhibit now. Please go and see it and tell us what you think. It’s called “Composition” and Alex is called Corazzo. Gretchen makes sculpture and mobile-like things, only they don’t move like Xenia’s do. They’re all in one piece.
The School of Design begins on the 23rd. And the University not until the 7th of October. So I have nothing to do now but look around, nest, organize a group, look for help from Bell + Howell, etc. Will probably write Fourth Construction.
To Doris Dennison
October 26, 1941 | 323 East Cermak Road, Chicago
Dear Doris:
You write such good letters. We enjoy them very much. We even learn about our Winnetka friends from you. I think, though, we’ll be seeing more of Brab79 because I’m starting in November to do some experimental work in radio music at Northwestern University. They will build equipment, actually broadcast programs, etc. However, there’s no money in it so far. There’s a possibility of a research fellowship later on. I’ll work there Tuesday and Friday evenings, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Naturally I’ll need a group of players, and fortunately Winnetka is near Evanston. If the fellowship comes through I’m going to offer you the other jobs I have now. Which are not so bad. The U. of Chicago job is like rolling off a log. Kay Manning is very pleasant and totally uninterested in choreography so that technique is all I play for. She is a good (technique) teacher. As for the Hull House job,80 I’d rather not mention it, but it’s only 3 hrs. on Thursday evening—and another job I found is ghastly (also accompanying). I’m said to be the best dance musician in Chicago and everyone feels so fortunate, etc. But I shall be very glad to be doing something in radio and really experimenting. I have talked about it so long, and now I’ll really have equipment, etc., to do some of it.
You will be sorry to hear that I have not even unpacked the instruments yet at the Bauhaus. The class there is stimulating but I’ve started them making their own instruments. I have to wait about concerts until I know about the Arts Club here.81 The concert for them has to be the first one in Chicago. After they decide one way or another I can go ahead and get engagements. Until I have actual concerts in view I don’t want to start rehearsals. However, the radio group will be starting soon and that’s the same as a concert group. Merce said he’d come here and play if we did something in the spring.82 Joyce is married (did we tell you?).83 Gordon is taking my class at the Bauhaus (I have 4 other students) all of them free. So that the only money I’m making is through accompanying. Fortunately our expenses are low. We have a marvelous oil stove that keeps our room unbearably hot. No trouble with coal + dirt. All our books are covered with cellophane to keep out the Chicago soot. Just read a new book—Kenneth Patchen’s Journal of Albion Moonlight.84 I wrote to him today and asked him to work with me on a radio program that Polly Ann Schwartz’s mother says she can put across over CBS.85 Bunny’s trying to get started again in bookbinding and I think she really will.86 All of her mobiles except one busted coming here. She’s also going to work in that direction.
Tell Marian that I start to write to her lots of times but never get finished, that I love her and will try to get you an engagement at the Arts Club.
I’m going to write a score for Ruth Hatfield this winter.87 A Mexican ballet. Martha88 wrote thru Merce that she wanted me to work with her in New York, that she would provide for me and that I was fearless and completely imaginative (all of which gladdens my heart). But now I have a new love: radio. And I wish you were here to help me make platonic love to it. We’re going to have turntables equipped with buttons, etc., so that you don’t raise the needle: you just push the button and wind goes on and off.
I haven’t written any music. I started notes for the Fourth Construction89 which will be composed for the next concert.
Please send Liz the music I wrote for her: that Jazz Study90 (it’s at Mills). Also, please price large Chinese cymbals. Also how is the record business going?
[illegible] is fine.
Love to you et Margaret et Herb and Millers. Tell Glotzie to read Patchen’s book.
To Doris Dennison
[1942?] | Location not indicated
Dear Doris:
We need you so badly. Brabazon says you’re planning to come to Chicago. Please do + just get a stop-over so we all go to N.Y. late this Spring. You’ll have to play in the CBS workshop work.91 Patchen’s working on script now. He has a poem in current Harper’s Bazaar.
P.S. Did you notice Mrs. Harrison Williams chit chat in the same issue*? Yrs [name illegible, not John Cage]
P.S. Bunny doesn’t like me to like him. Wait until he’s the best-dressed man of 1986.
*I haven’t seen it yet.
To