| Category: | Musical composition |
| Dated: | late 1972 |
| Instrumentation: | Orchestra without conductor. At least 24 instruments are required: piccolo, flute, G flute, oboe, cor Anglais, B flat clarinet, B flat bass clarinet, bassoon, E flat saxophone, F horn, C trumpet, B flat trombone, B flat tuba, guitar, marimba, glockenspiel, harp, celesta, piano, strings (1-1-1-1-1). Any number of the following instruments may be added: 2 piccolo's, 2 flutes, 2 G flutes, 2 oboes, 2 cor Anglais, 2 B flat clarinets, 2 B flat bass clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 e flat saxophones, 2 F horns, 2 C trumpets, 2 trombones, 2 tubas, 2 harps, timpani, vibraphone, bells, strings (11-11-8-8-2), resulting in an orchestra of 24-95 performers. |
| Duration: | 35' |
| Premiere and performer(s): | |
| Dedicated to: | for the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress and dedicated to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky |
| Choreography: | --- |
| Published: | Edition Peters 6805 © 1972 by Henmar Press |
| Manuscript: | Sketches (holgraph in ink - 59 p.); List of instruments (holograph in red, black and blue ink - 1 p.); 95 parts (copyist's
manuscript on transparant paper - 2860 p. + 1 envelop); Title page, dedication page and instruction page (copyist's
manuscript on transparant paper - 6 lv.) all in New York Public Library. Worksheets and sketches (unknown amount) in Library of Congress in Washington. |
| Using the original piano-version, Cage transformed the piece by using the I-Ching in order to answer the following questions: Of those orchestra instruments that easily play all the notes of the phrase, how many and which actually do? Of those notes in the phrase, how many and which are actually to be played? (for all instruments). What quantity of the total duration is to be held? (for each duration longer than the unit within a phrase). And: Is a note left quickly, held full length, or held slightly more than full length? (from: brochure for a concert) |