Lecture on the Weather: John Cage in Buffalo

Past

Jan 23, 2010 - Feb 14, 2010

This continuous 23-day performance of sound, music, film, and lectures composed and performed by those who studied with, were influenced by, or knew the composer during his 30-plus visits to Buffalo from 1966-1991. With its choreographed interplay of live and taped performances, this exhibition transformed the sweeping East Gallery.

John Cage’s Lecture on the Weather (1975) is comprised of materials for an un-conducted radio broadcast or theatrical performance, with sounds of breeze, rain, and thunder, and a film representing lightning by means of briefly projected negatives of drawings by Henry David Thoreau. It was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in observance of the bicentennial of the United States of America, and was composed in collaboration with Luis Frangella (film) and Maryanne Amacher (sounds). Originally, it was to be performed by 12 expatriate American men who had left the country during the Vietnam War, and it begins with the reading of Cage’s “Preface,” in which the composer expresses concerns about the political inclinations of the American government.

Under the leadership of Don Metz, the Burchfield Penney created an installation from Lecture on the Weather, utilizing four projections in the east gallery of Luis Frangella’s film and Maryanne Amacher’s sounds. During the four-week run of the exhibition, several performances took place by various musicians and some guest celebrity performers using John Cage's performance notes.

Lecture on the Weather: John Cage in Buffalo

With Works by: Michael Basinski, John Bacon, Brian Milbrand, Lawrence Brose, Andrew Duetsch, Kyle Price, J.T Rinker, Tom Kostusiak, David Lampe, Peter Ramos, Joan Retallack, Elliot Caplan, David Felder

With Performances by: A Musical Feast, Bugallo/Williams Duo, The Buffalo State College Percussion Ensemble, Bufffluxus, Michael Basinski, John Bacon, Brian Milbrand, Lawrence Brose, Andrew Duetsch, Kyle Price, J.T Ritker, Tom Kostusiak, David Lampe, Peter Ramos, Joan Retallack, Brad Fuster, Diane Williams, Jan Williams, Pam Swarts

During his career, which lasted from the late 1930’s up to his death in 1992, John Cage revolutionized music by reducing its vocabulary (even to silence!) and expanding its sonic range by assimilating a vast array of unusual and exotic instruments and non-musical sounds. Meanwhile he ventured into other art forms, drawing, poetry, theoretical writings, stage, dance, and film, either alone or with collaborators, notably his lifetime creative partner Merce Cunningham. Through this the musical notations developed new symbols and formats not found in traditional scores. While his indications are often quite detailed and precise, performance practices involve many aspects, which cannot be recorded on paper, or even conveyed in the many recordings and films of his works, which were made during his lifetime and under his direction.

From 1960 to 1991 Cage appeared in Buffalo over 30 times with numerous residencies at the State University of New York at Buffalo under the auspices of the Center for the Creative Arts, June In Buffalo, and Evenings for New Music at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the S.E.M. Ensemble and the North American New Music Festival. During this same period, Buffalo was a leading center of contemporary art in many disciplines, including Media Arts, Literature, Visual Arts and Music. John Cage was a very large part of this cultural landscape. This installation and concurrent performances, are a tribute to Cages influence on artists and performers in Western New York.

The Burchfield Penney will create an installation from Lecture on the Weather, utilizing four projections in the east gallery of Luis Frangella’s film and Maryanne Amacher’s sounds. During the four week run of the exhibition, several performances will take place by various musicians and some guest celebrity performers using the following Cage performance notes:

AI: A series of twelve texts by Henry David Thoreau, any four of which are to be omitted in a performance. The “illustrations” are suggestions for vocalise (or sound production by some other means) not requiring a separate breath (or bow, for instance) but using a single one (whether deep or shallow) completely. Using this material, the speaker-vocalist makes a program of activity and inactivity such that it will fill an agreed-upon time-length which is at least 22’45” (5 x 4’33”) and not more than 36’24” (8 x 4’33”).

BI: A recording of breeze to be faded in at the beginning, out at the end of the performance.

BII: A recording of rain, to be faded in after 11 to 12% of the total agreed-upon performance time-length has elapsed.

