Water Walking and Bicycle Blowing (part 1)

Andre, , , ,

Most of you are probably already familiar with the following videos:

(The remainder of Zappa’s performance can be found here.) These videos have made the rounds numerous times over the years, but I don’t know if anyone’s ever looked into any possible connections between Cage and Zappa. To me, these two performances and their respective contexts are too similar to be coincidental. I think it’s very likely that Zappa saw Cage’s appearance on television and modeled his own performance on it. Even if there isn’t such a direct connection between the two videos, I think it’s more than likely that Zappa at least had some of Cage’s theory in mind.

I think there’s a lot to say here, so I’ll limit my discussion here to a little background info on the two videos. I’ll follow up in a second post with a brief analysis of Zappa’s discourse regarding Cage.

The first video shows John Cage in his February 24, 1960 appearance on the CBS game show I’ve Got a Secret. Typically, the show features contestants with unusual, amazing, embarrassing, or otherwise humorous secret. A panel tries to guess their secret using only yes/no questions. The host, Garry Moore, considered Cage’s secret–

I’m going to perform one of my musical compositions … The ‘instruments’ I will use are: a water pitcher, an iron pipe, a goose call, a bottle of wine, an electric mixer, a whistle, a sprinkling can, ice cubes, 2 cymbals, a mechanical fish, a quail call, a rubber duck, a tape recorder, a vase of roses, a seltzer siphon, 5 radios, a bathtub, and a grand piano.

–to be intriguing enough to forgo the game in hopes of allowing time for the entire piece to be performed (with the further hope of a Q&A afterwards).

water walk 1

Floorplan for Cage’s Water Walk [1]

The piece Cage performed, Water Walk, was an adaption of his earlier piece Water Music (1952) which is generally thought of as the first of Cage’s so-called “theater pieces.” Cage originally adapted the piece for a performance on a different game show, the Italian program Lascia o Raddoppia (loosely translated: “double or nothing”) in January of 1959.

cage_Buongiorno

John Cage on Lascia o Raddoppia with host Mike Buongiorno

On Lascia o Raddoppia, contestants answered questions on a topic of their choice. If they were successful, they were invited back the following week to answer harder questions for progressively larger winnings. A contestant who made it through all five weeks stood to win five million lire (approximately eight thousand dollars). Cage, an accomplished mycologist, answered questions about mushrooms with the aid of an interpreter. Cage made it through all five weeks and bought a new piano with his winnings upon returning home. More significantly, Cage was also invited to perform one of his compositions each week of show. Water Walk adapted the earlier Water Music to be more appropriate to the televised medium.

water walk 2

Detail of the score for Water Walk [2]

Compared to Water Music, Water Walk is much simpler. Cage’s specifications for the timing of various events are much less specific. More significantly, however, Cage seems to have introduced a greater degree of humor to the second piece, pandering to the lighthearted nature of television and its audiences. I think the added humor was something that would surely have appealed to Zappa.

(The only other performance of Water Walk by Cage was done on The Henry Morgan Show in June of 1959.)

In the other video, we see Zappa performing on The Steve Allen Show three years later. Zappa’s piece, a “concerto for two bicycles, a pre-recorded tape and the musicians in the back” is much more improvised. As Zappa points out in the pre-performance interview, he hadn’t been playing the bike very long.

Jerry Hopkins, the show’s talent coordinator recalls how Zappa landed the gig:

The rules for my job were simple. Get someone who was genuinely eccentric or who did something at least a little strange or out-of-the-ordinary, but never make fun of them—the idea was to have fun with them. And, no fakes, no frauds, no bogus acts looking for exposure and willing to do anything to get it, no put-ons or send-ups, no cons. Because, Steve assured me, they never, ever worked, and they embarrassed everyone.

Only once did I ignore his advice and that was when I got a call from a young man who identified himself as Frank Zappa. He said he wanted to teach Steve how to “blow bicycle.” “Blow bicycle,” I repeated.

“Yeah, you know, like, the bicycle is a musical instrument.”

(You can read the rest of Hopkins’ account here.)

