John CAGE A Mycological Foray Variations On Mushrooms Atelier Editions

JOHN CAGE
A MYCOLOGICAL FORAY
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
VARIATIONS ON MUSHROOMS
A MYCOLOGICAL
FORAY
WHERE THE WHIPPOORWILL

SOUND AND MOREL LAY
MUSHROOMS ET VARIATIONES
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
JOHN CAGE
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
A MYCOLOGICAL FORAY
2 W H E R E T H E WH I P P O O RWI L L S OUND AND M O RE L L AY
3
Bashô: Matsutake ya shiranu ko no ha no hebaritsuku.

The leaf of some unknown
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS tree sticking
©ATELIER on the mushroom (Blythe).
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Mushroom does not know that leaf is sticking on it (Takemitsu).
— John Cage, 1965
MUSIC LOVERS’ FIELD COMPANION 5

WHERE THE WHIPPOORWILL
SOUND AND MOREL LAY 13
MUSHROOMS ET VARIATIONES 79
APPENDIX 155
5
I.
(FOREWORD)
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
AGARICUS CAMPESTRIS
MEADOW MUSHROOM
I
have come to the conclusion that
much can be learned about mu-
sic by devoting oneself to the
mushroom. For this purpose, I have re-
cently moved to the country. Much of
my time is spent poring over “field
companions” on fungi. These I obtain
Music
at half price in second-hand bookshops,
which latter are in some rare cases
next door to shops selling dog-eared
Lovers’ sheets of music, such an occurrence
being greeted by me as irrefutable evi-
Field
dence that I am on the right track. The

winter for mushrooms, as for music, is
Companion
a most sorry season. Only in caves and
houses where matters of temperature
and humidity, and in concert halls
where matters of trusteeship and box
office are under constant surveillance,
do the vulgar and accepted forms
thrive. American commercialism has
brought about a grand deterioration of
the Psalliota campestris, affecting through
JOHN CAGE exports even the European market.
8 M USI C LOV ERS’ F I EL D C O M PANI O N
9
As a demanding gourmet sees but does not purchase the marketed mushroom, composers are continually mixing up music with something else. Karlheinz
so a lively musician reads from time to time the announcements of concerts and Stockhausen is clearly interested in music and juggling, constructing as he does
stays quietly at home. If, energetically, Collybia velutipes should fruit in January, it “global structures,” which can be of service only when tossed in the air; while my
is a rare event, and happening on it while stalking in a forest is almost beyond one’s friend Pierre Boulez, as he revealed in a recent article (Nouvelle Revue Française,
dearest expectations, just as it is exciting in New York to note that the number November 1954), is interested in music and parentheses and italics! This combina-
of people attending a winter concert requiring the use of one’s faculties is on the tion of interests seems to me excessive in number. I prefer my own choice of the
upswing (1954: 129 out of 12,000,000; 1955: 136 out of 12,000,000). mushroom. Furthermore, it is avant-garde.
In the summer, matters are different. Some three thousand different mush- I have spent many pleasant hours in the woods conducting performances of
rooms are thriving in abundance, and right and left there are Festivals of Contemporary my silent piece, transcriptions, that is, for an audience of myself, since they were
Music. It is to be regretted, however, that the consolidation of the acquisitions of much longer than the popular length which I have had published. At one perfor-
Schoenberg and Stravinsky, currently in vogue, has not produced a single new mush- mance, I passed the first movement by attempting the identification of a mushroom
room. Mycologists are aware that in the present fungous abundance, such as it is, the which remained successfully unidentified. The second movement was extremely
dangerous Amanitas play an extraordinarily large part. Should not program chairmen, dramatic, beginning with the sounds of a buck and a doe leaping up to within ten
and music-lovers in general, come the warm months, display some prudence? feet of my rocky podium. The expressivity of this movement was not only dramatic
I was delighted last fall (for the effects of summer linger on, viz. but unusually sad from my point of view, for the animals were frightened simply
Donaueschingen, C. D. M. I., etc.) not only to revisit in Paris my friend the because I was a human being. However, they left hesitatingly and fittingly within the
composer Pierre Boulez, rue Beautreillis, but also to attend the Exposition du structure of the work. The third movement was a return to the theme of the first, but
Champignon,
©ATELIER ÉDITIONSrue de Buffon. A week later ©ATELIER
in Cologne, from my vantage point in a ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
ÉDITIONS with all those profound,
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS so-well-known alterations
©ATELIERof world feeling associated by
ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
glass-encased control booth, I noticed an audience dozing off, throwing, as it German tradition with the A-B-A.
were, caution to the winds, though present at a loud-speaker-emitted program In the space that remains, I would like to emphasize that I am not interested
of Elektronische Musik. I could not help recalling the riveted attention accorded in the relationships between sounds and mushrooms any more than I am in those
another loud-speaker, rue de Buffon, which delivered on the hour a lecture between sounds and other sounds. These would involve an introduction of logic
describing mortally poisonous mushrooms and means for their identification. that is not only out of place in the world, but time-consuming. We exist in a situa-
But enough of the contemporary musical scene; it is well known. More im- tion demanding greater earnestness, as I can testify, since recently I was
portant is to determine what are the problems confronting the contemporary hospitalized after having cooked and eaten experimentally some Spathyema foetida,
mushroom. To begin with, I propose that it should be determined which sounds commonly known as skunk cabbage. My blood pressure went down to fifty, stomach
further the growth of which mushrooms; whether these latter, indeed, make sounds was pumped, etc. It behooves us therefore to see each thing directly as it is, be it the
of their own; whether the gills of certain mushrooms are employed by appropriately sound of a tin whistle or the elegant Lepiota procera.
small-winged insects for the production of pizzicati and the tubes of the
Boleti by minute burrowing ones as wind instruments; whether the spores, which in
size and shape are extraordinarily various, and in number countless, do not
on dropping to the earth produce gamelan-like sonorities; and finally, whether
all this enterprising activity which I suspect delicately exists, could not, through
technological means, be brought, amplified and magnified, into our theatres with
the net result of making our entertainments more interesting.
What a boon it would be for the recording industry (now part of America’s
sixth largest) if it could be shown that the performance, while at table, of an LP
of Beethoven’s Quartet Opus Such-and-Such so alters the chemical nature of Amanita
muscaria as to render it both digestible and delicious!
Music Lovers’ Field Companion was first published in a 1954 issue of
Lest I be found frivolous and light-headed and, worse, an “impurist” for
United States Lines Paris Review devoted to humor, for which Cage was invited
having brought about the marriage of the agaric with Euterpe, observe that to write an article about music. It was subsequently published in 1961’s SPATHYEMA FOETIDA
Silence, a collection of his writings (Wesleyan University Press). SKUNK CABBAGE
Cage foraging at Stony Point, New York, 13 July, 1967.

II.
(ESSAY)
CANTHARELLUS
CHANTERELLE MUSHROOM
15
CHAPTER ONE
Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, Summer, 1954
Where
Journeying one summertime’s dawn into the thickly wooded landscape of Stony
Point,1 “I discovered that I was starved for nature, and took to walking in the
woods.”2
“I” was the avant-garde composer John Cage; 42 at the time and recently
arrived from nature-starved New York City, some 45 miles away south. Stony Point
the
was where one could often encounter Cage, meandering, as he regularly did, across
verdant meadows and beneath the cathedral boughs of white oaks. Here he would
come to absorb himself in quieted thought, and forage for wild mushrooms; oyster,
chanterelle and morel, Lactarius piperatus and Lactifluus vellereus, “excellent when
Whippoorwill
grilled,”3 he would say.
Cage had originally escaped the city for the countryside to create summer
theatre and establish an electronic music studio. Abandoning such endeavors, in-
stead he took to meditatively wandering about the countryside.
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Natural ÉDITIONS
©ATELIER environments encompass endless possibilities
©ATELIER ÉDITIONSfor unplanned en- ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
Sound and
counters, including with flora and fauna. Unexpected and enchanting, such chance
woodland happenings inspired perhaps a number of Cage’s works—audible and
otherwise.
“I have spent many pleasant hours in the woods conducting performances of
my silent piece,” he observed.
Morel
Transcriptions, that is, for an audience of myself, since they were much lon-
ger than the popular length, which I have had published. At one performance,
I passed the first movement by attempting the identification of a mushroom
which remained successfully unidentified. The second movement was ex-
Lay
tremely dramatic, beginning with the sounds of a buck and a doe
leaping…4
That raucous buck and doe perform a cacophonous arrangement, Cage

