Scholarly discussion of the music of John Cage.

[David Patterson <>]

P.S. Keep in mind, too, that in 1946, Cage himself oversaw the piano preparations. This was still when he had relatively specific sounds in mind, choosing them as one might choose shells along the beach, as he has said--and before he accepted the fact that different pianos would create different sounds no matter how closely his preparation instructions were adhered to (when the prepared piano became "a feather in the cap of indeterminacy").

On Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 08:22:45 PM CDT, David Patterson <> wrote:

The recording you're asking about is a recording of the actual premiere (April 14, 1946) of the four sonatas when they were still just entitled "Four Sonatas." Cage was impressed enough to write the rest subsequently. Ajemian's full recording for Dial of the complete "Sonatas and Interludes" dates from 1951. The 1946 recording is on a disc no larger than a 45, although played at 33 1/3. George Avakian was married to Anahid Ajemian and was therefore Maro's brother-in-law. When I interviewed George and Anahid back in the day (1990s), he gave me a copy of the 1946 mini-disc. I attach pics of the front and back of the cardboard sleeve for that recording. I don't have the means to transfer it to a sound file, but I hope the information helps. There's always the John Cage Foundation and the Cage Collection at Northwestern University, of course. They might be able to help you with obtaining the actual recording.

--David Patterson

On Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 04:45:35 PM CDT, Ann M. Warde <> wrote:

Hello,

I’m looking for a recording, apparently the first recording of any of Cage's _Sonatas & Interludes_, performed by Maro Ajemian, which contains performances of just four of the pieces. 

I’m particularly interested to find a “lossless” recording, that is, uncompressed—either a CD, LP, cassette, or a digital version in .wav format (or in another uncompressed format — not mp3). 

I don’t know too much about who made the recording, or specifically when it was made. According to William Brooks, it’s possible, perhaps, that it might have been made by George Avakian when Maro Ajemian apparently performed four of the _Sonatas & Interludes_ in a concert during April 1946 (this performance is mentioned by Kenneth Silverman in his biography of Cage).

I would be most grateful for any suggestions or comments regarding where this recording might be found.

Thank you, and with kind regards,

Ann Warde

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Dr Ann M. Warde

Ithaca, NY 14850 U.S.A.

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