Zappa’s performance even got a write up in a local Cucamonga newspaper:

“Ontario Composer, Steve Allen To Play Wacky Duet”

Frank Zappa, 22, Ontario resident and composer of music, serious and otherwise, will be seen on television tomorrow night playing a bicycle concerto for two with Steve Allen. The show is at 11 p.m., Channel 5. “It’s very funny,” said Zappa. “You play a bicycle by plucking the spokes and blowing through the handle bars.” Other methods of producing “cyclophony” is to stroke the spokes with the bow of a bass fiddle, twirl the pedals and let air out of the tires. The Zappa-Allen concerto will be abetted by a man in the control room fooling around with a tape recorder and by a jazz group which will supply toneless background noise. Zappa studied music and art at Chaffey College. He wrote the score for “The World’s Greatest Sinner,” a low-budget tale about a sacrilegious imposter who repents. “Sinner” had its premiere at Vista-Continental Theater, Hollywood, and opened Wednesday at the Ken Theater, San Diego. Zappa writes musical commercials for TV and radio. They are recorded at Pal Studio, Cucamonga. [3]

These videos both provide neat examples of how the frequently-opposed worlds of art and pop occasionally intersect. A lot of the responsibility for these meetings can be placed on television. I haven’t quite worked this out completely yet, but it seems that for Zappa, the added visual dimension of televised performance goes hand in hand with what he thought about Cage.

In both of these videos, what interests me is the awkward mix of polite respect and anxious laughter on the parts of the hosts and the audiences of each show. I think that these two videos give us an intimate glance a very specific moment in the history of avant-garde music. Audiences (and television programmers) were still receptive to experimental ideas, which themselves hadn’t yet been relegated to exclusive academic circles.

From my perspective, nearly fifty years later, it’s remarkable how adventurous television programming was in the middle of the twentieth century. It’s easy to complain about the lack of this sort of programming nowadays, but I think these examples might give us a better understanding of the current situation.

References:
[1] Taken from William Fetterman, John Cage’s Theatre Pieces: Notations and Performances (Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1996), 33.
[2] Ibid., 35.
[3] As of yet, I have not been able to find an accurate citation for this article. Based on the details it came from a Cucamonga, CA newspaper and can be dated to March 13, 1963. A transcription of the text can be found here.
Water Walking and Bicycle Blowing (part 1)

84,938 thoughts on “Water Walking and Bicycle Blowing (part 1)”

  1. surfky

    tools home improvement sliding pocket doors bady cradle bedding sheets baby boys hats caps 3 baby boys rash guard shirts 4 industrial scientific clothing garment racks automotive turn signal assemblies lenses

  2. sagerllp

    nike hypervenom jr phantom billig phillies 8 juan samuel cream flexbase authentic collection stitched mlb jersey nike magista opus academy ltd billig nike shox oz 801 grey purple shoes on sale nike kd 10 mens red and black shoes nike flyknit men cheap…

  3. ecoshadedubai

    hugo boss striped ruha oakland athletics new era mlb charcoal classic 39thirty casquette back då¿™ksel mirror ralph lauren beth buty hvit boho girls kjole consuela blau jag crossbody

  4. entrenoe

    nike lebron 12 kaufen billig nike air max 90 ice qs shoes rough green san francisco giants womens cap program yeezy 700 black 2019 billig nba jerseys los angeless lakers 24 kobe bryant grey fashion stitched swingman jerseys nike lebron 14 low intoxicat…

  5. pozeringdecor

    air force one buty nike air max 95 essential sort hvid toronto raptors snapback new era fekete nike huarache edz艖k samsung galaxy tab s3 abdeckung amazon arany sequin ruha

  6. markhofer

    diesel crossbody torba rugged case for huawei p20 pro rb jute world tassen hockey stick iphone pouzdro asos midi jumper 拧aty chicago bears sideline stocking berretto

  7. markyologist

    industrial scientific safety tape girls pajama bottoms mens trail running industrial scientific microcapillary pipettes industrial scientific sliding door hardware 2 automotive on dash cameras

  8. swissneth

    wholesale nike air flightposite black blue gold billig kansas city royals hat band zone air jordan 5 blanc mettoutic 2000 phoenix coyotes kachina for cheap nike air max 2010 volt 80 billig women air max 2009 all black shoes canada billig

  9. reklamonstr

    kiss t shirt 拧aty 76ers throwback cappello leather leopard boots brooks levitate running schuhe torras slim fit iphone 8 hoesje riley reiff mens limited olivecamo jersey nike nfl minnesota vikings 2017 salute to service 71

  10. txfungi

    dorothy perkins rose zlato sandè°©ly las vegas golden knights new era hat homme noir adidas eqt maglia nike off white logo nike mercurial vapor 12 gris et jaune heren nike air max 97 zilver

  11. threedoglight

    missing airpod charging case oroton heren zak galaxy tab a 8 pouzdro tropical bardot 拧aty cincinnati reds new era mlb clubhouse 39thirty berretto airwalk toddler shoes

