Research Catalog
John Cage's Irish Circus : BBC 3 radio program on Roaratorio with Cage, Merce Cunningham and Peadher Mercier
- Title
- John Cage's Irish Circus : BBC 3 radio program on Roaratorio with Cage, Merce Cunningham and Peadher Mercier, 1987-07-19.
- Author
- Cage, John
- Publication
- July 19, 1987.
Available Online
Details
- Additional Authors
- Found In
- Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
- Description
- 1 streaming audio file (30 minutes) : digital, stereo
- Summary
- Clip of James Joyce reading from Finnegan's wake, ca. 0:00-0:57; radio host Peter Dickson introduces Joyce's reading, John Cage, and his Roaratorio (1979); Cage speaks about his first readings of Finnegans wake in the 1920s; his continued interest in Finnegans wake, including as basis for text in his Wonderful widow of eighteen springs (1942); Cage tells an anecdote about writing mesostics through the use of text from Finnegans wake for an article; Cage explains his use of mesostics in his compositional process, and as live readings in his Roaratorio; the use of recorded sounds in Roaratorio such as of animals and in locations specific to the book; Cage speaks more on his travels for recording the sounds; Cage speaks about meeting Joe Heaney, an Irish folksinger, and asking other Irish folk musicians to perform in Roaratorio; clip of Joe Heaney singing; Peadher Mercier speaks about meeting Cage and the atypical way Cage wanted to work with the folk musicians; Mercier names some of the other musicians who worked with Cage; Mercier describes the aleatory based instructions given to the musicians for performances of Roaratorio; short clip of bodhrán duet played by Peadher and Mel Mercier; Cage briefly speaks about the independent nature of the connection between the music and Merce Cunningham's dance; Cunningham speaks about using the rhythmic structure of reels and jigs in his choreography for Roaratorio; Cunningham speaks about his interest in the idea of human family and organizing the piece spatially; more on the choreography; the similarities of structure between the music and the dance, and the layers of the work as a whole; Cage speaks about his score for Roaratorio, including the structure of the title; Cage speaks about the role of the viewer and witnessing the work with an "empty mind"; more on the broader nature of music and culture; Mercier speaks about his initial distaste for the work and describes how that has been transformed, including several moments that he particularly enjoys; clip of Cage reading his mesostic text.
- Alternative Title
- Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Audio materials.
- Subjects
- Genre/Form
- Magazine format radio programs.
- Radio interviews.
- Note
- Title provided by cataloger based on audition and typed note on original container.
- Typed notes on original container: "Cage's Irish Circus ; John Cage on Roaratorio with Merce Cunningham and Peader [Peadher] Mercier ; Presenter Peter Dickinson [Dickson] ; Producer Anthony [Tony] Cheevers x 5875 30716 LS ; Tx 19.7.87 ; BBC R3".
- Sound quality is good.
- Donor's inventory number: C381.
- Access (note)
- Patrons can access streaming audio only on site at NYPL Research Libraries.
- Source (note)
- Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation
- Linking Entry (note)
- Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
- Call Number
- *LTC-A 1202
- OCLC
- 900290887
- Author
- Cage, John, interviewee.
- Title
- John Cage's Irish Circus : BBC 3 radio program on Roaratorio with Cage, Merce Cunningham and Peadher Mercier, 1987-07-19.
- Production
- July 19, 1987.
- Playing Time
- 003010
- Type of Content
- spoken word
- Type of Medium
- audio
- Type of Carrier
- audiocassetteonline resource
- Digital File Characteristics
- audio file
- Event
- Broadcast on BBC radio station, Great Britain, 1987 July 19.
- Restricted Access
- Patrons can access streaming audio only on site at NYPL Research Libraries.
- Original Version
- Archival original: (1 audio cassette (30 minutes) : analog) in *LTC-A 1202.
- Linking Entry
- Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
- Local Note
- Transferred from original analog cassette by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.
- Source
- Gift; Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, 2011-2012.
- Connect to:
- Added Author
- Container of (work): Cage, John. Roaratorio. Selections.Container of (work): Joyce, James, 1882-1941. Finnegans wake. Selections.Cheevers, Tony, radio producer.Cunningham, Merce, commentator.Dickson, Peter, 1957- host.Heaney, Joe, 1919-1984, singer.Joyce, James, 1882-1941, narrator.Mercier, Mel, musician.Mercier, Peadher, commentator.Mercier, Peadher, musician.BBC Radio 3, broadcaster.Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, donor.
- Added Title
- Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Audio materials.
- Found In:
- Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
- Research Call Number
- *LTC-A 1202