Scholarly discussion of the music of John Cage.

[Rod Stasick <>]

On Jul 27, 2016, at 11:14 PM, Semih Firincioglu wrote:

Regarding John's stroke (40 some years after the chamber experience!): He had this habit of brewing some awful tasting, VERY strong tea and he had the stroke in the afternoon, while he was preparing tea before Cunningham's arrival from work. That's my very unscientific suspicion. That tea had given me palpitations at the age of 40.

A couple of things ...

There are stories of not being able to stay in an anechoic chamber for more than 45 minutes.

One of which is here ("Daily Mail"):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2124581/The-worlds-quietest-place-chamber-Orfield-Laboratories.html

but a guy debunks this in a video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXVGIb3bzHI

and there's some talk about what you may hear inside as well.

Concerning John and tea. Near the end of "The Selected Letters of John Cage" - 

edited by Laura Kuhn - it is written:

"...It was a very warm summer in New York, and in lieu of air conditioning, 

large industrial fans were positioned precariously throughout the loft. 

Cage drank an enormous quantity of very strong iced black tea.

He collapsed in his kitchen on Tuesday, August 11, just before 6 p.m., 

while pouring himself another glass..."

The only time I can remember that we talked about tea was at a restaurant 

called "Crackers" and, if I remember correctly, it was about the differences 

between bancha and sencha, but this was many years before his death.

Wonderful book, by the way! Some mathematical date errors here and there, 

but none of them take away from presenting his wonderful personable character. 

The book makes me want to search around here for his letters. It's a lovely, 

and hefty, work that I'll cherish for decades. Thank you!

Rod

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