| Category: | Musical composition |
| Dated: | 1954 |
| Instrumentation: | Prepared piano |
| Duration: | indeterminate |
| Premiere and performer(s): | October 17, 1954 at the Donaueschinger Musiktage in Germany. John Cage and David Tudor played 12'55.6078" for two pianists, a simultaneous performance of 31'57.9864" For a Pianist and 34'46.776" For a Pianist |
| Dedicated to: | |
| Choreography: | --- |
| Published: | Edition Peters 6780 © 1960 by Henmar Press |
| Manuscript: | Worksheet (1 lf.); Draft (3 rolls), both at the Getty Center in Santa Monica, California. Sketches, realization (holograph in pencil - 1 p. Folder 201) in New York Public Library. |
| Notation of the work is in space, equal to time. The material may be used in whole or in part, with
or without the other 'time-length pieces', to provide a solo or ensemble work for any combination up to 2 pianists, 5 string
players and 1 percussionist. The production of harmonics and use of the pedal is free and noises are included in the work (in 3 categories). The preparation is in 5 categories and are chosen by the performer (they are defined by string and material, but the actual placement and type of objects are free and the preparations change during the performance of the work). The work is rather easy to play (Cage composed it for himself to perform, together with 34'46.776" For a Pianist, which he wrote for David Tudor). Certain specifics of the work are graphed. The rhythmic structure is 3-7-2-5-11. The compositional means were chance operations and the use of imperfections in the paper upon which the work was written. The work is part of The Ten Thousand Things Sources: James Pritchett: The Music of John Cage;Paul van Emmerik: Thema's en Variaties; Richard Kostelanetz: John Cage writer - previously uncollected pieces ; New York Public Library online catalog |