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5/10/1969 - Cross Talk Intermedia - I by Roger Reynolds

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RR May Uguisudani machi Cross Talk Intermedia I Shibuya Tokyo Mr Richard Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y 10017 Dear Dick When learned going Japan Yuji Takahashi blunt If interesting concerts You yourselves This seemed uncharitable considering heard about avant garde Japan learned respect views Our first winter Tokyo Takahashi gloomy prediction While concert activity intense repetitious restrictive repertoire intolerable Almost orches program appears without including least frequently works wearying requisites Brahms Symphon No I Beethoven _Symphonies Moussorgsky Pictures At Exhibition Dvorak New World Snnph strangely Th___e Rit___e Japan seemingly right Spring Stravinsky During December there another Beethoven Nint___h Symp treated between reverent renderings Akeo Watanabe years Japan Philharmonic consistently varied programs qiroshi Wakasugi admirable single projects these examples atypical welcome Watanabe apparently price quiet individual approach living Switzerland Though Japanese orchestras under native conductors frequent foreign guests occasionally achieve truly satisfying level performance individual musicians particularly players generally speaking calibre produces rewarding chamber music playing This inadequacy crippling contemporary works classics Time another factor There musician union Japan though monolthic NHK nking system determines scale requires The professional forced extremely tight active schedule adequate living Rehearsal music invariably finds itself relegated breaks overburdened schedules infrequently begins after It almost everywhere contemporary music suffers poorly planned underrehearsed presentations particularly Japan In addition there seemed sense style contemporary productions With single significant exception Orchestral Space festivals organized alternate years composers Toru Takemitsu Toshi Ichiyanagi What appropriate thought would modest series events which quality programming performance presentation programs lighting uniformly As these thoughts forming happened Donald Albright director American Cultural Cent Tokyo Having heard Karen flutist asked interested giving recitals Center She replied enjoyed playin ensemble music particularly contemporary would something Joining conversation I brought suggestion series concerts devoted contemporary American Japanese music Albright knowledgeable contemporary responsive about trying raise modest budget The basic agreement Karen I would control content programs presentation apparently USIS personnel involved willing gamble small amount money chance something lively might happen This place during summer already friends among Japanese musicians whose respected Takemitsu Ichiyanagi involved Orchestral Space turned composer Joji Yuasa critic Kuniharu Akiyama Both members importantJapanese group which began The Experimental WorkshopD strong personal motivation Karen christened project CROSS TALK The USIS aside first season luxurious As result everything basis I euphemistically called cooperation The results impassioned bilingual pleas astonishing bracing amount performers believed described indeed important Three formal concerts Dresented preceded rehearsal where young performers composers could listen questions played again Attendance these sessions might imagine country slight tradition public dissent small means discouraging Before season ended there remarkably candid exchanges rehearsals phenomenon itself widely written All events including extra activities marathon piece Erik Satie Vexations public All attended In planning series defending proposal Embassy attitude always series should rigorously progressive We series concerts normal change format content event exploring facet contemporary experimentalism At behave enough retain Embassy support Beginning first performances Charles Ires instrumental music Japan CROSS TALK ended season concert involved musicians placed audience projections touch theater The effort exhausted everyone severely strained relations between Americans Japanese worked project This primarily because insufficient forced ourselves great ought because different approach problems goals Japan If American making plans probably decide outset Methods efforts directed toward realizing value which alrea determined Generalization shabby necessary sometimes substitute gradual somewhat diffuse realization comes extensive experience With qualification I venture opinion Japanese goals specific wishful Once process motion allowed direction seems natural By allowed I idiosynchracies processes themselves easily tolerated There aoncern ultimate result slighter sense fidelity original accustomed There seems unfamiliarity aversion takes materials invents patches compromises squeezes necessary realize The Japanese approach everything required total structure equipment labor ample fundg The situation found ourselves organizers CROSS TALK series pledged realize standard without funds necessitated earthy pragmatic approach which Japanese viewpoint crude boorish Language cultural differences forced Merriweatherian exertions Karen performed designed poster programs which deliberately elaborately informative while I performed conducted wrote program notes In preposterous things returned normal began about possibility another undertaking From standpoint interest rekindled gradual