would write in Silence, “hesitatingly and fittingly within the structure of the work.”
The work in question being the natural compositions Cage frequently heard
and conducted while wandering, deeply introspective yet intently observant, across
the Arcadian landscapes of Stony Point, identifying and regularly devouring wild
mushrooms.
A contemplative practice that Cage regularly employed here, the amateur
mycologist’s identifications were aided by consultations with mushroom field
guides—occasionally found serendipitously, Cage noted in his 1954 Music Lovers’
Field Companion, in second-hand bookstores next door to stores offering dog-eared
sheet music. Music and mushrooms, one soon enough discovers, are entwined
KINGSTON TRINDER within much of Cage’s practice.
17
Cage’s mycological endeavors were not, however, without misadventure, no- “I am not interested in the relationships between sounds and mushrooms
tably his misidentifying and eating of what he believed was Spathyema foetidus, any more than I am in those between sounds and other sounds,” he wrote in Silence.
otherwise known as low-lying skunk or meadow cabbage. Presenting a noxious “These would involve an introduction of logic that is not only out of place in the
odor reminiscent of the eponymous mammal’s scent, Cage’s mistaken consumption world, but time-consuming.”
of poisonous hellebore caused rapidly decreasing blood pressure, extreme nausea, Questioned as to his reason for writing music, Cage noted, “I do not deal in
and an anxious visit to nearby Spring Valley hospital. purposes; I deal with sounds. I make them just as well by sitting quite still looking
“Fifteen minutes more and he would’ve been dead,” declared Doctor Zukor; for mushrooms.”
Cage later relayed the encounter in Indeterminacy5, advising readers: “Hellebore has
pleated leaves. Skunk cabbage does not.”
Cage, understandably disheartened by that near fatality, resolved however INDETERMINACY
to continue with wild mushroom identification. He later telephoned horticulturalist Dorothy Norman invited me to dinner in New York. There was a lady there from
Guy Nearing6 who agreed to assist him. “I’ll name your mushrooms for you,” Philadelphia who was an authority on Buddhist art. When she found out I was
Nearing—who would live to age 96, no Hellebore for he—said. interested in mushrooms, she said, “Have you an explanation of the symbolism
Intimately acquainted as he was, by now, with mushroom varieties, both involved in the death of the Buddha by his eating a mushroom?” I explained
nutritious and ruinous, gregarious Cage, his hands inquisitively gathering together that I’d never been interested in symbolism; that I preferred just taking
kaleidoscopic specimens, his eyes etched about with gleeful crow’s feet as he re- things as themselves, not as standing for other things. But then a few days
counted such mishaps and odysseys, remained generous with his mycological later while rambling in the woods I got to thinking. I recalled the Indian
knowledge.
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS concept of the ©ATELIER
relation of ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER
life and the seasons. Spring ÉDITIONS
is Creation. Summer
Visitors to Stony Point would listen to mushroom-laced anecdotes with is Preservation. Fall is Destruction. Winter is Quiescence. Mushrooms grow
equal glee and disbelief, cross-legged upon wide mats of seagrass in Cage’s sun- most vigorously in the fall, the period of destruction, and the function of
light-suffused, oak tree enveloped modernist house, over plentiful servings of many of them is to bring about the final decay of rotting material. In fact,
foraged morel, wild watercress salad, and thickened dogsup. as I read somewhere, the world would be an impassable heap of old rubbish
Dogsup, an unexpected delicacy, was Cage’s preserved mushroom variation were it not for mushrooms and their capacity to get rid of it. So I wrote
of catsup, in which salt, ginger root, mace, bay leaf, cayenne, black pepper, allspice, to the lady in Philadelphia. I said, “The function of mushrooms is to rid
and brandy are combined with broken mushrooms and reduced, then preserved for the world of old rubbish. The Buddha died a natural death.”
a year before being served.
Nevertheless, Cage remained interested in the relationship between seasonal-

INDETERMINACY ity, composition, decomposition, reincarnation, Zen Buddhism, silence, and the ego.
Betty Isaacs told me that when she was in New Zealand she was informed that The sage pronouncements of celebrated Japanese Buddhist scholar Daisetz Teitaro
none of the mushrooms growing wild there was poisonous. So one day when she Suzuki preoccupied Cage, who attended the octogenarian lectures at Columbia
noticed a hillside covered with fungi, she gathered a lot and made catsup. University. Suzuki’s observations offered many thoughts for deepest contemplation:
When she finished the catsup, she tasted it and it was awful. Nevertheless
Zen in essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one’s own being, and
she bottled it and put it up on a high shelf. A year later she was house-
points the way from bondage to freedom. […] When the cloud of ignorance
cleaning and discovered the catsup, which she had forgotten about. She was
disappears, the infinity of the heavens is manifested, where we see for the
on the point of throwing it away. But before doing this she tasted it. It
first time into the nature of our own being.7
had changed color. Originally a dirty gray, it had become black, and, as she
told me, it was divine, improving the flavor of whatever it touched. Suzuki’s reflections on silence would have, imaginably, been especially reso-
nant for Cage.
“Silence is not that of the desert shorn of all vegetation, nor is it that of a
corpse forever gone to sleep and decay,” Suzuki says.
19
Photographs collected by Cage, 1962–1992.

