[silence] 1969: "The Music of Conlon Nancarrow"

[David P Miller]

Hi Thomas --

Thanks for all of the transcribing! This particular treatment of the 
Studies seems to have been a one-off event, though -- different from their 
use in the dance Crises. Just one of those little mysteries. Yep, and Wow 
is the operative word for Nancarrow ...

Best wishes,

David

On Mon, 19 Feb 2007, Thomas Gaudynski wrote:

> Hello David,
>
> From the information that I typed off of the Columbia Masterworks Stereo LP 
> MS 7222 liner notes circa 1975 when I made a reel-to-reel copy of it from the 
> Brown County Library in Green Bay, WI (sic):
>
> "In 1960, Merce Cunningham choreographed a work for five dancers titled 
> "Crises." The decor was by Robert Rauschenberg, and John Cage arranged six of 
> Conlon Nancarrow's STUDIES FOR PLAYER PIANO (In order 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 6) as 
> material accompaniment.
>
> "Crises remained in the Cunningham Dance Company repertoire for five years. 
> It was performed widely in the United States, and on a sixth-month world tour 
> by the company in 1964. This prolonged exposure even to such a small part of 
> Nancarrow's music has spawned a considerable, though rather arcane, legion of 
> devotees.
>
> "The STUDIES FOR PLAYER PIANO found their way to the Cunningham Dance Company 
> through the efforts of John Edmunds who, in  the late 1960's, was with the 
> American section of the New York Public Library. Edmunds had requested tape 
> recordings from Nancarrow of the complete Studies and brought them to the 
> attention of John Cage."
>
> Info about the pieces, Etc.
>
> No mention of of "being electronically varied in live performance"
>
> That's what I know.
>
> First time I heard Nancarrow. Wow.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Thomas Gaudynski
>
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