Another day: The Poulenc concert was quite marvelous until they played his new cello sonata which is terribly sentimental. The audience was up in the clouds with Bach, Debussy and Stravinsky and then fell flat at the end of the concert. Afterward a bunch of us went to a cafe and Edwin Denby’s brother bought a bottle of champagne which was delicious. Tell Maro it costs about $400 to give a concert in Paris at the Salle Gaveau. What shall we do? That price includes everything, publicity, etc. It is the most beautiful hall. I’m hoping that someone will get interested and finance it for the Sonatas at least. Yesterday I sent a lot of pneumatiques (city-telegrams) to people I had introductions to, and this morning Messiaen,170 the composer, telephoned and I’m to hear him play in his church Sunday. That ought to be pretty marvelous.
The weather is cold and damp here but I don’t seem to mind too much because Paris is so glorious. Today we have lunch with two friends of Lou, Mike Kazaras and his wife, and tonight a party at Lionel Abel’s, and tomorrow one at Helion’s.171 There gets to be the same kind of merry-go-round as in NY. And, moreover, the same people. It strongly suggests going back to N.Y. and getting to work. My new music ideas are proving more and more interesting to me, but they are so new in conception to me that I still can’t quite grasp them, and I begin to want to know whether they will work or not. I need a piano and need to work; on the other hand I’m fairly certain I can’t manage it until I get back to the river.
I think it would be better to let Merce pay me back for the heater business, because the other way seems so complicated; and then I’ll pay you. The simplest is for you to take it out of the money I left and then he just pays me. We’re very anxious to find a house which would be a cheaper way to live and work. Eating in restaurants is very expensive. This isn’t a very good letter, but it must suggest the loose-end sort of feeling I have right now, not being tourist for the moment and just beginning to meet the Frenchmen. Yesterday I took a bath, but they don’t have towels since the war, and it makes things rather complicated.
To John Cage Sr. and Lucretia Cage
May 27, 1949 | Paris
Dearest Mother and Dad:
Another nice letter from you today and my article on the 12-tone business.172 They didn’t change a word! Would you watch for the article in Musical America: should be in their June issue. Hope you’re not having too much trouble with the apartment problem. I also had a fine letter from Lou, who is taking the job at Reed College I found for him this summer. And I just answered a letter from Virgil who wrote that my articles were “lovely.” All this makes me feel very efficient because it is hard to find time to write, since there are so many appointments that I really don’t have time to even look at Paris. The only church I’ve gone to “visit” is Notre Dame but it is next door. Everything gets increasingly musical, and very interesting. I’ve met a marvelous composer: Pierre Boulez,173 and we talk a great deal. This afternoon we go in the country and hear my records which he hasn’t heard yet. His music is the best I’ve found in Europe and is a pure joy. I introduced him yesterday to Copland174 and Bob and Arthur. I just go from one place to another and am gradually getting into the musical circles I wanted to; it takes time but is worth it. The modern music life here is much more under-ground than it is in NY. Everything takes place in homes, because the concert-public won’t listen to it yet. Next week-end Merce and I will give a program for invited people in Helion’s studio. Helion is a painter who married a daughter of Peggy Guggenheim.175 Maggie Nogueira comes down from Amsterdam next week-end too. Last night we had dinner with Muriel and Guy Finck, and talked about the difference between America and Europe. There is actually not much to tell, because everything is so very much like being in New York, the big difference being that I have no place to work. Apartments are impossible to find here; there just aren’t any. People telephone all the time, leave messages, etc., same as in NY. Invitations, etc. I get terribly tired because besides running around all the time, I have always to speak French and that is exhausting because I can’t always find the words to fit my thoughts. The more I think about the apartment on the river, the more I am delighted that I had the sense to make a place which was perfect for my needs. I look forward to being home again. We definitely sail now on the Ile de France, I think Oct. 22. By the way, if you could send some towels it would be marvelous; there aren’t any that remind one of towels. I get to take a shower again today because the bath-house is open (Friday). Yesterday the shops and everything were closed because it was the Feast of the Ascension. People have been going to see Merce working and plans are starting for performances. Also dancers want to study with him. Matta just called and is arranging special performances with Schiapparelli176 of our music and dance. And today already looks so crowded with activity. My music in the country, then a Mozart recording by [Roger] Desormiere, and then dinner with Matta and some experimental theatre afterwards. That’s everyday happening! If I look very aged when I get back home you’ll understand why.
To Peggy Glanville-Hicks
[May] 30, 1949 | Paris
Dear Peggy:
Good news: Pierre Boulez! His music is marvelous, a spirit like fire-works, every event a discovery. It is only secondarily 12-tone. Primarily it is all a matter of rhythmic “cellules.” That very contemporary musical term simply means a musical object defined only according to the durations. Rational and irrational evidences are postulated of it and then there begins a technique of variation that is very imposing. The twelve tones are then applied so as to not be chromatic or “serial” but to keep alive the individuality of each sound. Marvelous clarity and liberty of sound. 24 yrs. old.
Taking Copland to meet him this afternoon! Imaginez ca!
Boulez will have to be our foreign correspondent. I also want us to publish his music in the New Music Edition. Will shortly send a copy of his 2nd Piano Sonata to Frank W.177
Merton has written a beautiful new piece, with descriptions of new things in his world. He’ll arrive in Paris shortly.
Paris is magnificent, and the musical life is superb, all underground or over the radio. Normal concert life is far less interesting than ours, but the underground is more passionate.
Didn’t see Negri:178 he was off in the Lake District somewhere.
Boulez is mobile alert and precise; his thought is micro where mine is macro; studied with Messiaen and Honegger and sans contacte Webern.
I envy your being in Nevada, my favourite state. I hope you love it and get to see the country around Winemucca.179 Maybe you’ll get up north to see Lou in Portland. If you do, please give him my love and also Bonnie Bird180 and Lloyd and Virginia Reynolds (faculty Reed College). Virginia makes marvelous homemade bread. And weaves. And Lloyd is one of the Kings. In San Francisco, please see the painter Varda, down near Telegraph Hill. And get him to make French-fried potatoes. And in Los Angeles, Richard Buhlig, 104 S. Carondelet; Peter Yates, 1635 Michetorena (pianist and music-lover).
How good it will be to see you again. Sailing on Ile de France Oct. 22. Geeta Sarabhai is coming here from India. Maggie from Amsterdam. (She wants us to come live in Amsterdam in August, but Merce is beginning to have pupils, etc.). And everybody is arranging to see his dancing and hear the music of the prepared piano. Boulez arranges everything (I was afraid he wouldn’t like my music but he is crazy about it.)
We were wrong if we ever thought life was NYC only; we live [on] air now and of course it is everywhere. Nevertheless I am anxious to be home because I made it to be able to work in it and all the friends are there, but now there are getting to be so many here! Nothing but joy wherever you look!
[Vladimir] Woronow too in Belgium. I can get along without Dallapiccola providing we keep Puccini and Debussy, and without Messiaen too, except it was a great pleasure to hear him play the organ last Sunday and I hope again tomorrow. He goes to Tanglewood this summer, and besides helped give us Boulez.
Boulez makes his living playing the Ondes Martenot,181 but doesn’t like them.
Desormiere wants me to find