21
It is the silence of an ‘eternal abyss’ in which all contrasts and conditions are Cage, eschewing ego, and resisting any urge to claim Zen as an ego-centred
buried; it is the silence of God who, deeply absorbed in contemplation of his creative aid, applied an unabstracted way of thought to foraging.
works past, present, and future, sits calmly on his throne of absolute oneness
In the mushrooms it’s absolutely necessary you see if you’re going to eat
and allness. It is the ‘silence of thunder’ obtained in the midst of the flash
them as I do, not to eat one which is deadly. Whereas I take the attitude in
and uproar of opposing electric currents.8
music that no sounds are deadly. It’s like the Zen statement that every day is
“A stone lying there is silent,” Suzuki continues, a beautiful day. Everything is pleasing providing you haven’t got the notion
of pleasing and displeasing in you.14
A flower in bloom under the window is silent, but neither of them under-
stands Zen. There must be a certain way in which silence and eloquence
become identical, that is, where negation and assertion are unified in a
DIARY CXLII
higher form of statement. When we attain to this we know Zen.9
That that’s unknown brings mushroom and leaf together. “Ego dethroned.” In
Zen, furthermore, is found “right in the midst of the ocean of becoming. It the course of being provided with false teeth, Thoreau took ether. “You are,”
shows no desire to escape from its tossing waves. It does not antagonize Nature, it he wrote, “told that it will make you unconscious, but no one can imagine what
does not treat Nature as if it were an enemy to be conquered, nor does it stand away it is to be unconscious until he has experienced it. If you have an incli-
from Nature. It is indeed Nature itself.” 10 nation to travel, take,” he advised, “the ether. You go beyond the farthest
Similarly, silence, for Cage, was characterized by an all-encompassing star.” We know from a variety of experiences that if we have a sufficiently
receptivity, large number of things, some or even many of them can be bad but the sum-total
is good for the simple reason, say, that not all of the things in it are good.
…an openness, openness of the mind to the things which, from a neutral point
of view, are outside it, but from a Zen point of view are part of it, are in flux
with it, or it is in flux with them. That structure of the mind, as Suzuki ex- “When I began to study Zen,” Suzuki said, “mountains were mountains;
plained, is like this—this is the ego. […] And the ego has the capacity to cut when I thought I understood Zen, mountains were not mountains; but when I came
itself off from its experience whether it comes in through the senses or in to full knowledge of Zen, mountains were again mountains.” 15
through the dreams. And this would be what we ordinarily call relative world Mountains are perhaps mountains once more also for Cage, here at Stony
or daily experience. […] But the mind is such that it is fluent, full circle, and Point, where mushroom foraging and identification, lends clarity to Zen thought.
the ego is capable of stopping that flow, and Suzuki said Zen would like that “When I left New York for Stony Point,” Cage said,
the ego not stop the flow, and that it is able to move in or out.11
It was like a revelation! The mushrooms allowed me to understand Suzuki.
“We have made the ego into a wall,” Cage added. “And the wall doesn’t
Rockland County, where Stony Point is located, abounds in mushrooms of
even have a door through which the interior and exterior communicate! Suzuki
all varieties. The more you know them, the less sure you feel about identify-
taught me to destroy that wall.” 12
ing them. Each one is itself. Each mushroom is what it is—its own centre. It’s
Ego mediation notwithstanding, when questioned as to whether Zen had
useless to pretend to know mushrooms. They escape your erudition.16
influenced his compositions, Cage observed:
I don’t have the right to say I have put Zen into the work. […] Furthermore,
it’s not something one can be certain of anyway. And furthermore, it changes INDETERMINACY
each time it’s heard by a different person. It becomes the experience of that During recent years Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki has done a great deal of lectur-
person rather than something I know anything about. So we can’t say really ing at Columbia University. First he was in the Department of Religion, then
at all that Zen has been put someplace even. We just hope that it enlivens somewhere else. Finally he settled down on the seventh floor of Philosophy
and goes on enlivening, that we go on receptively, so to speak, to it, or are Hall. The room had windows on two sides, a large table in the middle with
animated by it, however you want to put that. […] The fact of the matter is ashtrays. There were chairs around the table and next to the walls. These
I think something like what Suzuki meant when he said “pure subjectivity” were always filled with people listening, and there were generally a few peo-
is involved. And so I can’t say at all that I’ve put it into the music.13 ple standing near the door. The two or three people who took the class for
23
credit sat in chairs around the table. The time was four to seven. During
this period most people now and then took a little nap. Suzuki never spoke
loudly. When the weather was good the windows were open, and the airplanes
leaving La Guardia flew directly overhead, drowning out from time to time
whatever he had to say. He never repeated what had been said during the
passage of the airplane. Three lectures I remember in particular. While he
was giving them I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what he was saying.
It was a week or so later, while I was walking in the woods looking for
mushrooms, that it all dawned on me.
LACTARIUS PIPERATUS
PEPPERY MILK CAP Cage with mushroom basket, Stony Point, New York, 1958.
25
Cage foraging and lunching with his neighbors and friends, the Epstein family, at Stony Point, New York, 1965.
27
CHAPTER TWO for instance; and if the owner came along and found me resting, she sent me
out to the back yard to chop up wood. She paid me a dollar a day. One day I
Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey Peninsula, noticed that some famous concert pianist was coming to town to give a recit-
Northern California, Winter, 1934 al, and I decided to finish my work as quickly as possible in order to get to
the concert without missing too much of it. I did this. As luck would have
it, my seat was next to that of the lady who owned the Blue Bird Tea Room,
One can learn a great deal about Cage’s interest in mycology by undertaking a long my employer. I said, “Good evening.” She looked the other way, whispered to
journey westward to his native California. Originally from Los Angeles, Cage’s her daughter. They both got up and left the hall.
interest in mushrooms began several hundred miles north of the city on the
Monterey Peninsula, in the coastal village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Drawn by the
hope of finding work during the Great Depression, Cage arrived here during the Painting landscapes and authoring numerous piano and voice compositions,
winter of 1934. Cage was then advised by experimental American composer Henry Cowell, to
Wholly impoverished and unimaginably hungry, Cage decided to forage for whom Cage had sent his Sonata for Clarinet—later described by Cage as “the open
edible flora. He was not alone. New York State Agricultural Experiment Station sesame for new music in America” 20 —to seek instruction from another American
mycologist Fred Carleton Stewart’s instructive 1933 pamphlet How to Know the composer, the Modernist Adolf Weiss.
Mushrooms and Toadstools encouraged foraging during the Depression for essential Weiss had been taught in Germany during the 1920s by the influential
sustenance; a pamphlet Cage himself possessed. Austrian–American composer Arnold Schoenberg—from whom Cage hoped to
“Unable to distinguish the edible from the poisonous kinds,” Stewart notes, receive instruction after receiving lessons ©ATELIER
in harmony ÉDITIONS
and counterpoint from
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
“the great majority of people dare not ©ATELIER
make any useÉDITIONS
of wild mushrooms for ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
21
Weiss —and he assented to Cage’s request for instruction, despite the neophyte
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
food. Consequently, large quantities of excellent food of this kind go to waste at our composer being almost entirely without an income.
very doors.” 17 In the spring of 1934, after an arduous winter spent painting, composing,
Wild mushrooms grew in abundance all around Cage’s isolated Carmel and socializing with Monterey’s artists and writers, amongst them author John
shack. He began foraging these, daringly perhaps, from necessity. “I didn’t have Steinbeck, photographer Edward Weston, and marine biologist, Ed Ricketts, at last
anything to eat, and I knew, as you say, from ‘tradition’ that mushrooms were Cage, desirous of Weiss’s instruction, clambered aboard a freight train bound for
edible and that some of them are deadly,” Cage recalled. He also soon realized New York. Here he would wash walls for the Brooklyn YMCA, and be taught by
they were not going to satisfy all his dietary requirements. Weiss for a dollar an hour; followed by regular bridge matches between Weiss,
So I picked one of the mushrooms and went in the public library and satis- Cage, and Mitzi, Weiss’s wife.22
fied myself that it was not deadly, that it was edible. And I ate it and nothing Simultaneously, Cage attended several of Cowell’s courses at The New
else for a week. And after a week, I was living in Carmel; I was invited to School for Social Research; amongst them “Primitive and Folk Origins of Music,”
lunch. I had met someone, and I was invited to lunch and it was down at the “Modern Harmony,” and “Survey of Contemporary Music.” 23 Then, from March
other end of town. And I set out for the lunch, but found I didn’t have the 1935 until January 1937, he returned to California to finally undertake instruction
strength to get there. Mushrooms don’t give you much strength.18 from Schoenberg. Cage later observed of that era:
Cage elaborated: “Mushrooms have about the food value of cabbage. And After I had been studying with him for two years, Schoenberg said, “In
though they’re very delicious, the proteins they include are arranged in such a way order to write music, you must have a feeling for harmony.” I explained to
that we may not, we cannot, digest them.” 19 him that I had no feeling for harmony. He then said that I would always
encounter an obstacle, that it would be as though I came to a wall through
which I could not pass. I said, “In that case I will devote my life to beating
INDETERMINACY my head against that wall.”
I once had a job washing dishes at the Blue Bird Tea Room in Carmel, Califor- As Cage’s material circumstances gradually improved, and impassable walls
nia. I worked twelve hours a day in the kitchen. I washed all the dishes and gave forth before experimental, widely celebrated compositions, so his interest in
pots and pans, scrubbed the floor, washed the vegetables, crates of spinach mushrooms developed from a necessity into an altogether pleasurable endeavor.
29
The near starvation which had once driven him to foraging for wild mushrooms in
Carmel became an entrancing diversion within a much larger conceptual journey.
“All things have the character of emptiness,” offers the Prajnaparamita-Hridaya-
Sutra, recited, Suzuki has said, in Zen monasteries by all monks before each meal.
Here in this emptiness there is no form, no perception, no name, no con-

cepts, no knowledge. No eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind.
No form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no objects… There is no
knowledge, no ignorance, no destruction of ignorance…24
Cage’s 1907 edition of Toadstools at Home,

with annotated pages.
30 31

33
CHAPTER THREE Each of Cage’s classes was attended by some 30 to 40 students. His weekend
mycological expeditions were enormously attractive to city dwellers wishing to
New School for Social Research, New York, New York, Fall, 1959
escape to the countryside, leaving behind New York’s endless sidewalks and
skyscrapers.26, 27
US Department of Agriculture Associate Pathologist Vera K. Charles’ 1931
circular, Some Common Mushrooms and How to Know Them,28 was issued by Cage, at a
INDETERMINACY
cost of 25 cents, to many aspiring New School mycologists.29
This summer I’m going to give a class in mushroom identification at the New
“The beautiful colors and delicate textures exhibited by many of these plants
School for Social Research. Actually, it’s five field trips, not really a
offer a great attraction to the artistic,” observed Charles, “while the more practical
class at all. However, when I proposed it to Dean Clara Mayer, though she
are reminded of the gastronomic possibilities offered by many of the wild species.
was delighted with the idea, she said, “I’ll have to let you know later
The hope of finding something new continually urges one on, and the thrill of possible
whether or not we’ll give it.” So she spoke to the president who couldn’t
discovery is ever present.”
see why there should be a class in mushrooms at the New School. Next she
On these Sunday field trips, Cage was careful to direct his companions’
spoke to Professor MacIvor who lives in Piermont. She said, “What do you
attention to Charles’ caution about only eating a mushroom if one was “absolutely
think about our having a mushroom class at the New School?” He said, “Fine
certain of the identity and edibility of the species collected.”
idea. Nothing more than mushroom identification develops the powers of ob-
servation.” This remark was relayed both to the president and to me. It The assertions that mushrooms are poisonous if a silver coin placed in the
served to get the class into the catalogue and to verbalize for me my pres- utensil in which the mushrooms are cooked tarnishes, and that those which
ent attitude towards music: it isn’t useful, music isn’t, unless it develops peel easily are edible, are wholly erroneous. The presence of insects on fungi
our powers of audition. But most musicians can’t hear a single sound, they is no guide as to their edibility, because insects infest both poisonous and
listen only to the relationship between two or more sounds. Music for them edible mushrooms. The notion that soaking or boiling poisonous mushrooms
has nothing to do with their powers of audition, but only to do with their in salt water will render them harmless has no foundation in fact.
powers of observing relationships. In order to do this, they have to ignore
To become acquainted with several common mushroom varieties, Charles
all the crying babies, fire engines, telephone bells, coughs, that happen to
said, is possible, but “in order to become thoroughly familiar with the subject,
occur during their auditions. Actually, if you run into people who are re-
continued study under a competent instructor is absolutely necessary.”
ally interested in hearing sounds, you’re apt to find them fascinated by the
One of Cage’s recollections about these exploratory Sundays concerns
quiet ones. “Did you hear that?” they will say.
somewhat guileless Mr Romanoff. Mr Romanoff’s enthusiastic observations illustrate
the esoteric dimensions, intentional or otherwise, encouraged within Cage’s
Mushroom Identification (Course No. 1287) was admitted in September of 1959 mushroom classroom exchanges.
to the New School’s fall curriculum. Offered by John Cage, assisted by textile
designer Lois Long and botanist and lichen enthusiast Guy Nearing, the courses's
publicity read: INDETERMINACY
Mr Romanoff is in the mushroom class. He is a pharmacist and takes color
Mr Cage, who regularly teaches musical composition at The New School, is slides of the fungi we find. It was he who picked up a mushroom I brought
an amateur mycologist. Mr Nearing is a botanist. Dean Mayer said the to the first meeting of the class at the New School, smelled it, and said,
course has “the double advantage of taking city dwellers to the woods in the “Has anyone perfumed this mushroom?” Lois Long said, “I don’t think so.”
most beautiful season of the year and of cultivating their powers of With each plant Mr Romanoff’s pleasure is, as one might say, like that of a
observation in a way rarely afforded in urban centers. Scientists from other child. (However, now and then children come on the field trips and they don’t
fields have often embraced mycology as a hobby; they have been much show particular delight over what is found. They try to attract attention
interested in some of the more intricate problems that arise in the effort to to themselves.) Mr Romanoff said the other day, “Life is the sum total of
identify some species of mushrooms.ˮ25 all the little things that happen.” Mr Nearing smiled.
35
Cage’s field book, 1958–1959.

