| Category: | Musical composition |
| Dated: | June-July, 1988 |
| Instrumentation: | for three performers, one using Clay Drums, the other two using unspecified instruments and electronics |
| Duration: | around 60' |
| Premiere and performer(s): | July 30, 1988 at the Palais de Papes in Avignon, France. Performed (with Cunningham's choreography) by Michael Pugliesi, David Tudor and Takehisa Kosugi. A preview was presented on July 9, 1988 at the First New York International Festival of Arts at The Plaza, World Financial Center, New York City (performed by John Cage, David Tudor and Takehisa Kosugi). |
| Dedicated to: | for Michael Pugliesi, David Tudor and Takehisa Kosugi |
| Choreography: | Merce Cunningham: Five Stone Wind (1988) |
| Published: | Edition Peters (rental only) |
| Manuscript: | Sketches (holograph in ink - 3 lvs. Folder 769); Part for Michael Pugliesi (holograph in ink - 2 lvs. Folder 770); 3 parts (holograph in ink - 5 lvs. Folder 771); 3 parts (galley proof with holographic annotations - 7 p. Folder 772), all in New York Public Library |
| A work composed of flexible time-brackets. It consists of two parts:
Five Stone and Wind. The part for Michael Pugliesi specifies the use of Clay Drums. The parts for David Tudor and Takehisa Kosugi are not specified in terms of realization or instrumentation. David Tudor used recordings of earth-vibrations, passed through an electronic gate, tuned both as to frequency and duration. Takehisa Kosugi starts playing in the second part of the work ("Wind", 30 minutes into the overall piece), using violin (pizzicato sounds), "piezzo tree" and bamboo flute. The sounds were treated electronically. Sources: Paul van Emmerik: Thema's en Variaties; David Revill: The Roaring Silence; New York Public Library online catalog; C.F.Peters Rental catalog; David Vaughan: Merce Cunningham - Fifty Years; Richard Kostelanetz: John Cage Writer - Previously uncollected pieces |