[CAUT] John Cage, "The Earth Shall Bear Again"

[Fred Sturm]

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On 10/5/05 11:36 AM, "Jeff Tanner" <jtanner@mozart.sc.edu> wrote:
>=20
> Question is this:=A0 the instructions give exact distance from the damper t=
o
> place the screws, bolts, etc.=A0 How much does piano make and model affect =
what
> Cage was after? =A0(I mean, really, was there really a method to his madnes=
s? or
> was this guy just really doing some serious d-basing?)=A0 When he says "bam=
boo",
> is it a "slice" of large bamboo or a "tube" of smaller diameter bamboo (l=
ike
> what he was using to snort coke? maybe a doobie holder?)?=A0 green or dried=
?=A0
> and what is usually used for the "plastic" weaved around the low A, Bb, a=
nd
> B?=A0 Drink straw maybe? (see snort)
>=20
> No. I'm sorry. I just can't take this music form seriously.=A0 But some peo=
ple
> want to give it merit.
>=20
> Jeff
>=20

Hi Jeff,
    Cage can be a bit of a puzzle. Sorry, I don=B9t know the specific piece i=
n
question. Usually the instructions say =B3approximate distance from dampers.=B2
(Sometimes they just say what note). To be =B3Cagean=B2 about it, try it out an=
d
see what it sounds like. Then shift it a bit and see what that sounds like.
Have an open mind and ear, and make a decision based on what works. Yes, of
course the make/model/scale (mostly length) will have an effect =AD where
along the string the object is, what overtones are enhanced/suppressed. I
suspect Cage worked at his own piano, which I guess would have been a small
grand, maybe 5=B96=B2 to 6=B92=B2 (pure speculation on my part).
    Bamboo I would probably interpret as a piece of cheap chopstick. But I=B9=
d
need to have the context. Think 40=B9s and 50=B9s. What was readily available t=
o
folks then?=20
    Plastic? A straw would be a good guess. See what effect it has. Maybe
something thicker and harder would be needed to have a noticeable effect.
    Might be nice to find a recording to see what it sounds like and try to
match. Margaret Leng Tan is an excellent Cage specialist, probably recorded
his complete works for piano.
    You might ask Alan Eder, at CalArts, <ReggaePass@aol.com>, for further
advice. You can ask him in person at next summer=B9s institute in Rochester,
but I guess that=B9ll be too late for this particular project <g>.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

PS A good deal of Cage=B9s music, well-played, is great stuff IMO. There is a
bit of balderdash too, and it got more press, being =B3outrageous=B2 and
whatnot. I=B9m particularly fond of his Sonatas and Interludes for piano. 

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