37
Cage was on the New School faculty from the fall of 1956,30,31 but his Experimentation and interpretation, wholly encouraged by Cage within his
pedagogical endeavors began back in 1938 at the University of California, Los composition classes, was not, however, extended to his mushroom classes. The
Angeles, where he taught an extension course, “Musical Accompaniments for perils of mushroom misidentification remained ever-present in the minds of Cage’s
Rhythmic Expression,” alongside his aunt, music pedagogue Phoebe Harvey amateur mycologists; stimulating many to embrace behavioural changes, including
James. With Spring of 1939, at the Cornish School of Music in Seattle, Washington, now-punctual Mr Ralph Ferrara.
he would offer four courses: “Experimental Music,” “Modern Dance Composition,”
“Creative Music Education for Teachers,” and “Creative Music for Children.”
Travelling southwestward from New York City, Cage arrived in April of 1948 at INDETERMINACY
the avant-garde, multi-disciplinary, Black Mountain College in Asheville, North Mr Ralph Ferrara drives a Studebaker Lark which is mashed at both ends.
Carolina. Here Cage offered several classes, including “Structure of Music,” which Sometimes the car requires to be pushed in order to run. One Sunday when
comprised rhythm-based exercises arranged to harmonic phrasing influenced by the mushroom class met at 10:00 A.M. at Suffern, Mr Ferrara didn’t arrive.
composer Erik Satie. Speculation abounds as to whether Cage’s mycological Next week he told me he’d arrived late, gone to Sloatsburg, gathered a few
fascinations may in fact have begun here in North Carolina, where he remained a mushrooms, gone home, cooked dinner, and two of his guests were immediately
frequent visitor, as he wandered across, and perhaps, foraged amidst, Black ill but not seriously. At the last mushroom field trip, November 1, 1959, we
Mountain’s undulating meadowlands and riverine valleys. However, no evidence ended at my house, drank some stone fences, and ate some Cortinarius albo-
remains of such being the case within Cage’s own writings. violaceous that Lois Long cooked. She said to Ralph Ferrara, “Mr Cage says
Returning to New York and the New School, from 1956 onwards, Cage that there’s nothing like a little mushroom poisoning to make people be on
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would teach ÉDITIONS
experimental composition. ©ATELIER
Taught untilÉDITIONS
1961, the course offered ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS time.” He said,©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
“Oh, yes. I’m ©ATELIER
always first in the parking lot.” ÉDITIONS
scholars an unorthodox syllabus:
Whereas conventional theories of harmony, counterpoint and musical form Around the same time, 1959 or thereabouts, Cage’s meditative foraging had
are based on the pitch or frequency component of sound, this course offers earned him several hundred dollars. He supplied numerous restaurants and hotels
problems and solutions in the field of composition, based on other components across New York City with assorted mushrooms, including The Four Seasons,
of sound: duration, timbre, amplitude and morphology; this course also which was famed for menu seasonality and dish experimentation.36
encourages inventiveness.32 Cage’s expanding mushroom knowledge also earned him considerable fame
Inventiveness assisted “by the absence of academic rigour” 33 was expected further afield. For example, in February 1959, while he was in Milan as the guest
of the course’s maximum of 12 students. Exercises included: minimal sound of composer Luciano Berio, he appeared on the popular Italian television game
experiments with kitchen implements, chance compositional operations employing show Lascia o Raddoppia? (Double or Nothing?). Contestants were asked a series of
Grand Central Station train schedules, interventions with prepared, and unprepared, questions regarding a subject, in Cage’s case, mushrooms, over several episodes.
pianos, and indeterminacies created with numbers. Also offered were practical Correctly answered questions brought prize money, and advancement to the
exercises for making spontaneous compositions with unexpected instruments: next week’s show. Each episode saw the questions become more difficult, and
cymbals, guitars, bicycle bells, erasers, drawing pins, and paperclips.34 contestants could either double their money, accumulated over the previous
Cage would observe of his composition-course attendees: episodes, or lose everything.
Cage performed several new compositions at the beginning of each episode,
I wasn’t concerned with a teaching situation that involved a body of material Amores, Water Walk, and Sounds of Venice, before the program’s gregarious host, Mike
to be transmitted by me to them. I would, when it was necessary, give them a Bongiorno, questioned him regarding his mycological knowledge.
survey of earlier works, by me and by others, in terms of composition, but Over five weeks Cage answered each mushroom-related question correctly.
mostly I emphasized what I was doing at that time and would show them what Then came the final episode, during which he would either claim the 5 million lire
I was doing and why I was interested in it. Then I warned them that if they prize or walk away empty-handed.
didn’t want to change their ways of doing things, they ought to leave the class, “This is the third and final question, Mr Cage,” Bongiorno declared before
that it would be my function, if I had any, to stimulate them to change.35 a rapt television audience.
39

41
“Think carefully, Mr Cage. You must tell us the 24 names of the white- years of an individual’s life. Deschooling is, therefore, at the root of any movement
spored Agaricus contained in Atkinson’s Studies of American Fungi.” for human liberation.” 39
“I can enumerate the list alphabetically,” Cage replied. Correspondingly, Fuller observed that “the new form” for modern life’s
“Mr Cage says he can alphabetically list the 24 names!” Bongiorno exclaimed. engagement:
Cage then successfully named all 24 white-spored Agaricus genera in
…must be spontaneously complimentary to the innate faculties and
alphabetical order, a performance that was met by riotous applause from the audience.
capabilities of life. I am quite confident that humanity is born with its total
“Well done, Mr Cage. Very well done!” Bongiorno said. “Mr Cage has
intellectual capability already on inventory and that human beings do not
proved he’s a real mushroom expert. He hasn’t just been an odd character
add anything to any other human being in the way of faculties and capacities.
performing strange music on the stage, he’s a prepared scholar indeed.”
What usually happens in the educational process is that the faculties are
“I’d like to thank the mushrooms,” Cage replied to Bongiorno, “and all the
dulled, overloaded, stuffed and paralyzed, so that by the time that most
people of Italy.” 37
people are mature they have lost use of many of their innate capabilities.40
Listed alphabetically and thanked by Cage, the 24 varietals of white-spored
Agaricus had secured him the 5 million lire prize and allowed for the acquisition of Fuller’s solution was to radically transform the education process “in such a way
a new piano for Stony Point. as only to help the new life to demonstrate some of its very powerful innate capabilities.”
Cage also believed education systems required radical transformation.
Abandoning conventional grading and the syllabuses he saw as intended
DIARY CXCI only for the production of future employees, Cage’s unorthodox pedagogical
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Bank manager insisted ÉDITIONS
that ©ATELIER
identifying me wasn’t necessary: ÉDITIONS
I was one of the thoughts
©ATELIER and methodologies
ÉDITIONS were applied while he wasÉDITIONS
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bank’s depositors. The man handed me my billfold and asked me to look University of California.
through it carefully and notice that nothing had been removed. First, master His undergraduate students were encouraged by Cage, he revealed to
the endgame, then the middle and finally the opening. Thus you’ll be able German writer, composer, and socio-economic analyst Hans Günter Helms, to
from the beginning to see through to the end. Mushrooms tested by feeding recognize “the fact that we didn’t know what we were studying. That this was a
them to dog. After dinner, maid said: Dog’s dead. Guests’n’hosts had stomachs class in which we didn’t know what. And in order to make that clear that we could
pumped. Dog had been run over by a car. Deschool society (Ivan D. Illich), subject the entire university library to chance operations, to the I Ching, and each
Education Automation (R. Buckminster Fuller). Just as, in Buddhism, denial person in the class would read say five books or part of five books if the books were
of cause and effect arose from the realization that everything’s caused by too long, and the I Ching would tell them which part to read. And in that way we
everything else, so Illich’s society without school isn’t different from would all have, I thought and they agreed, something to talk about, something to
Fuller’s society with nothing but school. Illich and Fuller: All there is give one another.” 41
to do is live and learn. Cage’s radical classroom practices were accompanied by the conviction that
our knowledge must be endlessly sustained and nourished.
“Education is of no value unless it continues through life,” he wrote.
Cage’s writings reveal that he spent many of his mycological forays
That we must not graduate, we must go on studying. That this is the proper
contemplating the re-education of individuals and societies. He was particularly
life. But nowhere in America do you find these things understood in a way
interested in the revolutionary ideas about education then expressed by philosopher-
that is good except among individuals. And this is why not only I but now
priest Ivan Illich, and architect Buckminster Fuller (whom Cage had first met at
many more people say that our proper business is revolution.42
Black Mountain College in 1948).38
Alienation, Illich observed, is a symptom of organized education, which is
seen as a necessary part of the successful navigation of modern life—itself an
alienating, commodifying, homogenizing experience.
“The New World Church,” Illich observed, “is the knowledge industry,
both purveyor of opium and the workbench during an increasing number of the
43
Cage in a moment of reflection, Minnesota, 1969.
45
CHAPTER FOUR Each one of us has his own stomach; it is not the stomach of another. Lois
Long likes lamb chops. Esther Dam doesn’t. Ralph Ferrara prefers the way
New York Mycological Society, New York, New York, Fall, 1962 his aunt cooks mushrooms to the way anybody else does, to wit in olive oil
with garlic. As far as I’m concerned they’re cooked in butter, salt, and pepper
and that’s that. (Now and then with the addition of some cream, sometimes
INDETERMINACY sweet, sometimes sour, and less often a little lemon juice.) 46
I took a number of mushrooms to Guy Nearing, and asked him to name them for
The differing tastes of the society’s members found a parallel in the diversity
me. He did. On my way home, I began to doubt whether one particular mushroom
of mushroom varieties. Despite the expansive mycological knowledge Cage, Dam,
was what he had called it. When I got home I got out my books and came to
Ferrara, Long, and Nearing all possessed, recalling some species’ botanical names
the conclusion that Guy Nearing had made a mistake. The next time I saw him
frequently proved an elusive endeavor.
I told him all about this and he said. “There are so many Latin names rolling
around in my head that sometimes the wrong one comes out.”
INDETERMINACY
Once when Lois Long was on a mushroom walk led by Guy Nearing, a mushroom
In September 1962, Cage, alongside Guy Nearing, Lois Long, and friends Ralph
was found that was quite rare. Guy Nearing told Lois Long that it was
Ferrara and Esther Dam, resurrected the New York Mycological Society.43 The
Pleurotus masticatus. They then walked along and Lois Long, realizing she
society’s predecessor, the New York Mycological Club, established in the late 1890s,
had already forgotten the name of the mushroom, said to Guy Nearing, “I just
had fallen into
©ATELIER decline over the succeeding©ATELIER
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can’t get the name of that mushroom into my head. In fact, I have a terrible
The revived organization, as Cage explained, was a “fairly unorganized
time remembering any of these Latin names.” Guy Nearing said, “When you
anarchic” society, possessing no constitution. Their structure was non-hierarchical,
don’t know the name of a mushroom, you should say it first to the person in
bringing together amateur and professional mycologists in a symbiotic relationship
front of you, and then to the person in back of you. Soon, you’ll find, you
of knowledge sharing and collective enquiry:
remember it.”
…knowing full well that we have much to gain, and hoping that our activities
in the field can become more useful to the science itself…
[…] Our wish is the Society would function without dependence on Nearing and Long’s troublesome recollection of mushroom varietal names,
leadership, focusing its attention directly on fungi.44 and their attempted organization, however unorthodox, are juxtaposed by Cage’s
belief that “our intention is to affirm this life, not to bring order out of a chaos nor to
The society’s members wanted to commune with the land, and to abandon,
suggest improvements in creation, but simply to wake up to the very life we're living,
momentarily at least, the demands of urban life.
which is so excellent once one gets one's mind and one's desires out of its way and lets
“Hopefully we will all more or less reap the benefits which include more it act of its own accord.ˮ 47
experience and knowledge of mushrooms,” Cage noted,
pleasant hours and days in the woods and fields away from concrete and
DIARY CXCIV
metropolitan air and the society of people who spend their working hours in
Ihab Hassan’s book, The Dismemberment of Orpheus, begins with a statement
a great variety of ways. (I get, for instance, to be with people who aren’t
by Franz Kafka: “The decisive moment in human evolution is perpetual. That
composers of experimental music, and this is refreshing.) As Mr Nearing
is why the revolutionary spiritual movements that declare all former things
says, the Society works and there is much reason to keep it working.45
worthless are in the right, for nothing has yet happened.” Whole Earth Cook
Between the mycological society’s members there was plenty of variation in Book. Our recipes are not complicated: we want to turn you on to the
palate, which appears to have led to highly animated conversations regarding best relaxation in simple, natural cooking. The country kitchen is a traditional
culinary practices. Cage recounts: gathering place. We at the Whole Earth Restaurant make a party out of
preparing meals. We hope you’ll do the same. (Cadwallader and Ohr.) Mao:
47
Destruction means criticism and repudiation; it means revolution. It involves

