Cage:Percussion:3 - Fun with percussion lists
Just a quick post today…below is a list of John Cage’s percussion instrument collection dated July 8, 1940. Something about just holding this list (which is kept at the John Cage Collection - Northwestern University Library) was pretty awesome. As someone who has written quite a few lists of percussion instruments and checked them off by hand while either loading or unloading, it is somehow refreshing to imagine Cage doing the same thing in his late 20s.
…and here is the back of the same piece of paper…”Composers interested in electrical,” including “William Schumann [sic].”
And speaking of lists - below is the list of instruments for our preview performance of RENGA:Cage:100, our 100-composer salute to John Cage which will receive its full premiere at MoMA on August 9. The piece has been a blast to rehearse. We’re looking forward to performing the preview of the piece (with contributions from about 50 composers) on May 25 at the Mayne Stage in Chicago.
PLAYER 1
Can
2 bows (vibraphone)
6 triangles
custom watch (for Applebaum)
1 pitched pipe
2 vibe mallets
pair of claves
C#4 and G#4 metal sounds (bells or similar)
Cabasa
Alarm bell
One small hardwood mallet
Tenor drum with drum sticks
Low anvil
High brake drum
iPhone
high bell
Sousaphone, euphonium, or tuba filled with marbles
D natural crotale
Styrofoam peanuts (for all 4 players)
2 small (300ml) bottles of water, 50%-75% full
Guiro
Low pitched glass object
High pitched glass object
Low pitched drum
Sand paper blocks
Large tin can tuned like a steel drum to C
3 coffee cups with chopsticks
small thunder tube
high duck call
bottle of cheap beer (with beer in it)
branch with leaves on it
tuning fork
turntable
Tibetan prayer stones
PLAYER 2
Pair of maracas
2 bows (vibraphone)
iPhone (with all audio files)
custom watch (for Applebaum)
pitched pipe
2 vibe mallets
pair of claves
A5 and D6 metal sounds (bells or similar)
High woodblock
One small hardwood mallet
3 metal plates
B almglocken
Smallest triangle available
Medium bell
Timpani (or synth timp sound) – B, F#, G#
2 small (300ml) bottles of water, 50%-75% full
largest triangle available
Low pitched glass object
High pitched glass object
Low pitched drum
Sandpaper blocks
Large tin can tuned like a steel drum to A
Wood block
Large thunder tube
low duck call
bottle of cheap beer (with beer in it)
branch with leaves on it
3 woodblocks
finger cymbals
PLAYER 3
Pair of maracas
2 bows (vibraphone)
metal sound
drum
found object
custom watch (for Applebaum)
pitched pipe
pair of claves
large ratchet (or similar)
small ratchet (or similar)
one small hardwood mallet
G crotale
Triangle
Low tom
Smallest triangle possible
iPhone
low bell
2 small (300ml) bottles of water, 50%-75% full
largest triangle possible
Low pitched glass object
High pitched glass object
Low pitched drum
Sandpaper blocks
Large tin can tuned like a steel drum to G
Wood block
Siren whistle
3 bicycle horns (varying pitches)
bottle of cheap beer (with beer in it)
branch with leaves on it
tambourine
suspended cymbal
small tribal drum
PLAYER 4
Pair of maracas
2 bows (vibes)
conch shell
vibra slap
custom watch (for Applebaum)
pitched pipe
pair of claves
2 dry wooden sounds with strong upper partials
melodica
slapstick
one small hardwood mallet
flexatone
bass drum
chinese cymbal
G crotale
iPhone
2 small (300ml) bottles of water, 50%-75% full
Low pitched glass object
High pitched glass object
Low pitched drum
Sandpaper blocks
Large tin can tuned like a steel drum to E
Snare drum (snare sticks)
Megaphone or bullhorn
bottle of cheap beer (with beer in it)
branch with leaves on it
3 metal cans
vibra slap
rice or lentils
