Getty Research Institute: John Cage, Variations VII, performed at 9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering, 1966

Excerpt from 9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering, A Series of 10 Documentary Films

Ensemble Musikfabrik: Liebeslieder für Uli

Concert marking the second commemoration of Ulrich Löffler's passing

Helmut Lachenmann (*1935) – Dritte Stimme zu J.S. Bachs zweistimmiger Invention d-moll BWV 775 (1986)

for two violins and double bass

Tobias Schwencke (*1974) – You never know (2024) world premiere

for bass flute, two violins and organ

John Cage (1912-1992)– Concert for Piano and Orchestra (1957/58)

for ensemble

Dariya Maminova (*1988) – Serenade (2024) world premiere

Text: Afanassi Afanassjewitsch Fet

for voice, piano, percussion and violin

Milica Djordjević (*1984) – Pomen III (2024) world premiere

for bass clarinet and violin

Eivind Buene (*1973) – Liebeslied (2024) world premiere

for five players and piano without pianist

Gordon Kampe (*1976) – ein Lied und eine Gigue (2024) world premiere

for violin, horn and tuba

Harry Partch (1901-1974) – Time of fun together (1965/66)

for ensemble

Ensemble Musikfabrik

Janet Sinica, camera

Benjamin zur Heide, light

Stephan Schmidt, recording producer

Conversation is …

“Conversation is when you don’t know what the next thing the person you are with is going to say.”

                                                                                              John Cage

John Cage

John Cage’s Wise Words

John Cage ( wikiPedia )

John Cage speaking in Philadelphia 1978 from send_help on Vimeo.

I found this on U-matic tape in a non temperature controlled closet in Philadelphia.
It was just a matter of time before it disintegrated into oblivion. So I digitized it.
Only part 2 was in the box. Missing was the Part 1 of the performance / concert. Too bad. I am sure we would of all loved to have seen / heard that.

From David Forlano :

some highlights of this:
I lifted and paraphrased some of what he says in this Q + A session.


Cage on the value of asking questions over always being given choices (paraphrased comments):
People seem to prefer making choices over asking questions.
If you agree that you would choose what is beautiful over what is ugly then your notion of beauty will remain what it was. You will not move. You will stay just where you were. By asking questions you will change.
I think the principal underlying all of the solutions is the questions we ask.
If we get to the right questions we get to the right solutions.


Cage on language (paraphrased comments):
I see everywhere around me the bad effects of language making sense. It’s conceivable that we can get some good effects from language making nonsense.
I like that notion of language that obtains it’s meaning in the listener rather than in the speaker.


Cage on craft and making (paraphrased comments):
When the mind is put “out of control” the craft takes over. The ego steps aside and the craft aspect of the medium takes charge and frees up the maker.


Cage on making sense (paraphrased comments):
When you have an actual tree and you refer to the tree as a tree, that makes sense. When you have just the word tree on it’s own you are addressing another sense. This could also be referred to as non-sense.

On the value of asking questions over always being given choices; It is a simpler way of avoiding being a liar.