| Category: | Musical composition |
| Dated: | New York City, 1981 |
| Instrumentation: | 5 Orchestras |
| Duration: | Ca. 30'15" |
| Premiere and performer(s): | November 22, 1981 in Pont-à-Mousson (near Metz), France. Performance by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Lorraine. |
| Dedicated to: | |
| Choreography: | |
| Published: | Edition Peters 66879 © 1981 by Henmar Press |
| Manuscript: | 5 sets of templates used in composing, lacking no.8 of orchestra 4 (holograph in pencil and ink on cut up cardboard - 16+16+16+15+16 p .Folders 592-596); Score (galley proof of a page from Orchestra 5 with holographic emendations in black pencil and copyist's emendations in red and green pencil - 1 p. Folder 597); 5 sets of parts, drafts, lacking page 1a of orchestra 3 and page 12a of orchestra 5 (holograph in ink - 300 lvs. Folders 1025-1029); Worksheets (holograph in ink and pencil - 29 lvs. Folder 1023); Templates (holograph in blue and red ink - 5 lvs. Folder 1024), all in New York Public Library |
| This is the first work using time-brackets, a notational method used in most of Cage's late works like most number pieces, 'Music For __',
and other works. The compositional method was derived from the method used in Cage's etchings series 'On the Surface'. All orchestras are to be conducted by seperate conductors and are placed well apart from one another. Every single piece lasts up to 75 seconds. The work was composed at the request of the organizers of the New Music Festival in Metz, France Sources: David Revill: The Roaring Silence; Paul van Emmerik: Thema's en Variaties; James Pritchett: The Music of John Cage; New York Public Library online catalog; András Wilheim: liner notes for Hungaroton HCD 12893 |