She hears her old owl Ac stood mILKMEn inabeacuse of its harmony with it
reasoning things out, which is construction. Put destruction first, and in
seLFAND EQUANIMity ndnd rh into a partial concord ttha t may first be
the process you have construction.
heard in the nightibut not yetThE AIr consen ts and his wedge will enter
easilyralldvoia sounds Our vo ices sound differentlythThe wARM AIR HAS
Thawed the music in his throatPerhaps this IS THE WHIP-poor-will’s
Cage and friends at the first Chanterelle Weekend of the New York Mycological Society, 1962. Moonamh hand-organs rEMIND ME OF BEASTS art consists in stirring
from time to timeWhaWe are affectediCan he be w hittichee?
Cage said of the composition:
I wrote it by subjecting all the remarks of Henry David Thoreau about

music, silence, and sounds he heard [indexed in Thoreau’s Journal 1837–
1861], to a series of I Ching chance operations.49
Regularly consulted by Cage, I Ching is an ancient Chinese divination

methodology based on the text of the same name, attributed to the Western Zhou
dynasty (1000–750 BC). Random numbers are generated by the tossing of coins, or
the arrangement of yarrow sticks. Six of these randomized numbers, numbered
between six and nine, are subsequently arranged into hexagrams. These hexagrams,
64 in number and indexed in the I Ching, are then interpreted.
Early on, Cage would meticulously question the I Ching in the creation of
chance compositional operations. Chance would determine the parameters for
tempos, sounds and silences, durations, and superimpositions. Recalling his
revelation that “silence is not acoustic. It is a change of mind, a turning around,”
Cage later wrote,
I devoted my music to it. My work became an exploration of non-intention.

To carry it out faithfully I have developed a complicated composing means
using I Ching chance operations, making my responsibility that of asking
questions instead of making choices.50
Cage applied chance-derived methodologies to the composition of numerous

musical arrangements, artworks, and writings. After devouring many of Thoreau’s
“Our minds are changing,” Cage observed, works, he noted, somewhat bemusedly, “there’s no indication in any of his writings
that Thoreau ever ate a mushroom.” 51
from the use of simple, critical faculties to the use of design, problem-solving,
creative faculties, from an unrealistic concern with a non-existent status quo
to a courageous seeing of things in movement, life as revolution. History is
one revolution after another. ‘The progress from an absolute to a limited
monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a
true respect for the individual.’ Thoreau.48
American transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau was another

intellectual and essayist who held enormous significance for Cage, as illustrated by an
excerpt from a composition called Mureau, a portmanteau of “music” and “Thoreau.”
48 49
Cage foraging at Stony Point, New York, July 13, 1967.
51
(following spread) Cage dining al fresco in Spain with friends, 1970.

55
CHAPTER FIVE balance is achieved by maintaining a ratio of five yin ingredients—sea vegetables,
vegetables, seeds, beans, fruits, and nuts—to one yang ingredient—whole grains,
West 18th Street, New York, New York, Spring, 1973 miso, fish, red meat, eggs, and poultry.
Sustaining that balance, as Cage would later discover, demanded an
immense degree of self-discipline.
Eastern astrologer and transcendental healer Julie Winter was frequently
consulted by Cage.52, 53 Plagued by advancing arthritis, which he treated with
innumerable aspirin and occasional acupuncture, Cage was at last advised by
DIARY CXXX
Winter that his suffering would be alleviated by an unnamed, unorthodox physician
Discipline (Disciple). Giving up one’s country, all that’s dear to one’s
and his adoption of a radically altered diet.54
country: “Leave thy father and mother….” Yoga (Yoke). Taming of the globe
“All my doctors could do was smile and say: Pains come and go,” Cage
(Open: In and Out). Einstein wrote to Freud to say men should stop having
recalled. “When I told Yoko Ono how miserable I was, she said, ‘You must go to
wars. Freud wrote back to say if you get rid of war you’ll also get rid of
Shizuko Yamamoto; she will change your diet.’ Bells rang. I immediately made an
love. Freud was wrong. What permits us to love one another and the earth we
appointment with Yamamoto.”
inhabit is that we and it are impermanent. We obsolesce. Life’s everlasting.
Shizuko Yamamoto was a celebrated Japanese author, macrobiotic dietician
Individuals aren’t. A mushroom lasts for only a very short time. Often I go
(a diet based on Zen principles of harmonious energy balances), and a shiatsu
in the woods thinking after all these years I ought finally to be bored with
massage practitioner. Yamamoto offered dietary consultation to numerous
fungi. But coming upon just any mushroom in good condition, I lose my mind
celebrities such
©ATELIER as musicians Ono, a longtime
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©ATELIER Cage’s, and John Lennon, ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS all over again.©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
Supreme good fortune: we’re both alive!
actress Gloria Swanson, and the best-selling pediatrician Dr Benjamin Spock.
“We all belong to nature,” Yamamoto observed. “To fundamentally change
for the better we must learn from nature [and] discover what is nature’s order. If we Macrobiotic harmony, for Cage, meant a diet consisting largely of brown
can practice self-reflection [and] meditation, we will discover that we are part of rice and beans. “Cooked vegetables alone or with seaweed in a miso soup, nuts,
nature. Nature is in us.” 55 seeds, and nuka pickles [nukazuke] are accompaniments,” he would write in Where
“Her first words reminded me of Suzuki’s teaching,” Cage recalled. “Eat Are We Eating? and What Are We Eating?
when you’re hungry; drink when you’re thirsty.” 56 Yamamoto introduced him to the
Oils, sesame, corn, and olive, take the place of butter. Now and then I eat
macrobiotic diet, which surprised him at first, though he embraced it with enthusiasm.
fish or chicken. No dairy products, sugar, fruits, or meat. Though not
Cage’s diet had, until then, been influenced by the palate of the French
advised to do it, I use herbs and spices and lemon juice to give each dish a
cuisine expert and American television chef Julia Child; “plenty of butter and
distinctive taste. I follow Lima Ohsawa in the cooking of mushrooms,
cream and so forth.”
sautéeing them in a little sesame oil, finally adding tamari.
“I always loved her cooking,” he said.
Many of these mushrooms were gathered by Cage from nearby Central
Once I was asked to be on a television show with her. Unfortunately it was
Park. Cage’s adherence to a macrobiotic diet largely restored his health. “I no
after I changed my diet. I had a dream that before the show I said, ‘Oh Julia,
longer take any aspirin and I don’t bother with vitamins,” he said. Although he
I have something to tell you, I’m on a macrobiotic diet.’ She screamed and
remained partial to Laphroaig, a single malt whisky, from Islay, Scotland, served
ran away.
in Japanese tea cups.
The macrobiotic diet was originally developed by Japanese philosopher and Actualizing the words of Austrian logician Ludwig Wittengenstein58—
scholar George Ohsawa, Yamamoto’s mentor, who said: “No disease cannot be cured whom Cage greatly admired, and who reportedly devoured rye bread and Swiss
by proper therapy which consists of natural food, no medicine, no surgery, and no cheese exclusively—the composer said, “Now that I’m getting older, I think I
inactivity.” Ohsawa also stated: “Macrobiotic medicine is in reality a kind of Aladdin’s understand what Wittgenstein had on his mind. He said if he found anything he
lamp, a Flying Carpet with which you can realize your fondest dreams.” 57 could eat he would stick to it and not eat anything else.” 59
Ohsawa’s macrobiotic diet is an illustration of the harmonious balance of
the oppositional life forces of yin (female, passive) and yang (male, active). Such
56 57
Postcards collected by Cage, ca. 1980.