BIII: A recording of thunder, to enter abruptly after 63 to 70% of the total agreed-upon performance time-length has elapsed.

C: In a theatrical situation, gradually lower the lights so that when BIII enters the house is utterly dark except for the music-stands. A little later the film is to be projected.

Let BIII stop abruptly before BI and BII fade out, but do not let this interrupt a thunderclap.

Whether a performance is in a theatre or over the radio, it is to be preceded by a reading of the Preface. For these presentations, we will use a recording of John Cage reading the preface.

CAGE: A FILMIC CIRCUS ON METAPHORS ON VISION

by Lawrence Brose

first mesostic from writing through Stan Brakhage's text

METAPHORS ON VISION

After working with John Cage on the film project Ryoanji (from my series Film for Music for Film) Lawrence Brose was intrigued by the idea of creating a film "portrait" of him. Having shot film of Cage over the past three years and working with him on new piano preparations for the live presentations of Ryoanji it became apparent that the score Circus On would be an interesting choice as it consists of a series of instructions which could be interpreted filmicly. Not being interested in subjecting the recording mechanism (the camera) and all of its variables to chance procedures it occurred to Brose that he could create a film portrait within the parameters of Cage's ideas by subjecting the images to chance procedures, thereby creating a certain comfort level with the resultant possibilities and opening the image field to a "imageworld" of ideas.

Imusicircus is a threefold realization of John Cage's Circus On by composer Douglas Cohen and film artist Lawrence Brose. The score to Circus On is a set of directions for creating an audio performance piece based on a text. First, one is instructed to "write through" a book (using mesostic form) to distill a text for recitation (i.e. Cage's Writing for the Second Time through Finnegans Wake). This mesostic text is then used as a guide to make a "circus of relevant sounds." The recited text and "circus of sounds" are combined to create a stereo recording (i.e. Cage's Roaratorio). For the video component the instructions were adapted to create a multiple video tape interpretation of the score based on Metaphors On Vision by Stan Brakhage. In this way a "circus of images" is extrapolated from what originally was a score for a "circus of sounds."

This project is about translation. It is about the translation of a score for music into a "score" for video and film. It is about translating Cage's ideas and aesthetics in the world of sound into the visual realm. The videos for this project were created at the Experimental Television Center.

The sound for this installation was created by composer Douglas Cohen and is a distillation from the three primary performances at LACE (Los Angeles, CA) Experimental Intermedia Loft (NYC) and LACMA (LA). The original performance work was commissioned by the Guggenheim Museum and LA MOCA as a city circus event for the John Cage museum exhibition Rolyholyover A Circus. This is the USA premier of the gallery installation version commissioned by the Triskel Arts Center, Cork, Ireland.

Empty Words with Piano

a video by Andrew Deutsch

John Cage - Voice

Yvar Mikhashoff - piano

original recording 1992, Buffalo, NY

final editing and prcocessing 1994-2007 IEA, Alfred, NY sound C 2009 Mode Records Video C 2007 A. Deutsch score by John Cage p. CF Peters special thanks Laura Kuhn at John Cage Trust

Empty Words 4

1990 or 1991 I had the privilege of meeting and video taping John Cage at the world premier of his Europera 5. As part of this event I recorded an interview with Cage and was subsequently invited by Cage to produce a broadcast videotape of his compositions Empty Words 4. Due to Cage’s death in 1992, this videotape was not completed until 2007. Over the course of 15 years I have worked on the recording consistently producing 3 versions. The final version was completed in 2007 and is based on Cage’s score 0:00-4:33/2. This score instructs a performer to perform any non-musical activity with maximum amplification (no feedback). In Empty Words 4, I allow the sound of John Cage’s voice and Yvar Mickashoff’s piano to modulate the video image. In addition I add images from Cage’s book, Empty Words and children’s drawing to amplify as much as possible, his ideas concerning Empty Words. These graphic elements were added to the videotape using chance operations. One other guiding principle that underscored every version of the piece and the idea for the television program itself was to let the videotape “imitate nature in her manner of operation”. Allowing sound to process the video image is completely within the nature of electronic art, as both video and recorded sound depend upon magnetic fields for their articulation.

