| Category: | Musical composition |
| Dated: | New York City, August 1985 |
| Instrumentation: | for percussion (3-10 players) |
| Duration: | Indeterminate |
| Premiere and performer(s): | |
| Dedicated to: | for Les percussions de Strasbourg |
| Choreography: | --- |
| Published: | Edition Peters 67074 © 1985 by Henmar Press |
| Manuscript: | Sketches (holograph in ink - 2 lvs. Folder 665); Drafts of title page, performance notes and sketches (holograph, signed, in ink - 6 lvs. Folder 666); 3 sets of 10 parts and performance instructions (typescript - 30 p. + 1 lf. Folder 667), all in New York Public Library. |
| "In celebration of the work of Jean Arp on the occasion of the centenary of his birth". The title comes from a letter written by Greta Ströh, manager of the Arp Foundation. This letter is part of the correpondence between Ms.Ströh and John Cage, concerning this project. There are 10 parts of which between 3 to 10 may be used in a performance. Repetitions may be made. Each player chooses 2 slightly resonant instruments (or more) of different materials played in unison. In the parts these are notated as + . The o in the parts stand for water, paper or other unidentified sounds. Dynamics are free, but should be varied. A performance should be without conductor, very slow, each player following his or her own beat. Each performer plays his part twice, but as each player keeps his own time, the second performance will be different, since things coccur at different moments. Performers may be stationed around the audience, or among them, or on stage. If the works is performed on a stage, the players should not be too close together. Sources: Paul van Emmerik: Thema's en Variaties; New York Public Library online catalog; Richard Kostelanetz: John Cage writer - Previously uncollected pieces; David Revill: The Roaring Silence |