Scholarly discussion of the music of John Cage.

["Bruce, Neely" <>]

Many of you will already know of the recent performance of HPSCHD in New York City. For all you Cage and Hiller fans out there, here's a link to the NY Times review:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/arts/music/hpschd-at-eyebeam.html?_r=0

Note the shadowy picture of me and my page turner Chris Mark. There is a lot of other stuff on the Internet about this performance, have a look.

I am writing to inquire if anyone on the SILENCE list knows of another harpsichordist who has played Solo VI. I recorded the piece in 1969, and have played Solo VI (as well as Soli I, II and VII) several times, although not in recent years. Until these performances, that is.

My understanding is that yes, others have played Solo VI, but I do not know who they are. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I would like to network with folks who have played this piece and discuss the formidable challenges it presents.

For the curious — Solo VI takes reiterations of the Mozart Dice Game and inserts a chronological series of piano pieces: the Beethoven "Appassionata" Sonata, Chopin D minor prelude, Schumann "Reconnaissance," Gottschalk "The Banjo," Schoenberg Op. 11, Busoni "Sonatina Secunda," Cage "Winter Music" and the Hiller Fifth Piano Sonata. The right and left hands are not coordinated, so one can be playing Schumann in the right hand, Busoni in the left for example. The original tempi of the pieces are maintained. The first 30 pages and the last 30 are quite playable, but after page 30 things get hairy and fearsome polyrhythms accumulate. Between pages 50 and 80 the piece is for all intents and purposes impossible, although by the sixth time through in two days I was very close. (After 44 years you would think I could play this thing in my sleep!)

Playing this piece is exhilarating beyond words, and the performances at Eyebeam were visually, as well as aurally stunning. Bravi tutti!