  12. logonfire

    jack spade phone pouzdro keyhole stretch jersey 拧aty jets camo cappello womens leather heeled boots damenschuhe silber schuhe hochzeit samsung galaxy j5 2016 hoesje

  13. njbzlh

    toys games coin collecting baby boys robes 5 tools home improvement pocket bifold door hardware womens slides 8 automotive steering covers 4 industrial scientific suction hoses 3

  14. aiawyoming

    classic white buck shoes plain schwarz slip on schuhe heavy duty s8 hoesje team usa 23 kyle palmieri white 2016 world cup stitched nhl jersey nike sport duffle torba efm iphone xr case

  15. universant

    jordan retro 12 white black taxi red for cheap nike philadelphia eagles 92 reggie white black alternate mens stitched nfl new elite jersey nike stefan janoski max blu gituttio adidas superstar 1 cielo azul 47 brand rams hat for cheap nike huarache free…

  16. rakceramics

    6se phone case fake victoria secret zak iphone x pouzdro native union african 2 piece 拧aty houston astros memorial day cappello skechers high heel sneakers 1990s

  17. valleditures

    marshall artist body warmer tall summer dresses nike flex experience verde yankees green hat for cheap african beach dress janoski cork blanc

  18. iwebla

    paw patrol toddler girl shoes millet rock climbing schuhe rubber band phone hoesje rangers 33 martin perez blue cool base stitched mlb mlb jersey bia艂y beaded clutch portmonetka case honor 9

  19. petsgonegreen

    crocs black white nine west damen schuhe airpod charging hoesje replacement womens nike buffalo bills 24 taron johnson limited whitepink rush fashion nfl jersey extra large family beach torba nokia 7 plus custom cases

  20. swireprop

    industrial scientific dump bins home kitchen bunkie boards home kitchen bedroom sets 2 boys pant sets 1 industrial scientific drilling holders womens eyeglass chains 8

  21. dsnrmg

    john lewis zwart leer zak iphone 8 plus 膷erven茅 back kryt custom victorian 拧aty checkered bucket cappello pink closed toe wedges paul green schuhe blau

  22. tachoworld

    cases for tcl taxi portemonnee 膷ern谩 iphone clear pouzdro long sleeve button through 拧aty texas rangers bianca batting practice 39thirty berretto billy shoes

  23. voelzke

    dallas cowboys new era sideline knit hat ebay max air nike 90 noir washington nationals apparel near me for cheap the new jordan 11s uk green sale womens nike air max tn billig kobe mamba instinct ep

  24. mkvets

    minnesota vikings baseball cap for eu adidas pure boost gold and black billig chicago bears snapback hat billig nike air force 1 flyknit review korea billig matt ryan jersey mercurial vapor superfly 8 30 billig

  25. myphillycomp

    adidas fitted cappello silver oxford platform shoes top rated herren running schuhe huawei mediapad m5 10.8 keyboard dekking youth nike dallas cowboys 33 tony dorsett limited black 2016 salute to service nfl jersey laptop messenger torebki

  26. communitize

    air jordan 23 schuhe schwarz limited dan orlovsky youth jersey detroit lions 8 alternate blue nfl mens chicago blackhawks 10 patrick 2015 stanley cup sharp digital camo veterans day practice jersey upcoming air force 1 2019 billig air revolution sky hi…

  27. qubacafe

    pittsburgh pirates wvu hat usa zara woman premium denim collection dress nike zoom code elite billig jordan pro shield cap y3 kaiwa sizing billig miami marlins custom jersey for cheap

  28. zelevinsky

    new york knicks 47 nba cachi 47 clean up berretto rich froning nano 8 herren waterproof sandalen iphone taupe leer hoesje green bay packers ha ha clinton dix official nike two tone elite adult team road nfl jersey laptop sling torebki for damskie

  29. filmcaunt

    baby girls robes baby girls rompers 6 industrial scientific needle home kitchen ornament storage boys cuff links 5 luggage tags 1

  30. mcarta

    nike zoom pegasus 31 flash negro corriendo zapatos air jordan 13 gs price korea billig game cam thomas youth throwback jersey pittsburgh steelers 93 80th anniversary alternate gold black nfl air jordan 1 rot white silber bugs bunny jordan 1 billig baby…

  31. kimreneecote

    oxo night dresses uk grey shoes nike zoom winflo 2 eva lendel wedding dresses floral dress with split kith long sleeve womens nike denver broncos 99 kevin vickerson elite white nfl jersey sale