realization achieve Our Japanese collaborators excited about level accomplishment international flavor volume praise generated musical press Japan second Russian number books published higher literacy United tates intensely print oriented The number musical magazines weekly musical newspapers critics other newspapers staggering A enthusiastic though always informed attention lavished CROSS TALK worked everyone restorative Late Spring USIS interest revived Partly through efforts Center Director Albright become increasingly interested involved first progressed partly because Embassy officials became aware potential activity reaching young Japanese intellectuals agreement reached A realistic amount proposed Cultural Attache Walter Nichols tival followirg season We asked total control content clear intended continue explorative This entirely Yuasa I spent several driving around Tokyo environs looking planetariums convention halls meeting rooms gymnasiums banquet halls search suitable space We finally settled smaller architect Kenzo Tange Olympic Gymnasiums It capacity superb acoustics ample space almost presentation In round elegant bearing space The never anything other athleti0 events management little suspicious unprecedented intentions At point seemingly endless parade meetings negotiations exchanges drinking translation misunderstanding began The prestige US Embassy indefatigable ience which Don Albright managed generate these sessions indispensable With introduCtions managed directo9 Gymnasium discovering meantime actually appendage Tokyo Municipal Government They agreed space price because cultural educational nature event Having found space festival gaining support Japanes avant garIshs In first season included historical semipedagogic justification several American works strictly speaking contemporary In festival alowances We settled small innovative creators Japan several outside officially recognized sphere contemporary activity They included composers Toru Takemitsu Yuji Takahashi Toshi Ichiyanagi members GROUP 0NGAKU Takehisa Kosugi Shuko izuno Mieko Shiomi Yasun Tone filmmakers Toshio Matsumoto Takahiko limura against reasonable council dancer Tatsumi Hijikata Meetings negotiations these people followed expressed considerable enthusiasm Our approach offer opportunity unprecedented assure access array sophisticated audio visual equipment proposed secure through cooperation Japanese industry I suspect there little doubt their parts proces would nevertheless agreed create works occasion delighted No compromise On advice Japanese friends Embassy personnel Albright I settled several likely firms foremost which SONY corporation While earlier ssignment Japan Albrights taught hglish Sony Vice President Akio Morita As I explained nature proje useful results which similar artist engineer collaboration New York Nine Evenings Theater Engineering several years degree interest CROSS TALK series already generated Morita obviously interested impressed We thing would I explained asking forms cooperation equipment participation Sony engineers At point festival still seemed quite manageable intended surround concert performances workshops which composers artists could visiting American artist engineers skilled persons Japanese industry We hoped sponsor seminars principles application basic equipment photocell lasers transistors epoxys Morita listened carefuly stunned saying I engineers would excited about activity I couldn possibly allow participate He exDlain Sony actually large company In relative terms In still I00 Japanese firms retained Strong position through careful restriction research programs Each engineer specific development problem solved certain intrusion other interest apparently could upset balance We could borrow equipment skills In compensation Morita invoked honored Japanese stategem oalling presidents several associated electronics firms Pioneer Teac supplying prestigious introductions In country introductions guarantor decisive We immediately Pioneer conducted their president explained proect again found receptive eager Sony guarded reserved They agreed almos supply gymnasium complete multi channel sound system further asked rather hesitantly whether their engineers might allowed observe rehearsals procedures involving visiting Americans At general effort obtain equipment underway Karen I peparing leave months United States Only definite decision about American participation point invite composer performer engineer Gordon Mumma primary guests Mumma musical associate Merce Cunningham Dance Company educated himself electronics audio systems years point where capable designing building rather sophisticated circuitry His works during years increasingly grown around potentials sound programming alteration suggested circuit design One founders Ann Arbor based GROUP along Robert Ashley George Cacioppo Donald Scavarda myself member recent Sonic Arts Group including Robert Ashley David Bherman Alvin Lucier accumulated invaluable experience Not Mumma construct complex equipment which integral realization musical ideas perhaps dependably Contacted Spring agreed first February Now visit United States intended settle filmmaker complement Mumma Recommendations quarters centered around Stan VanDerBeek active computer graphics verbal communication VanDerBeek experience academic situations unlike Mumma I assured eager discuss ideas The difficult point VanDerBeek willing could brought Japan The Embassy guarantee sportation guest already invited