Song Books (Solos for Voice 3-92)



Category: Musical composition
Dated: Stony Point and New York City, August-October 1970
Instrumentation: for one or more voices
Duration: indeterminate
Premiere and performer(s): October 26, 1970 at the Theâtre de la Ville, Paris, France. Performance by Cathy Berberian, Simone Rist and John Cage
Dedicated to: for Cathy Berberian and Simone Rist
Choreography: ---
Published: Edition Peters 6806A (Solos 3-58) and 6806B (Solos 59-92) © 1970 by Henmar Press
Manuscript: Source material (drawings, printed music etc. - 1 folder. Folder 307); Draft versions of solos 25, 27, 39, 47, 68 and 74 (holograph in ink - 23 p. on 14 lvs. Folder 308); Sketches and notes (holograph in ink - 18 p. Folder 309); Draft versions of solos 34, 49, 85 and 91 (holograph in blue ink - 22 p. on 14 lvs. Folder 310); Sketches for Solo 35 (holograph in blue ink - copyist's manuscript in black ink - 15+5+16 p. on 28 lvs. Folder 311); Score of Vol.I - Solos 3-58 (holograph, signed, in ink with emendations in blue pencil - 2+217 p. Folder 312); Score of Vol.II - Solos 59-92 (holograph, signed, in ink with emendations in blue pencil - 3+100 p. Folder 313); Rejected title pages (typescript, signed in ink - 29 lvs. + 1 manilla folder. Folder 314); Drafts for solos 45 and 48 (holograph in blue ink - 2 lvs. (4 p.) on graph paper. Folder 315); Draft plan (holograph in ink - p.3-92 on 66 lvs. Folder 316); Sketches (manuscript in ink on graph paper made in Japan - 3 p. Folder 317); Sketches (typed - 17 lvs. + 1 Manilla folder. Folder 318); Sketches and notes (holograph in ink - 89 p. Folder 319); Sketches and notes (holograph in ink - 77 p. Folder 320), all in New York Public Library


The solos may be sung with or without other indeterminate music e.g. Rozart Mix or Concert for Piano and Orchestra. Any number of solos may be performed in any order and any superimposition may be used. Each solo belongs to one of the followiing categories: 1) Song. 2) Song using electronics. 3) Theatre. 4) Theatre using electronics. Each solo is relevant or irrelevant to the subject: "We connect Satie with Thoreau". Text by Henry David Thoreau, Friedrich Schiller and others.
Some solos may be performed seperately: No.22; No.49 "The Year Begins To Be Ripe"; No.52 "Aria No.2"; No.67; No.79 and possibly others.