John Cage, born in Los Angeles in 1912, student of Cowell, Schoenberg, and Adolph Weiss, has ridden the forward bumper of the American avant-garde ever since the American avant-garde came into existence. He was at one time a member of the Cowell circle in San Francisco, was associated with Lou Harrison and the work of the dance department at Mills College, and it was then, specifically in 1941, that he and Harrison jointly composed their DOUBLE MUSIC.

Their method for collaborative composition is a little too involved to be described here, but one should point out that the work employs only sounds produced by metal.

The first of the four players uses six water-buffalo bells and six brakedrums from old automobiles. (Brake drums are made of fine steel and are of just the proper shape and thinness to become excellent chimes when their braking days are over. At one time, composers haunted automobile junk yards in search of choice brake drums as often as they frequented music schools or concert halls.) The second player has two sistrums, six sleighbells, five brake drums, and a thundersheet. The equipment for Player No. 3 consists of three Japanese temple gongs (huge bronze kettles beaten with heavy sticks), a large tam-tam, and six cowbells. Player No. 4 handles six muted gongs, another large tam-tam, and a water gong.

Russell's THREE CUBAN PIECES are a havannera, a rhumba, and another son. Four players are demanded, one to handle cencerro, maracas, and guiro; one for claves and quijada; one for the marimbula; and one for bongos and a second cencerro.

Typed by Barb. Golden, Apr. 21 1995