59
Cageʼs collage field book, ca. 1971.

61
Cage observed in his 1965 Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make
Matters Worse),
DIARY XLV
A meal without mushrooms is like a day without rain. Raised as a Methodist,
I’ve never taken drugs. When a physicist told me electrodes near my ears
would remove my sense of balance or, were I flying through space and the
capsule was revolving, make me think my balance was normal, I was fascinated.
Asking Duchamp why I accept electronics, refusing chemistry, he said, “It’s
not against the law.” George Herbert Mead’s Discussion of the religious
attitude: first one thinks of himself as one of a family, later as a part of
a community, then as living in a city, citizen of such and such a country;
finally, he feels no limit to that of which he is part.
“My poems on mushrooms are nonsense in the sense of not being ordinary
sense,” Cage observed
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pleasantly counterposing
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rationalism. “Words which you’re used to going in one direction can go in at least
two directions. They can be used to set your mind floating.”
Cage collecting wild greens, Grenoble, France, May 1971.

63
Photographs by Roger Bergner, 1987, collected by Cage.

(following spread) Cage mushroom hunting, Grenoble, France, May 1971.
64 65
67
Cage cooking with friends, ca. 1987.
CHAPTER SIX
Mountain Lake, Giles County, southwest Virginia, Fall, 1983
Amid the undulating hills and wildflower valleys of the southern Appalachian
Mountains stands Mountain Lake Workshop. Established in 1983 by renowned
interdisciplinary artist Ray Kass, the experimental lakeside workshop operates
as a collaborative art project, combining Appalachian custom, environmental
engagement, and contemporary esthetic practice.
During Mountain Lake’s 1983 Fall Workshop Mycological Foray, Cage
foraged alongside eminent American mycologist Dr Orson K. Miller. Miller
delivered an edifying lecture entitled ‘Form and function in the higher fungi’
accompanied by color slides examining spore formation. Cage 60 presented excerpts
from his latest unexpected composition, Mushrooms et Variationes, which he authored
for the occasion.
Cage employed chance operations for the creation of several abstract pencil
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compositions: ÉDITIONSoutlines of stones he©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
gathered from the New River. Later, ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
while foraging morels with Miller from the leaf-strewn Appalachian meadows,
Cage contemplated whether “it was possible to identify trees by the sound wind
made going through the leaves.” 61
“You can stay with music while you’re hunting mushrooms,” he observed.
“It’s a curious idea perhaps, but a mushroom grows for such a short time and if you
happen to come across it when it’s fresh it’s like coming upon a sound which also
lives a short time.”
INDETERMINACY
Music and mushrooms: two words next to one another in many dictionaries.
Where did he write The Three-Penny Opera? Now he’s buried below the grass
at the foot of High Tor. Once the season changes from summer to fall, given
sufficient rain, or just the mysterious dampness that’s in the earth,
mushrooms grow there, carrying on, I am sure, his business of working with
sounds. That we have no ears to hear the music the spores shot off from
basidia make obliges us to busy ourselves microphonically.
During the 1983 Canadian public radio program Cage in the Woods, the
interviewer suggested to Cage that many individuals consider mushrooms sacred.
He rapidly dismissed the thought: 62
69
There are tribes in Siberia who will trade several sheep for a single Amanita movement, Cage and Duchamp, and later Duchamp’s wife, Teeny, activated
[muscaria]. The German mycologist and writer Gordon Wasson feels that several electronic sound-generating systems, operated by Cross, David Behrman,
whole religions developed from eating mushrooms. John Allegro in his book Gordon Mumma, and David Tudor, that connected the chessboard’s squares. The
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross says that even Christianity developed game of chess, Cross observed, would determine “the form and acoustical
from a mushroom cult. I don’t think in those terms. Nothing is more sacred ambienceˮ of the musical event; an event within which Cage himself would present
than any other thing. We should wash our dishes and brush our teeth, and no musical arrangements to the chessboard.
forget about one thing being sacred and another not. Duchamp, a champion chess player, who had in fact taught Cage to play,
resoundingly defeated Cage, twice. Chess then, and the hunting of wild mushrooms,
I don’t have any favorite mushrooms—I just like the one I have. I love
remained for Cage, “situations in which chance cannot be used. They are both life
mushrooms, that’s all. When you love something you don’t ask what draws
and death matters of winning and losing. One prefers to live.” 64
you to it. You remember that you decided to love it, and the rest is just life
experience.63
As well as his interest in mushrooms, Cage also had a long-standing INDETERMINACY

fascination for botany, which began to occupy more of his time, in the shape of a We have the impression that we’re learning nothing, but as the years pass
vast indoor garden he established at his West 18th Street Manhattan loft. we recognize more and more mushrooms and we find that the names that go with
Time, increasingly scarce, was of immense importance to Cage, now 70. them begin to stick in our heads. Furthermore, we’re still alive. However,
“Where I used to spend so much of my time hunting mushrooms,” he said, we must be cautious. Guy Nearing sometimes says that all mushroom experts
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I’ve recently become interested in indoor gardening. I attempt to move
largely imaginary, those of mushroom hunting perfectly real.
according to circumstances. I now have 200 plants, and when I’m home,
they have first priority. I now tend to spread myself thinner and thinner. If
you don’t have enough time to accomplish something, consider the work
finished once it’s begun.
INDETERMINACY
While hunting morels with Alexander Smith in the woods near Ann Arbor, I
mentioned having found quantities of Lactarius deliciosus in the woods in
northern Vermont. He said, “Were the stipes viscid?” I said, “Yes, they
were.” He said, “It’s not deliciosus; it’s thyinos.” He went on to say that
people go through their entire lives thinking that things are that when they
are actually this, and that these mistakes are necessarily made with the
very things with which they are the most familiar.
“I began using chess and the hunting of wild mushrooms as a balance to my

