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)”

  11. mens jackets coats mens outerwear

    锌邪谢懈褌褉邪 懈胁邪薪芯胁褋泻懈泄 褌褉懈泻芯褌邪卸 写谢褟 屑褍卸褔懈薪 懈 卸械薪褖懈薪 褋芯胁屑械褋褌薪褘械褋锌芯褉褌懈胁薪褘泄 泻芯褋褌褞屑 卸械薪褋泻懈泄 芯锌褌芯屑 懈 胁 褉芯蟹薪懈褑褍懈薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪 卸械薪褋泻芯泄 芯写械卸写褘 斜芯谢褜褕懈褏 褉邪蟹屑械褉芯胁 邪褉褌械褋褋邪 褋 56 锌芯褌芯褌芯褉芯 泻褍锌懈褌褜 褍泻褉邪懈薪邪

  12. labores de punto de cruz

    mens nike boston red sox red ko wordmark perfomance hoodiebaby detroit tigers outerstuff gear outerstuff toddlerlook confident in meeting by wearing plus size businesscolorado rockies game against pittsburgh pirates postponed

  15. skmei zegarek m臋ski modny bransoleta z艂oty

    蟿蟻喂胃苇蟽喂慰蟼 魏伪谓伪蟺苇蟼 魏萎蟺慰蠀 蟺伪蟻伪位委伪蟼 蔚渭蟺慰蟿喂蟽渭苇谓慰蟼慰渭伪未喂魏蔚蟽 蔚魏未蟻慰渭蔚蟽 纬喂伪 魏伪蟿伪未蠀蟽畏. 蔚喂魏蠈谓伪 蟿慰蠀 diving魏慰位维谓 渭蔚 蟺慰蠀维 print 魏蠈魏魏喂谓慰蟺伪蟺慰蠉蟿蟽喂 伪蟽蠁伪位蔚委伪蟼 delta sport 蟺伪蟺慰蠀蟿蟽喂 蔚蟻纬伪蟽喂伪蟽 delta

  16. adidas mens originals trefoil deacon cap

    throwbacks tampa bay buccaneerscarolina panthers linebacker thomas davis is lone injury concernhouston rockets look to win huge matchup against nuggets tonighttampa bay buccaneers majestic womens v notch muscle tank top red white

  17. reproduction 1954 detroit tigers press radio and tv guide

    2018 sweat è„¿ capuche gothique femmes noir crop top sweats è„¿ capuche automne l芒che femmes hoodies sweats femmes casual manteaucanada moose sweat è„¿ capuche premium homme spreadshirtsweat è„¿ capuche color茅 en gris 3xljean enduit slim new brooke longueur 30…

  19. hoodies forcerepublik

    gray under armour shortsunder armour girls gps infinity lace up sneakers toddlerthe great rebate 2019 under armour drift 2 womens runningclearance sale under armour ua micro g limitless 2 team men

  20. velours de mode longue jupe femmes jupes automne hiver vintage taille haute pliss茅e jupe 茅l茅gante jupe

    asos jupe mi longue 茅vas茅e en n茅opr猫neconception de carte de visite bleu abstrait propre t茅l茅chargez depour dachat 8 cadre facile shopping avec les courses en roues 脿 personnes panierjupe ray茅e journ茅e bleu marine la petite fran莽aise mode adulte

  21. m臋ski sk贸rzany pasek do spodni czarny niebieski pl zdj臋cie

    蟺位伪魏维魏喂伪 渭蟺维谓喂慰蠀 胃蔚蟽蟽伪位慰谓委魏畏 伪蠁慰喂 蠁蟻伪谓蟿味畏伪胃位畏蟿喂魏维 蟺伪喂未喂魏维 蟺伪蟺慰蠉蟿蟽喂伪 asics patriot 9 4530the north face womens thermoball button up shiny tnf black 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚喂蔚蟽 渭蟺慰蟿蔚蟽蟽蟿蟻慰纬纬蠀位蠈 魏蟻蔚尾维蟿喂 zara 蟽蟿蟻慰纬纬蠀位维 魏蟻蔚尾维蟿喂伪 魏蟻蔚尾伪蟿慰魏维渭伪蟻蔚蟼

  22. magista amazon

    g iii sports mens new orleans saints draft pick starter satinwomens retro tampa bay sun surf 80s graphic v neck ttom fu ng brady 12 new england t shirt jersey patriots tee shirt funny free shipping unisex teejosh norman sent gifts to entire panthers te…

  24. kamizelka asymetryczna ko偶uszek szaro be偶owa

    amazon 銉┿兂銉愩兂 銈炽儸銈偡銉с兂 銉欍儷銉?銉°兂銈?鏈潻 jlmb2350妤藉ぉ甯傚牬 銈广偊銈с儍銉堛偢銉ｃ兗銈镐笂涓嬨伄閫氳博浠婃銇椼亜銉儑銈ｃ兗銈广儛銉冦偘銉栥儵銉炽儔10閬?銈炽兗銉囥亴銉兂銉┿兂銈痷pamazon 銈裤偆銉堛偣銈兗銉?銉儑銈ｃ兗銈?閫氬嫟 銈广偒銉笺儓 ol 銉氥兂銈枫儷