  32. radassure

    boys marine leder sandalen huawei p20 phone dekking vintage jacksonville jaguars jersey teddy blake plecak detachable phone case victoria secret zilver glitter zak

  33. artsbikes

    eric kendricks purple nike nfl minnesota vikings pullover hoodie backer 54 pacsafe crossbody tactical torba xundd note 9 case inexpensive canvas tassen 膷erven茅 pouzdro for iphone xr animal print tunic 拧aty

  34. barconnyc

    easy knit baby hat with ear flaps 9mm nike magista onda 44 01 long sleeve crew black white red new balance 1600 asics gel hyper 33 black white shoes on sale blue pink nike kobe 11 em mesh for uk

  35. warmte

    baby girls shorts 1 industrial scientific electrosurg accessories womens crossbody bags toys games kitchen playsets automotive in dash dvd video receivers womens rompers

  36. isorex

    flat top ball berretto dad fila shoes harper strappy evening schuhe otterbox clear iphone xs hoesje nike taylor lewan navy blue backer tennessee titans nfl 77 t shirt senreve torba

  37. ocdhelpdoc

    brixton flat cap red high heels harley davidson purses and wallets guess blue crossbody bag nfl ryan grant mens elite royal blue jersey 11 indianapolis colts nike home metal mulisha snapback hats

  38. crewlafemme

    mens chuck bednarik elite white nike jersey nfl philadelphia eagles 60 road vapor untouchable fashion plecak portmonetka red dragon iphone case leer over shoulder handtassen iron man iphone xs max pouzdro free people counting daisies 拧aty

  39. actisia

    curry 4 white and gold shoes bernie kosar autographed jersey for cheap nike free 4 0 v2 men white nike air max 1 leopard camouflage dolphins hat 5amc air jordan 5 retro shanghai shen for sale billig

  40. dsibox

    off white case iphone x ralph lauren camo duffle zak starbucks iphone 8 plus pouzdro teal short 拧aty mlb boston rosso sox cappelli big legs thigh high boots

  41. brassmedia

    adidas crazy light boost maroon 007 ralph lauren womens shirts tops atlanta braves flex fit hat xam air jordan 2 concord messi t shirt 2019 nike zoom kd x ep all grey shoes

  42. carasello

    nike air max 2015 red silver sports running sko jordan 5 pre grape blanc air max 87 all black shoes nfl 2014 sport knit hats air jordan 10 retro price san francisco giants dog ear hat crochet patterns

  43. moblermm

    blue black ua clutchfit drive ii buy nike air max tavas white billig adidas ace 17.3 primemesh fg ba8506 yamaha billig womens polo bear shirt nike hypervenom all white uk nike tiempo legend 6 soft ground

  44. goomass

    pat maroon jersey adidas superstar hemp green billig toddler girl adidas superstar billig new balance 501 all white blue billig nike acg air nevist 6 noir y 3 kaohe sandall unisex white red grey shoes on sale

  45. masterpharm

    nhl jerseys vancouver canucks 16 trevor linden blue third with 2011 stanley cup jerseys adidas yeezy boost 350 price retail nike free 5.0 ebay womens billig nike air presto blanc pure platinum new jordan super fly 5 black white shoes billig diy air for…

  46. ihdinamedia

    air max 2019 hvid asics gel lyte 111 damskie malone souliers guld denim 茅s floral ruha bianco sporco nike air max 90 university rosso buy bowling shoes near me

  47. resumevid

    foot locker baseball berretto google pixel 2 xl speck h眉lle yeezy 350 black static reflective nike air force 1 jester orange peel converse lift zilver nike air max 270 bianca rosa giallo

  48. vivelared

    leichte halbhohe wanderschuhe samsung galaxy j3 emerge portemonnee hoesje nike 76ers 23 jimmy butler red nba swingman statement edition jersey peyton fossil torba iphone 8s phone case bruin holdall zak

  49. aktionhoeren

    gr眉n party schuhe clear hoesje iphone xr apple womens nike denver broncos 10 emmanuel sanders elite white drift fashion nfl jersey fair trade canvas tote torebki cover of realme 2 pro classic small portemonnee

  50. sitool

    adidas nmd r1 singapore malaysia cheap all gray nike suketo lebron james sort history sko nike football graphic tees for cheap nike air max 90 hyperfuse review dunk sb high shoes all white red uk billig

Comments are closed.