involvement with chance,” Cage observed of two of his most enduring diversions.
He had occasionally played such with conceptual artist, Marcel Duchamp, before
the latter’s death in October 1968. In March of that same year, chess and music
had memorably entwined at Toronto’s Ryerson Theatre, within Duchamp and
Cage’s collaborative performance Reunion. Employing a specially constructed,
electrified chessboard prepared by composer Lowell Cross, with each individual AMANITA MUSCARIA
FLY AGARIC
Interior of Cage and Merce Cunningham's New York City loft, date unknown.
73
Cage foraging at Composer to Composer Festival in Telluride, Colorado, 1989.
75
CHAPTER SEVEN leaves, nor rearrange the fallen limbs. Lactarius piperatus and Lactifluus vellereus
remain undisturbed. For Cage had passed away on Tuesday 12 August 1992, at
Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, Summer, 1992 Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center in Greenwich Village, New York. He had
suffered what would be a fatal stroke the evening before, at the West 18th Street loft
John Cage had by now contemplated silence for more than half a century. In 1951, he shared with his lover and collaborator of over four decades, the celebrated
that long meditation led him to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a revelatory choreographer Merce Cunningham.
encounter within Harvard University’s now dismantled anechoic chamber; a Cage was 79, and deep in the process of writing two additions to his collection
chamber constructed to absorb reflections of all sounds or electromagnetic waves. of observations, anecdotes, obsessions, and stories, Diary: How to Improve the World
(You Will Only Make Matters Worse). Some four years later, in 1996, Cunningham
scattered Cage’s ashes across the landscape at Ramapo Mountains, near Stony
INDETERMINACY
Point. Summer’s blossoms are once more replaced by autumn’s cascading leaves;
It was after I got to Boston that I went into the anechoic chamber at Harvard
winter’s enveloping silence gives forth to spring’s vitality. Wandering endlessly
University. Anybody who knows me knows this story. I am constantly telling
through each passing season, Cage, equally delighted by the sound of the
it. Anyway, in that silent room, I heard two sounds, one high and one low.
whippoorwill, the scent of the undergrowth, and the sight of joyous sunshine,
Afterward I asked the engineer in charge why, if the room was so silent, I
would, in Thoreau’s words, “always find himself in a new country or wilderness,
had heard two sounds. He said, “Describe them.” I did. He said, “The high
and surrounded by the raw material of life.”
one was your nervous system in operation. The low one was your blood in
In How to Improve the World, Cage offers readers his lifetime’s harvest;
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
circulation.”
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS discoveries
©ATELIER thatÉDITIONS
brought him vitality and joy.©ATELIER
Now, imagine him, returning at dusk
after a meandering journey across Stony Point, and laying his collected mushrooms
across the kitchen table—oysters, chanterelles, and morels. Here, bathed in
“There is no such thing as empty space or empty time. There is always twilight, surrounded by the natural harmonies and sweet-earth scents of the
something to see, something to hear,” Cage, then approaching his 80th year, countryside rising from his wicker mushroom basket, a bounty of gathered fungi,
observed. “In fact, try as we may to make silence, we cannot… Until I die there will Cage animatedly relays each woodland encounter, each foraged variety, each
be sounds. And they will continue following my death. One need not fear about the silent composition. With each divulged thought, and enlightening observation, we
future of music.” 65 also experience Cage’s unimaginable pleasure in being of the world, his embrace of
Cage, deeply influenced by the teachings and philosophy of British–Ceylonese the raw material of life. From all of Cage’s richest forays, mycological or otherwise,
metaphysician Ananda Coomaraswamy, observed that “the function of Art is to we too return possessing new knowledge, experiences, and memories, each as
imitate Nature in her manner of operation.” 66 Coomaraswamy’s immense theoretical enlightening as those he generously shared with ourselves.
significance to Cage is illustrated within his 1950 composition String Quartet in Four “We are continuing to wander,” Cage wrote, “Among these wanderings—
Parts. A work of great simplicity, the four movements, reminiscent and in the middle of them—here, all of a sudden, is a release. Or an opening.” 67
of Satie, consist of Quietly flowing along, summertime in France, Slowly rocking, fall
in America, Nearly stationary, winter, and Quodlibet, spring. Long acknowledging life’s
cyclical relationship with the seasons, a belief advanced by Coomaraswamy, Cage
would note “Spring is Creation. Summer is Preservation. Fall is Destruction. Winter
is Quiescence.” Fall held additional importance for Cage; this being that time of year
during which mushrooms proliferate, hastening the decomposition of matter.
After nearly 50 years, the verdant meadows of Stony Point no longer
reverberate with Cage’s contemplative ambling. Nor do the cathedral boughs of
White Oak encompass his silent compositions of mushroom identification and
gambolling buck and doe. Cage’s gentle, exploratory hands, sweetly scented with
earth, no longer caress the weeping willows, nor gently overturn the scattered
(following spread) A contemplative Cage in Grenoble, France, 1972.
77
78 79
III.
(MUSHROOMS
ET VARIATIONES)
PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS
OYSTER MUSHROOM
Mushrooms et Variationes was originally performed by Cage between September and October I instEad
1983, in New York City, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Mountain Lake, Virginia. betweeN
This text, like Themes and Variations (Station Hill Press, 1982), is in “renga.” That
twO
The names of the mushrooms for the mesostics are: Entoloma abortivum, Clitocybe nuda, deaL
Sparassis crispa, Lepiota americana, Armillaria matsutake, Cantharellus cinnabarinus, mOre
becoMing
Armillariella mellea, Marasmius oreades, Dentinum repandum, Hypomyces lactifluorum,
And
Craterellus cornucopioides, Cantharellus umbonatus.
After
The text is written to be read out loud. Timing is given in the right margin. Stanzas
are to be recited within a single breath. More time is given to mesostics on the name not line Between
Craterellus cornucopioides than to the others because the lettrist events in them are to be
instead Of
vocalized or pronounced using sprechstimme.
in latteR case
See Appendix (p. 155) for further details about the work. boTh
I’m
eVery atom
becaUse
relationship between theM
takEs
workiNg
facT
bOth
onLy
when they’re On track
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS as Much ÉDITIONS
©ATELIER 30"
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
in spAce
Always
But
nOw
foRmed
wriTten
emptIness
ready to receiVe
Upsets
what’s had in Mind
Each
there’s Now
enlighTened
is wOrthy
Less
shall i dO
Inspired by Cage's 1990 series Edible Drawings (several illustrations he authored
upon paper which could be recycled as food, an idea catalyzed by the sight of i reMember
pAssivity
impoverished South American families boiling ink from newspapers then eating the
Acceptance
recovered pulp), this section of the book is printed upon environmental Cartamela of Being
paper; a paper made from the industrial waste of apple processing. at One’s 1’00"
centeR
Mushrooms et Variationes © John Cage Trust fooT of land
contInued politiCs must give way
by listing eVery plant
she foUnd in the worLd of art
mornIng
Much beTween
gravity aspEct Of
of eNergy
she had wriTten it didn’t reCeive invitations
each and everYone
mOtor
enLightened Both
should havE
nOw mouNtain
and More
And moUntain
thAn from Down below
we Believe mercifully frozen to deAth

he fOund anyone Can see it’s time
miseRable
The fiLm
2'30"
shIft room noIse
Very
yoU are 1'30" or is iT
like My with Our present
II Conversation existenCe
at tabLe am i i mean to saY
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS gone to the movIes
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS celeBration
iTs name nErvous system
directiOn equatioN
that Came up with
lovelY sounds in nature its power its Use
to Block out she launcheD her show
thE
wouldN’t let them diseAses
the Urban in Circuit
leaDer of peopLe
once more reAdy for no matter what
but somethIng else
Can be sure That
tree is getting aLong sOund
Cristophe
she mentIoned silence
in The desert with leprosY
nOt
but Continued making new ones Blood
was mY response
thEre 3'00"
like Birds chaNge of life
grEw embrace me yoUng

New shoots 2'00" anD whole
at last world mAnagement
what broUght us all together
to holD it together III itS
suPply
sAfe for humanity
All that’s needed muShrooms
at any Point in time
foR thAt opens
in order to breAk them later dooRs
what you’ve Seen
reAl one of finding another
facultieS we Say
becauSe
ear’s no place Independent wIth
actually found Several
eaSy and not have Conceptions
exCited weRe not closed
the fiRst whIch
of what’s not Intended Shifts 4'30"
as uPper vermont
leadS
And
sPlit down the middle
3'30" viSions
’t’s we who turn Away of Profession
unintentionAlly
it could have eaSily Rules
before we Put
chAnging wAy
enlaRging Supplied
which is hAving
nothing to Say but Serves
when it iS for hIm
tIme to have made a Sign
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER toÉDITIONS
Say the least ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS for musiC
to Come
wheneveR
theRe’s wIll change
tIme to return when i Said
out of our mindS IV in Place
but i have the imPression my bAsket
Away don’t think i wouLd
muShrooms will be found havE
when People
thAt leads Paul zukofsky does not agree
anotheR
I have
velvet footed collybiA except fOr
5'00"
no extra time’S had To music
juSt sounds 4'00"
In oklahoma dAvid tudor
and then of courSe in front of Audiences

eduCation asked how it was coMing
the desiRe to be secure Enlightenment
to Including because Records

deSire to taste thIs
indeterminaCy
or taking global Point of view A sutra
Away actual souNds
At
aLl cleAring up
and will bE later on no Mushrooms

in any case not on Paper except one dAy
of Thinking
musIc that there’S
inside inflUence
germinatiOn was one
work making iTself
and Then whAt it will be 6'30"
music is Alive
they thinK
mAde 5'30"
not Music thEir
obligEd it mAy even be
to listen to a Record aRtha
makIng left the sMaller ones

inClude behInd
more like A camera
thaN he mereLy
in nAture meanwhiLe
it get mAde
buddha said suddenLy what he does was done long befoRe
thE fact he gIves it
in sPace A
In the next Minute

alsO no ideA
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS differenT
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
where iT
Alone in time waS
the mondriAns are cracked got needed drUgs
Many Tried to be influenced by tobey

no yEs and no
hAd 7'00"
cuRved to Know
likE
the next stop Is 6'00" VI perhaps he’s reaChed
you Could to be At all
sAy a letter N’karen
seNse noT concerned

he gives As
tHe future
V problems of Asking something
theRe’d be just to get A little
Mushrooms wRiting a song
thIs time nEw book