Andrew Deutsch is a sound, video, and graphic artist based in Hornell, NY. Deutsch received his MFA in Integrated Electronic Art from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his BFA in Video Art and Printmaking from Alfred UNiversity, where he now teaches Sound and Video Art. He is one of the original members of the Institute for Electronic Arts, closely involved with the Pauline Oliveros Foundation. Beyond an extensive number of collaborative projects with other experimental sound artists, Deutsch has released over twenty-five CDs of solo electronic music on his Magic If Recordings label.

Performance by John Bacon, composer, percussionist

This performance will include a performance of John Cage's Composed Improvisation for Snare Drum Alone and Composed Improvisation for One-sided Drum with or without Jangles. Also Alvin Lucier's Silver StreetcarFor The Orchestra for amplified solo triangle. It will also include a piece by the performer entitled The Electronic Playground. The performance of The Electronic Playground will involve the recording and layering of multiple parts as per the instructions in the score. The recorded elements and some of the instruments may be left in the space as a remnant of the performance. The recorded elements may be repeated at periodic intervals throughout the length of the exhibit. All of the music is of the American experimental tradition of which John Cage is the leading figure.

John Bacon, drummer, percussionist and composer, has performed with Lester Bowie, Roswell Rudd, Bobby Previte, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bobby Militello and as featured soloist with the SUNY Fredonia percussion ensemble. He teaches percussion, music theory and directs a Latin Jazz Ensemble at SUNY Fredonia. He also teaches Jazz at Villa Maria College. He holds a Masters Degree in Music Performance from SUNY Fredonia and a Bachelors from UB. Equally skilled as a classical percussionist and trap drummer, he has been a member of (hatArt) recording artists The Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, as well as leading his own ensembles. His music has been performed by a diverse collection of musicians, including The Amherst Saxophone Quartet as well as jazz and new music legend Leroy Jenkins. He has toured in England, Italy, Canada, and the US. A 2004 CD release, "Jack Rabbitt", is an organ trio outing on the Cadence Jazz Records label featuring tenor saxophonist Don Menza and organist Bobby Jones. His latest recording entitled “Boxing Day” was released on Jazz Dimensions Records in May 2007 and features a series of improvisations with pianist Paul Bley. Recent creative projects include the Ensemble with Jonathan Golove (cello), Steve Baczkowski (winds) and Greg Millar (guitar)and a collaborative trio with Diana Soh (voice, composition) and Sadie Reid (dance and film). You can find more information about John, at johnbaconjr.com.

Performance by Brian Milbrand and Kyle Price

With Pam Swarts

Terra/Cysts, for prepared toypiano, non-operatic soprano and Max/MSP is an organization of sight and sound from simple mechanics and human voice to the digital world of electronic control and expansion. Traditional harmonies move with modern progressions, the rhythm is both liquid and jarring. And while the music has its way, the visuals blossom to tell a story that shows of our progression past the old ideas of what is organic and into new ideas; nature coupled with our nurture.

BRIAN MILBRAND is a multidisciplinary artist, working with video, film, performance, audio and painting. Milbrand has worked collaboratively with a number of groups including Kamikaze, The Real Dream Cabaret, Termite TV and nimbus dance. Milbrand also creates solo works, including abstract films and videos dealing with math theory and abject films such as the Claire Cycle, a 4-part film series about Milbrands interior struggles with his anima. Brians films have shown nationally at Museum of Modern Art, Scope New York Art Fair, PS122, Richmond Moving Image Co-op, Artists Television Access, Athens International Film and Video Festival, Detroit Film Center and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, Squeaky Wheel, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Carnegie Art Center, Soundlab and Big Orbit Gallery.

Kyle Price

Heeeellllloooooo was initally written for both index fingers. As opposed to hitting as many keys at once, it seems that that is how a child would play the piano at first attempt- this eventually worked its way into a more fluid use of the ten fingers. It is also meant as a sort of fanfare, short, loud, lots of fifths and a relatively diatonic feel (it is the 21st Century after all).

