Research Catalog

John Cage, chance and interdisciplinary artmaking, with Merce Cunningham : Artist Alphabets event at the University of California, Los Angeles

Title
John Cage, chance and interdisciplinary artmaking, with Merce Cunningham : Artist Alphabets event at the University of California, Los Angeles, 1999-04-15.
Author
Cunningham, Merce
Publication
April 15, 1999.

Available Online

NYPL Digital Collections

Details

Additional Authors
  • Carlson, Trevor
  • Kelly, John, 1954-
  • Kuhn, Laura Diane
  • Rouse, Mikel
  • Vaughan, David, 1924-
  • Cage, John
  • John Cage Trust
  • Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation
  • UCLA Center for the Performing Arts, host institution
  • University of California, Los Angeles. Department of World Arts and Cultures
  • University of California, Los Angeles. LGBT Resources Office
  • Talking Dance Project
  • Artist Alphabets (1999 : University of California, Los Angeles)
  • Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, donor
Found In
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Description
2 streaming audio files (115 minutes total) : digital, stereo
Summary
  • Streaming file 1: Unidentified speaker introduces the event, ca. 0:00-2:54; Laura Kuhn of the John Cage Trust introduces the John Cage play James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Erik Satie: an alphabet, ca. 3:01-4:45; reading of James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Erik Satie: an alphabet, by Kuhn, Merce Cunningham, John Kelly, David Vaughan, Mikel Rouse?, Trevor Carlson?, and other unidentified actors, ca. 4:46-58:11.
  • Streaming file 2: Reading continues of James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Erik Satie: an alphabet, ca. 0:00-5:25; Merce Cunningham interview with unidentified interviewer, ca. 5:27-57:19; topics include: Cunningham playing the character Erik Satie in the Cage play and his interest in Satie, his utilitarian approach to choreography, the mesostic form Cage used to create the play and other compositional limitations that Cage placed on himself, Cunningham's time-based structures for his choreography, Cage's idea of an artists' work as an alphabet, persons whom Cunningham might select for characters in a similar play including his tap teacher Mrs. [Maude] Barrett and "Teeny" [Alexina] and Marcel Duchamp, some of the personal ways that Cunningham remembers and misses Cage, on the creation of CRWDSPCR (1993) and using the LifeForms choreographic software, how he uses chance operations in his choreography, summers at Black Mountain College especially the inter-disciplinary activities and performances there, briefly on the premiere of his Pond way (1998), his 80th birthday, he describes design components of his Biped (1999), briefly on the premiere of his Ground level overlay (1995); the happy birthday song is played (version by composer David Martinelli) and the audience sings for Cunningham.
Alternative Title
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Audio materials.
Subjects
Genre/Form
  • Drama.
  • Interviews.
  • Live sound recordings.
  • Sound recordings.
Note
  • Contains the inaugural Artist Alphabets event in 1999 at the University of California, Los Angeles, which featured a reading of John Cage's play James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Erik Satie: an alphabet, and a live interview with Merce Cunningham.
  • Title, date, location and performers provided by cataloger based on typed note on original container, and audition.
  • Typed note on original container: "Artist Alphabets: "John Cage, Chance & Interdisciplinary Artmaking" 4/15/99 ; Part 1 John Cage: John, Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Eric Satie: An Alphabet ; Part 2 Interview with Merce Cunningham by David Gere ; Co-Sponsored by UCLA - Performing Arts, Dept of World Arts and Cultures, LGBT Studies; Merce Cunningham Foundation; John Cage Trust; and Talking Dance Project".
  • Sound quality is good.
Access (note)
  • Patrons can access streaming audio only on site at NYPL Research Libraries.
Source (note)
  • Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation
Linking Entry (note)
  • Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Call Number
*LTC-A 1411
OCLC
913889858
Author
Cunningham, Merce, interviewee.
Title
John Cage, chance and interdisciplinary artmaking, with Merce Cunningham : Artist Alphabets event at the University of California, Los Angeles, 1999-04-15.
Production
April 15, 1999.
Playing Time
005811 005719
Type of Content
spoken word
Type of Medium
audio
Type of Carrier
audiocassette
online resource
Digital File Characteristics
audio file
Performer
[Trevor Carlson?, Merce Cunningham, John Kelly, Laura Kuhn, Mikel Rouse?, David Vaughan, and others], performers.
Event
Recorded at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 1999 April 15.
Restricted Access
Patrons can access streaming audio only on site at NYPL Research Libraries.
Original Version
Archival original: (1 audio cassette (115 minutes) : analog) in *LTC-A 1411.
Linking Entry
Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Local Note
Transferred from original analog cassette by George Blood Audio on March 25, 2015; two preservation files were created based on cassette sides.
Source
Gift; Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, 2011-2012.
Connect to:
NYPL Digital Collections
Added Author
Carlson, Trevor, performer.
Cunningham, Merce, speaker.
Cunningham, Merce, performer.
Kelly, John, 1954- performer.
Kuhn, Laura Diane, speaker.
Kuhn, Laura Diane, performer.
Rouse, Mikel, performer.
Vaughan, David, 1924- performer.
Container of (work): Cage, John. James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Erik Satie: an alphabet.
John Cage Trust.
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation.
UCLA Center for the Performing Arts, host institution.
University of California, Los Angeles. Department of World Arts and Cultures.
University of California, Los Angeles. LGBT Resources Office.
Talking Dance Project.
Artist Alphabets (1999 : University of California, Los Angeles)
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, donor.
Added Title
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Audio materials.
Found In:
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Research Call Number
*LTC-A 1411
View in Legacy Catalog