The Selected Letters of John Cage. John Cage
through the country you are enjoying because I know what a pleasure it is to see how nature operates,—and then to imitate that “manner of operation” in one’s work and life. Magical clues by trees, and the flat continuous land.
It is late and quiet here, and I trust you pardon my rambling on like this as though I had nothing to say.
Life continues to be incredibly beautiful, each moment, and now I hear your voice over the phone and see the shape of your hands.
How marvelous of you to have given me fire! Every time it works infallibly. It is like knowing a secret.
My pleasure in returning to the Concerto is the pleasure of not being responsible to another imagination. And so I work directly and am silly enough to think the quality of work “better.” I am at least in a more direct (because private) situation.
Berger thought the ending piece of the ballet would have made a “lovely accompaniment for a melodic tune.” Shows you what we’re up against. Virgil however says, “I think you’ve got something there!” Isaac258 came to rehearsals and performance and was very interested. Hirsch told Morty and me he’s one of us. My mother said the concert made her think of how Marie Antoinette must have felt after the French Revolution! It is curious how anxious people are to tell what they thought. Lou said he thought my music was “lovely”; since he said this before the concert, I was somewhat disturbed, so I tossed some coins and got the hexagram “The Power of the Great” the Creative and the Arousing, and the advice not to be stubborn, proud or belligerent.259
We had some difficulty with Morty’s piece in rehearsal because the parts were not correct which didn’t disturb him but did me. Xian’s finally proofed them, and the performance was beautiful. I was surprised that Morty had made mistakes because in copying my music he made none at all.
I am going quietly into the Concerto, trying to pretend that I had not left it, so as not to be noticed.
What shall I do about my age perplexing you? Shall I grow a beard?
And how fat are you now?
Miss you, David, very much.
I do not tell you about loving you because you said you were afraid it would kill you. I do love you but it will always be so that you need not be afraid.
To David Tudor
[ca. early June 1951] | 326 Monroe St., New York City
Dear David:
To tell you the news and that I miss you. Am often making the lowest form of prayer (petitionary) that you are having a fine time.
Mostly the news regards the music I’m writing, but that is so detailed that only it will tell you about it. I now have a kind of schedule whereby I toss 80 to a 100 hexagrams before going to bed, so that my day’s work is laid out for me when I arise. It is interesting to note that the coins seem to know that they are involved in producing a long movement, for after 3 pages (most of which you saw) of tempo changes the next 3 settle to one tempo, accelerate to another which holds through the next 3, ritard then to another which again holds! And all slow tempi (80, 88, 72 (hommage (no doubt) to M[orton] F[eldman]), so that the coins are aware, clearly, that this is not only a long piece but a 2nd mvt. However, there are frequent changes of the mobility-immobility relation (which never took place in the part you have).
I have also begun removing the armored scales from the plants, an activity that wonderfully resembles composition (note by note).
And I wrote 2 more haiku for Maro,260 who commissioned them (pays for 1 month rent on the piano). Anahid + I played the v[iolin] + p[iano]. pieces at a party and practically no one liked them; even that music estranges my former friends—what will they feel next year?261
Christian wrote the pieces for you which you probably already have. Morty and I heard them here one afternoon and Morty said they were “absolutely.” When Xian began to play I made a move to close the window so that we wouldn’t hear the traffic, but Xian said “no, leave it open; that’s the point.” His new ideas are amazing and involve the mosaic ideas in your pieces but with asymetrical superpositions made clear by the special timbre situations for each mosaic (ensembles, necessarily).
I saw Alan Watts twice, and you and Jean + Joe262 will probably see him in Boulder when he passes through. He says we are not writing music but doing ear-cleaning. I said whatever you call it makes little difference.
My classes at Columbia are almost over.263 People were all writing and performing after one “lesson.” A music supervisor from Minnesota who visited incognito was “amazed” at results. I also gave a lecture on how to become uncultured.
One day, concerned over my livelihood problem, I reflected that I was indeed working, but not being paid for it. So I composed a letter which I have sent off to 4 people (so far) offering shares in the Music of Changes264 at $15.00 a share. It looks like Louise Crane (whose family makes the paper money is printed on, will invest (although I made it clear in the letter that it is a very poor investment)).265 The cost of the shares is estimated at 30 wks. work at $50 a wk. ($1500). (100 shares). I am keeping 20 for my own personal use. Perhaps you cd. get Jean + Joe to invest.
I understand Schoenberg called off his Colorado visit.
I wd. like to ask you many questions, but I am afraid I wd. get no answer. I’d love to know whether your concerts are already given or about to be given and how your work is going. Whether you played or will play the Changes, + how you feel about them. And whether you miss me and whether you will pass through NY on your way to Black Mtn.
I’ve not heard from Boulez yet; Morty + I get along very well (he’s not yet finished the Intersection—he got involved in a new “Marginal Intersection”: that is, sounds heard between 2 limits: inaudible high + inaudible low!—which are notated but will not be heard). Also he finished Jean’s music which you probably already have.266
Sybil Shearer gave a concert,267 very well attended, but for me quite uninteresting. She makes everything point to the same point + so eradicates the natural penetrative power of her movements, etc. However, she moves magnificently, and Morty is writing an uninvited piece for her which he’ll send her,—somewhat like the Cummings Songs268—but for piano.
One evening walking along the river, I found a pier, between here and the Manhattan Bridge which sits out on the river; it’s very pleasant and the colors on the buildings and wharves are marvelous. And the folk-dancing began last night. And the weather is cool. So all in all a good summer, except that not being with you is very sad, especially because of writing this music for you which I am always wanting to show you and because I am anxious to hear it and know what your adventures with it are.
My love to you and wishes that you are enjoying (as you say) yourself.
To Norman McLaren269
[Undated, likely early March 1951] | 326 Monroe St., New York City
Dear Norman:
On either the 8th or 10th of May the New Music Society will give a concert of chamber music involving all kinds of music,270 and we would be very happy at that time to present some of your work (if, as I have heard, you have done anything microtonal, that would be especially welcome: in other words, we are looking for what is most adventurous in what is happening in music). The concert will be given at McMillan Hall, Columbia Univ. and will be free to the public. Please let us know what we would have to get in the way of equipment to make your part of the program (circa 5 minutes) practical. Thanks by the way for the pleasure you gave Barab.
To Pierre Boulez
May 22, 1951 | [New York]
Dear Pierre:
Your second letter arrived and I hasten to reply, for it has been, naturally, on my mind to write to you for many months. The long letter you sent with the details about your work was magnificent,