AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES 108 a, b
Otto Luening
with Joan Thomson
Riverside Drive, New York
December 15, 1978
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side a pp. 1-18
Arrival of Ampex tape recorder at Columbia--Ussachevsky’s and Luening’s experiments--experimenting after the Bennington composers Conference--influence of Busoni’s A New Aesthetic of Music on Luening and Varèse--Thadeus Cayhill--father’s study in Leipzig--Moscheles--Bayreuth Cornerstone--travel to Munich--Carl Fisher [sp]--move to and musical activities in Switzerland--patroness Mrs. Sarah McCormick [sp]--James Joyce--Carl Jung--operative repertoire of the time--acting under James Joyce--Ulysses--teaching over the years--student period in Zurich: Jarnach, Busoni, Andrea--Varèse--early composing--early study on his own--playing the flute--Luening’s Sextet--Ionisation--Cowell’s imprisonment--Octandre--Busoni and the Young Classicism.
Side b pp. 20-30
Varèse--Déserts--Luening and Ussachevsky’s Rhapsodic Variations--Luening’s autobiography--letters and materials from Varèse--letters of Harry Partch--introduction to Partch’s Genesis--leaving Zurich for Chicago--activities in Chicago--Rudolf Manville--collaborating with Ussachevsky--Rhapsodic Variations--A Poem in Cycles and Bells--Synthesis--synchronization of sound and film--film of “Of Human Bondage.”
Otto Luening
with Ev Grimes
New York, New York
November 12, 1986
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side i: pp. 1-12
style changes -- age -- the changing quality of orchestras -- improved education -- young talent -- fund raising and expenses -- explosion of contemporary music -- public relations -- changes in audio systems -- radio and recordings -- changing audiences -- pop music -- classical music -- Mahler -- Leonard Bernstein -- Grove’s American Edition -- Wiley Hitchcock -- individualism and creative thinking -- the move toward smaller performance groups and audiences -- role of composer in society -- The New York Times -- American Music Center -- Ear Magazine¨-- more opportunities for music today than in the past -- abstract composers -- academic composers -- soho -- composers good at reaching the public: Philipp Glass and Reich -- disapproval of search for instant gratification -- difficulty defining his musical style --“The New Romanticism” -- Mozart -- contemporary music -- ankylotic spondylitis -- illness gave him a chance to think about music -- Spoleto Festival -- Canon for Two Flutes -- Duets for Two Instruments --
Side j: pp. 15-21
why his music is successful -- evoking emotions with music -- disapproval of the philosophy of packaging and selling -- Ussachevsky -- popularity of baroque flute -- John Solum -- three FantasiasFantasias -- Belle -- Ken Cooper -- University of Buffalo -- Evar Mikalov -- opera Fantasia -- work as conductor of the New York Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra -- Stakovsky -- Hans Langa -- Strovachevsky -- conducting at: Miami Festival, Pittsburgh, Vermont Symphony , National Orchestra of New York -- meeting young musicians -- challenges of composing for the Horace Mann School -- Haydn -- Mozart -- Alan Carter -- praise for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra -- Sonority Forums -- Symphonic Fantasia Six -- Symphonic Interludes No. 4 -- Sage Symphony -- Boston Symphony -- WPA -- Henry Brandt -- Lionel Novac -- Lou Collabro -- Catskill Conservatory Without Walls --Carlton Clay -- performing in upstate New York -- John Rockwell -- Lukas Foss -- trusting the subconscious -- Stockhausen -- Ligetti -- Aaron Copland
Side k: pp. 22-33
Symphonic Interlude No. 4 -- Riverside Drive Music -- walking on Riverside Drive -- birds -- Mezia -- development and repetition -- Dave Gilbert -- Interlude No. 5 -- Mehta -- Erich Leinsdors -- Virgil -- copland -- Ornstein -- his notable students: Ezra Laderman, Charles Warren, Harvey Solberger, John Heist -- Sue Kahn -- Two Canons -- Gerard O’Levy -- Fantasias -- the “Machine Age” -- inter-war period -- Mishakow -- the Dadas -- the Futurists -- the Surrealists -- Busoni -- Nan Connell -- Charles Ives -- competition among musicians -- Electronic Music -- Variations on Fugue and Choral Fantasies -- Fantasias -- improvisation -- Max Pollakov -- Serenade for Violin, Cello and Piano -- Opera Fantasia -- Carter Bre -- The Rogueries -- Serenade and Dialogue for Flute and Piano -- John Solum -- Three Fantasias for Baroque Flute --Sonority Forums for Piano -- Music School at Rivers -- Cage, Cogum, Dane, Knutsen, (at Rivers) -- Sonority Forums One -- Sonority Forums Two -- The Right Hand Path written for Lionel Novac -- Henry Brandt -- Vivian Fine -- Publishers no longer promote music / Public Relations issues -- Sue Kahn
Side l: pp. 33-43
Michael Torke -- Wawitosa, Wisconsin (hometown) -- Mishakov and tangos -- Nan Carroll -- Philipp Glass -- Virgil Thomson -- Sunflower -- The Lily -- Danielle Werner -- Gregg Smith -- Menasch -- Saranac Lake -- The Poet -- Lukas Foss -- American Composers Orchestra -- Fourth Fantasia for Orchestra -- Flatkin -- Andrew Porter -- Evangeline -- After Dinner Opera Company -- Elliot Schwartz at Bolton -- Portrait Choral Society -- PBS Radio Stations -- Valla -- Vivian Perlis -- Oral History, American Music -- wife teaching at the Spence School -- Spoleto Festival -- Opera Fantasia -- Shostakovich -- Koyovy -- Joyce -- Laning (in Russia) -- Max Reiger -- Voice of America -- American Music Week -- American Music Center -- the need to continue composing and not worry about the past -- praise for writing from Professor William Zinsser -- reviews -- Church concerts / do-it-yourself organization
Side m: pp. 43-47
how problems change with age -- importance of starting small -- “the apprentice scene” -- the international scene -- state controlled broadcasting in Germany -- Cologne and Stockhausen -- ASCAP -- BMI -- performance fees in Europe and the United States -- need for personal communication with foreign artists-- State Department exchanges -- performances in Europe