Begins abruptly, unidentified speaker introduces the benefit screening and panel; Leo Castelli, moderator, asks the panel, John Cage, Elliot Caplan, and Merce Cunningham on the origins of the documentary film Cage/Cunningham; more on the making of the film, especially in the context of artistic collaboration between Merce Cunningham and John Cage, and the [Merce Cunningham] Dance Company; they make brief comments about a clip of M.C. [Mary Caroline] Richards in the film; Caplan speaks about beginning to film while the Company was on tour in 1989, and how editing the footage led to further ideas; more on the circumstances around filming while the Company was continuing it's ongoing performance schedule and tours; Cunningham speaks about the daily routine for the Dance Company while on tour and the challenges of filming these routines, including the enviromental variations while travelling; Cage briefly speaks about enjoying the screening and benefit; Cunningham briefly speaks about enjoying the multiple points of view that the film captures; Caplan briefly speaks about his philosophy as a filmmaker and the uniqueness of filming the Company; Castelli makes a brief remark on the footage of Septet (1953) in the film; Caplan introduces the upcoming dance project, Trackers (1991), and Cunningham describes working with a computer program [LifeForms] in its creation; Cunningham briefly speaks about the working methods of his Company and artistic collaborators, and their flexibility while working in a variety of environments; Cunningham tells a brief anecdote about his youth while at the Cornish School and buying a pair of shoes; unidentified speaker invites the audience to champagne and hors d'oeuvres.
Alternative title
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Audio materials.
Leo Castelli moderates a panel conversation with John Cage, Merce Cunningham, and Elliot Caplan following the premiere screening of the film Cage/Cunningham at the French Institute/Alliance Française.
Title, location, speakers and date provided by cataloger based on handwritten notes on original reel container and original cassette, and audition.
Handwritten note on original reel container: "Cunningham Dance Foundation 463 West St. NY NY 10014 [phone number] ; Cage/Cunningham, screening March 24, 1991 ; Florence Gould Hall, New York ; Conversation: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Eliot Caplan, Moderator: Leo Castelli".
Handwritten note on original cassette and container: "Cage/Cunningham ; N.Y. Screening 3.24.91 ; Florence Gould Hall ; Conversation: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Elliot Caplan ; Moderator: Leo Castelli ".
Sound quality is fair to good; in streaming file 1, the speakers are audible but are some distance from the microphone until ca. 10:25, when they adjust their distance and the recording volume level increases. Streaming file 2 has a more consistent sound quality.
Donor's inventory number: R066.
Based on content, recording medium, and recording quality, it is undetermined whether the audio cassette is a copy of the original audiotape reel or a separate recording of the same event.
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.
Title
John Cage, Merce Cunningham, and Elliot Caplan panel conversation following the premiere screening of Cage/Cunningham (Motion picture), 1991-03-24.
Production
March 24, 1991
Playing time
002606 002503
Type of content
spoken word
Type of medium
audio
Type of carrier
audiotape reel
audiocassette
online resource
Digital file characteristics
audio file
Event
Recorded at Florence Gould Hall at the French Institute/Alliance Française in, New York, New York, 1991 March 24
Archival original copy: (1 audio cassette (25 minutes) : analog) in *LTC-A 1474.
Restricted access
Patrons can access streaming audio only on site at NYPL Research Libraries.
Linking entry
Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Local note
Transferred from original open tape reel *LT-10-A 3067 by the New York Public Library's Audio and Moving Image Preservation (PAMI) sound engineering staff at the Library for the Performing Arts on July 7, 2014.
Transferred from original analog cassette *LTC-A 1474 by George Blood Audio on March 26, 2015.