  28. jupe entrav茅e mi longue camel castaluna

    how to slay a synthetic lace front wigwomen thick loose asym hem batwing cable knit oversized32 inch blonde brown black ombre clip in indian remy human hair extensions body wavewomens comme des gar莽ons homme plus white green sequin animal print shirt w…

  30. balenciaga grey joggers womens

    渭伪纬喂慰 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚喂慰 渭蟺喂魏喂谓喂 bikini set club neufabcjoy 纬伪位维味喂伪 蟺慰蠀维 蠂维蟻蟿喂谓伪 蟺慰蟿萎蟻喂伪 party alphabet蟺伪蟻魏慰魏蟻苇尾伪蟿慰 未蠉慰 蔚蟺喂蟺苇未蠅谓 sven plus grey scandi魏喂维位喂伪 蟿畏位蔚蟽魏蠈蟺喂伪 魏蠀伪位喂伪 蠀蠄畏位畏蟽 蔚蠀魏蟻喂谓蔚喂伪蟽 7×50 j l

  31. retro nike running sneakers

    jordan nike femme 2015pas cher nike air max 90 homme blanc rouge en ligne chaussures 2018 acheter air maxboutique air max 90 sneakers montantes chaussures gris blanc bleu noir couleur coeurautomne air jordan chaunssures jordan 11 air jordan pas ch

  39. 銇┎褰撱仚銈嬨儭銉炽偤銇儵銈ゃ儉銉笺偣銈搞儯銈便儍銉堛偝銉笺儑銈ｃ儘銉笺儓

    蟿蟽伪谓蟿伪魏喂 蠅渭慰蠀 cat bizz 渭伪蠀蟻慰蟿味喂谓 尾蔚蟻渭慰蠉未伪 渭蔚 渭蟺伪位蠋渭伪蟿伪 魏蠅未 9226蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪蟽畏 慰 胃蔚委慰蟼 蟿维魏畏蟼 慰 未慰蠉魏伪蟼 魏喂 蔚魏蔚委谓畏 蟽蟿慰蟺蟻蠈蟿伪蟽畏 蔚纬魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏蟼 蟽蠀蟽蟿萎碌伪蟿慰蟼 蠁蠅蟿喂蟽碌慰蠉 魏伪喂 伪蟽蠉蟻碌伪蟿慰蠀

  40. tifenny 2018 new

    billabong womens take me higher denim jacket at amazon womens coats shopshadow seam shadow seam blanknycsuperfine beaver fur felt fedora hatgentleman white pants jeans slim stretch mens business british menswear trousers male 28 42

  41. todd gurley los angeles rams nike vapor untouchable limited player jersey black

    nowe lego city arktyczny samolot dostawczy 60196 b bhow an australian studio helped bring lego movie 2 to lifequarto duplo deluxe 4 country hotels by casas de portugallego duplo 泻褍泻芯谢褜薪褘泄 写芯屑 10505 懈 褋褍锌械褉屑邪褉泻械褌

  42. espadryle klasyczne r贸偶owe pink sklep

    moncler 銉兂銈儸銉笺儷 hermine 銈ㄣ儷銉熴兂銉?銉€銈︺兂銈炽兗銉?銉欍兗銈搞儱 銈点偆銈? 49339 05 53048 銉儑銈ｃ兗銈?鍙ょ潃 涓彜 au wowma 銉偊銉?/a>銉愩兂銈?銈点兂銉€銉?銈儍銈恒伄鍟嗗搧涓€瑕?閫氳博 yahoo 銈枫儳銉冦償銉炽偘amazon cnstone 銈炽偣銉椼儸闈?銈炽偣銉椼儸銉栥兗銉?銉儑銈ｃ兗銈?/a>109銉偄銉２銈岀瓔銉┿兂銈兂銈?銇欍仹銇畬澹茬洰鍓?浠婂勾銇儓銉兂銉?/a>

  44. bowman boat shoe multicolor

    145 gucci arielle embellished patent leather pumps skygucci black leather tiger embroidered charlotte boots sizethe white sneakers of gucci tanya burr on the accountgucci rainbow cities print cotton t shirt farfetch

  45. sporttas dunlop blauw rood

    replica louis vuitton belts aaaa high quality for sale 005louis vuitton colorful ipad coversmendo book louis vuitton fashion photography 07 mendokate spade red passport holder second hand kate spade red

  47. 2 8y toddler baby girls white princess dress summer kids birthday clothes cute children cotton clothing flower girl dresses pink

    buy long gold long sleeve sequin mermaid dress and get free shippingplus size dress 2016 ladies women sexy 2 piece set bandage bodycon dress women black club party dresses summer style vestidossexy deep v neck bachelorette partykorean summer women offi…

  48. 14k yellow gold continuous endless hoop earrings

    hyh haoyihui spaghetti strap button basic striped sexy straight hallow cut v neck office lady belt dress female in dresses from womenspopular evening dresses online buy cheap evening dresses online lotsblue ivory boho wedding dress lace flowers saudi a…

Comments are closed.