A Little More Hectic is an escape from the idea and stigma that a toy, played by a child and seemingly innocent, would always be innocent sounding. More tritones and secundal harmony coupled with uncommon time and the toy piano's standard "tuning", lead to a darker and more macabre side of the Jaymar.

John Says, "Hi!" is a direct homage to John Cage and his Toy Piano Suites, nothing more.

THE BUGALLO-WILLIAMS PIANO DUO

Friday February 9-12, 2010

THE BUGALLO-WILLIAMS PIANO DUO has been presenting innovative programs of contemporary music throughout North America and Europe since 1995. Helena Bugallo and Amy Williams perform cutting-edge new works and masterpieces of the twentieth century for piano four-hands and two pianos, including works by Cage, Debussy, Feldman, Kagel, Kurtág, Ligeti, Nancarrow, Sciarrino, Stockhausen, Stravinsky and Wolpe. They have premiered dozens of works, many of which were written especially for the Duo, and they have worked directly with such renowned composers as Lukas Foss, Steve Reich, Jukka Tiensuu, Kevin Volans and Bernard Rands. They also collaborate with composers who explore new approaches to the piano through multimedia applications, electronics, and extended techniques. They frequently perform with additional players in works for multiple keyboards, chamber works for duo piano and instruments, and concertos.

Works being performed

Water Music

Suite for Toy Piano

One

In a Landscape

Furniture Music Etcetera

Prepared pianos concert

Cage "Three Dances for Two Prepared Pianos"

Carola Bauckholt "Myzel"

John King "Duelocity"

Buffalo State Percussion Ensemble

Credo in US

Percussion Quartet

Second Construction

Percussion Quartet

Imaginary Landscapes #4

Branches

A MUSICAL FEAST CONCERT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010 2PM

Phantasie for Violin, Opus 47 Arnold Schoenberg ( 1874-1951)

Charles Haupt, violin

Animus III, for clarinet and tape Jacob Druckman

Jean Kopperud, clarinet

Composed Improvisation for Solo Snare Drum John Cage (1912-1992)

Percussion, Tom Kolor, Jan Williams

Shamayim by David Felder

Chashmal

Sar’arah

Black Fire/White Fire

Elliot Caplan, images, Nicholas Isherwood, voice

John Toth

Magnetic Reversal is an intermedia artwork that was conceived in 1984. The sound source for this composition used a Teac 4 track tape recorder as an instrument. The outputs of tracks one and two directly placed into the inputs of tracks three and four can only produce a sound loop. Sounds were produced by manipulating the volume outputs of tracks one and two in relation to the volume inputs of tracks three and four. The resulting feedback produced unexpected rhythms and frequencies with the slightest variations in out/input manipulations. To visualize the relationship of magnetism on particles I used a horizontal speaker as a magnetic generator and variety of bouncing objects; steel bearings, ping-pong balls, marbles and dice.

Magnetic Reversal, high definition HD video. 4:07 mins. Restaged and recorded in 2009 using a dice that is evocative of the chance operations of John Cage who influenced this work from the 1980’s. The red marble loosely suggests the pure form of modernism that is also indicative of my work in the 1980’s.

John Toth

Razor Mix realized by JT Rinker

William Sacks

Michael Basinski and Bufffluxus

Sixty Eight Mesostics RE: Merce Cunningham

Solo Amplified Voice

Films

One¹¹ with 103 - One¹¹: a film without subject by John Cage, produced and directed by Henning Lohner. 103: for large orchestra, the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln or Spoleto Festival Orchestra with Arturo Tamayo and John Kennedy, directors.

48/24-bit Hi-definition, DVD Video

The Revenge of the Dead Indians: In Memoriam John Cage - a composed film directed by Henning Lohner.

"49 Waltzes for the 5 Boroughs" - a complete video realization by Don Gillespie, Roberta Friedman and Gene Caprioglio.

"From Zero" - Four films on John Cage by director Frank Scheffer in collaboration with Andrew Culver. Featuring John Cage and the Ives Ensemble.

DVD Video

inveterate