composer In New York I approached Porter McCray director John D Rockefeller Ill Fund record extraordinary acuteness supporting oontemporary Japanese artists It happened those musicians artists selected participation CROSS TALK INTERMEDIA almost already received JDR III Oo Fund under consideration McCray receptive festival VanDerBeek agreed matter under advisement This Darticularly welcome assurance other foundations I approached general support unable offer cooperation Most project taking place foreign country outside their proper range operations VanDerBeek contacted phone enthusiastic about prospect While United States happened Yuasa Akiyama along their families travelling there We lookout interesting music meeting New York during early October agreed Americans represented Mumma composers Salvatore Martirano Robert Ashley George Cacioppo Alvin Lucier David Rosenboom John Cage myself filmmakers VanDerBeek Ronald Nameth whose films Martirano conception L G A Mumma Lucier Rosenboom planned works CTI Cage offered premiere earlier compositions When Karen I returned Japan November basic momentum gained On other begun Orchestral Space Takemitsu Ichiyanagi organized festival taken place preceding June Tokyo amazed everyone emerging financial success This wisdom planners excellence manager Saburo Egawa Million Concerts Ltd We specified preceding summer professional manager would essential large scale festival attempted Egawa confirmed interest project Armed estimate costs Albright approached Cultural Attache Walter Nichols definitely nount which USIS prepared devote festival I asked formal presentation background technology detailed outline CROSS TALK INTERMEDIA include November government bought They guaranteed underwrite costs maximum Foremost their scale values furtherance avant garde needless transmission American values ingenuity capitalizing unusual opportunity reaching generally antagonistic segment Japanese public young students intellectuals matter habit demonstrate against American bases visiting Nuclea Ships Struggle paired Expo referring Japan American Security Treaty continuation about Our interest different course though audience significant aspects Festival Such curious relationships striking aspect CROSS TALK INTERMEDIA Interests divergent sorts served ample satisfaction concerned US Government avant garde experimentalists competing electrenics firms foundations drink manufacturers lines Curiously related theme frequently discussions American participants during festival Everyone seems increasingly alert which individuals establishment their whether governments corporations communications industry The lesson Japanese coileaues The sequence crises impasses barriers misunderstandings arose during December January numbing At however outside interest festival growing helping everything balance Manager Egawa fortunately audi0 critic manager ballet company worked almost debilitating schedule seven We secured services Junosuke Okuyama engineering director He unique Japan enterprising engineer history involvement avant garde undertakings strong practical It become almost tautological Okuyama engineers concert everything works doesn reverse occur Together Egawa Okuyama guide lines estival audio engineering requirements based meetings Japanese composers involved general sentative fnerican compositions Pioneer engineers proved cooperative anticipated Tests conducted gymnasiu engineers designing building speaker systems especially February concerts This array eventually costing Pioneer amounted separate wattage speaker enclosures which contained upwards dozen speakers Enormous woofers included central enclosures which powered transistorized amplifiers Around gymnasium perimeter behind audience pairs speaker enclosures completed awesome channel system which Pioneer engineers built special mixer They supply before festival literally dozens auxiliary amplifiers portable decks Meetings president TEAC Corporation secured professional decks associated amplification equipment without charge There numerous disappointments dealings Sony Corporation which seems already explorative spirit which launched twenty years But eagerness evade responsibility itself superbly successful stimulating cooperation rival electronics firms described above For perseverance bandwagon effect eventually prevailed Egawa proved increasingly adept arranging cooperation donation equipmen services everything specially built dynamic contact microphones plastic paper intended constructing projection surfaces Cultural Attache Nichols either through level contacts Pare American Pepsi Cola inevitable meetings garnered respectively transportation Mumma Ashley Martirano New York Tokyo underwriting estimated printed program The details Pan Am arrangement consummately oriental In abbreviated Pan Am agreed three persons condition several prominent Japanese magazines including Japanese equivalent Playboy would print specific mention airline continuing support cultural affairs The festival manager arranged tickets bought credit through local travel bureau guaranteed designated magazines certain exclusive privileges return their cooperation After RR II required articles appeared Pan Am Egawa travel agent All extraordinarily complicated intricacies currency conversion regulations dictated Bank Japan visitors status The process three months consummate consume untold hours Negotiations Pepsi Cola printed program similarly circuitous those management Tange Gymnasium Received New York May