possibLe aLong
even sLightly aLl together
the shApe
had oUr
teaching eveRy write Some
mornIng musiC
wIth the wasps
aNswered So
off the kitcheN aCtually no quartet they change
8'30"
for Awhile i won It’s
7'30" i doN’t
to go to Berlin
he sAid
i’d Rather oN
does wIthout And not the viola player
to keep thiNgs
my stUdy Bright red
chemicalS
A
reCeived the book and lateR
A bag I will try

besides techNical
kNew
robin dreyer who had sTudied trombone throUgh
for sometHing like
And books i hope So
have aCcess
woRth like A seed
last summEr uNimpeded
because of aLan chadwick’s presence there
he was Tall
i Like it
but paUl Horns of plenty
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS to the pawnS
for Clothes the more you plAy
and a suItcase but the two togetheR
black and rEd 9'00"
the compaNy he toLd me
afterNoon 8'00" and beautifuL
in north cArolina
By very mUch
All
pleaSe me
accept theiR check when i was in iCeland
I’m
wrote oNe himself I was asked
difficUlty iN
the Same will be a kNockout
eaCh
he becAme aware besides whAt i had to
the shop i fouNd
to Believe my desires
relaTion in the volcAnic
to tHeir purposes of couRse
musiciAns in mind near reykjavIk
the piece may neveR kNew

in othEr parts yoU put a little oil
often he is bLocked iS
staying in phiLadelphia when marCel
i continUed
reAch him Is bringing
with his wife aNd 9'30" a handfuL of honeys
geT
nevertheLess
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sAid none
conceRts
wRiting about him wIth
it occurrEd to me wrotE the manifesto music
after haLf an hour beautifuL just the caps
i weLcome whatever happens next
nothing is accompLished
Unique in rAked sand
according to what the liquid’S doing in the bottoM
of thE pan
Couldn’t make the game last it was too difficuLt
more than eIght are not at aLl in any way a part of it
to kEep
Next it wAs
ready for aNything A

thAt’s yeaR before
Being written the probleM
posItion
i Asked him do i make my mistake
and micRotonal for awhiLe
Left them covered 11'00"
It’s
colliNs said it’s a stacked deck wAlks with lois
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIERyoU’re playing
ÉDITIONS 10'00"
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
bitterneSs to modify fiRe
VII it wAs then uncovered and tamarI quickly

at the cheRry lane’s
froM firE turned off
dIstinctions between good
and eviL Lemon
incLuding
A even now i wouLdn’t
cAll it that
we had not yet foRmed and so My
the communIty timE
to thE Like of which
peopLe easiLy
Left behind nEver
hAve looked at before
circumstAnces that arise
VIII no need for More poetry
williaMs thAn comes
madE of Replying
goaL the Air
yourseLf of Self-expression
bEtween it is a Means
this And this 11'30"
over It
but generAlly you woUld have thought
the pRoject 10'30" a meanS
through circuMstances
Of yoU just hunt
oR that Mushrooms
sElf- XI i was Convinced

Alteration ouR minds
yesterDay Asking
thE chicken polypore Trst

ron called it vocalS
thEm
IX very glaD hungRy
onE hour
thE 13'00"
Lwt
aN idea in mind
They found me it gives you aLl thought
voIce of god
U
oNce when
withoUt Swk
caMe my adviCe
undeRbrush 12'00"
thEn hydnum where are yOu in it
so that i don’t interruPt to give moRe time for the trip

thaN
couldn’t find wAy out U
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS what and wheN

©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS lCn
Defined
fOr things to dawn on me
shoUted get out of the way by Placement
Mysterious the trIp
i will nOt 13'30"
X since we Have
just to saY I
is a Prize
the Only Don’t know
i aM whEther
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iS utteR interest
as i wiLl
A
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daily perCeived dieT
of boleTus 12'30" mEans
whateveR
lIve in the city thE stations
iF heaLth food
i was iLl pLay is on the side
for twelve hoUrs U

previOusly
veRy little choice Stores 14'00"
laCk
gOod twO points
lRm now that you’Re

boTh
you Name it I’m
simply tUne in from View
lCn becaUse
relationship between theM
O though not connEcted
iN
or are we like Planes The
It
bOth
O onLy
nOw
mlI
Motion 15'30"
you coulD call this sAy
E Always
rehearSal 14'30" But
nOw
XII prinCiple moRe
thAt jusT
somethiNg
is quesTion lInes
tHe
hAve its place diVergence
afteR that
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS bEing
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Unenlightened
probLem what’s had in Mind
aLl the same problem bodiEs
thoUght thiNg
it’S
giving Up a Tendency
tOwards
Me and mine of aLl
Of power
But
becOmes More
aNd over As ever
Again Acceptance
collecTion 16'00"
of what yoU originally gave Began
in the catSkill woods 15'00" tO
Remember
I (I) instEad There’s
of dealiNg Interest
That enVision
nOthing
we deaL tUrning it on or off
with One
becoMing Making
And it was yEars
After thaN
you Think
as miseraBle as ever
mOtor Listed
enLightened thAn
Considering
a bOok wiTh
and More
And I’ve written
totAl stranger i Found
Between of yourseLf
pOints in space is sUch
17'30"
miseRable Out
The
shIft at my i ching pRint-
Very 16'30" back throUgh the absolute
Unenlightened around the clock at hoMe
like My
don’t think i wouLd
II (X) tHis mushroom i havE not
waY
Paul zukofsky does not agree
to Put I have
tO say
except fOr
tiMe
saYing To music
siCk
to thE mind dAvid tudor
Surrounding it
was earLy As
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS in the ÉDITIONS
©ATELIER dAy when i ate ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS aM
Enlightenment
daily perCeived Remembered
when I was so young
going To use i Couldn’t
sense perceptIons Are
beFore breakfast
actual souNds
i was iLl hAd 18'00"
throUgh dreams he gave severaL
music changEs
yOu see 17'00" in any case not on Paper
youR mind
seeds and theIr
three foUr or five
by means Of a gas engine
we were in verMont leaving bubbles on The
hAd
tHat’s thAt’s why
to saY
Practically not Music
obligEd
tO think
More foR
hours awaY and lIghtning
Changing our plans musiC

in thE world i don’t know whAt it was
or eveN things to see
Speaking
A boat beneath the water nor Are they
19'30"
buddha said suddenLy doN’t ever
thE fact of the christiAn life
that People
In 18'30" IV (VI) diffiCult
Ocean the two dAvids’
in The
wAys Needs no rehearsal
the mondriAns are cracked abouT
a Motor tHe future
this wAs always the case
for an airplanE but moving aRound
as with thoReau wE were
It flew wouLd you write for the singer
or wouLd
now Complete them yoU
japaneSe farmer
sAy a letter Carry
raiN wIth the wasps

you doN’t
he gives As
were aLloys that hadn’t graiNs
as hE can he sAid
Below’re
comPletes the work of art
In he sAid
dad’s next inventiOn had the Room 20'00"
does wIthout ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
oTher
plAce that was wheN
cAutious 19'00" difficUlty with cathy
put the Mind She
carEful
V (V) problems of mAking something
it was called vivo oscillatoR of ouR living
once More
rIght left In course
in publiC being equaL to no purpose
A word of truth
am i actuaLly
theN Academy
cAt’s throat of the woRk
wiLl not Is
bE slit mAde clear
when that haPpens
day after toMorrow
dehydrator for refuse oIl And
and like tO where iT
sysTem that there’S
one mental attitUde
Also To
generAl outlines chAnterelle
Musical
to follow thE looKing
geneRal in advancE 20'30"
outlInes though hAven’t seen any
quiCk heRe
whether thAt will be
dharMa and moksha Man
and I for herbAl medicine
eTcetera
he mereLy
that’re part’n’parceL Say
of everydAy life bUsy
what he does was done long befoRe Tobey’s
plAce
rewrItten i’d overlooK
arE growing
At first of course
what i’M writing now he knew no lAtin names
to leaRn is
you fAll in love
where iT Me
waS to thInk
yoU whirL-
Tried to be influenced by tobey of something eLse
whAt i wanted englAnd

to Know
i startEd Room
In 22'00"
A child once in thAt
that veRy fact
Makes i Must
puttIng 21'00" kAma
visibLe i mean
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS aLso
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS presenT came
And from evelyn hinrichSen
befoRe
i am sUre
to thIcken the plot i wonder wheTher
Air ways
shirts Are of Knowing
foaM rubber for tExt
from rAmakrishna VI (XI) Cl
remembering That mRnl

they would pleaSe me A
janUary ideas come To

when for firsT time whEn
in plAce
ramaKrishna kR
with silvEr 22'30"
of A drink whEn thirsty
pRint will be
Lwt
was so subMerged
convInced it gives you aLl
perspire in sUmmer
if possibLe it flowS
us Live a Circuit
thAt will be where are yOu in it
21'30" River
not Returned
takIng me Nrsw
sHould
cloUd Absolute quiescence
in some otheR
there are no aCcidents had givEn us
fOr things to dawn on me aLive
dad used to sPeak of common sense aLl the same problem
I
Of course bUt
mlI juSt
happeneD 23'00" where yoU
E Me and mine
only miStakes we were supposed to Be studying

not Consciously when yOu
woRking it is that he isN’t with us
A Able
laTer
dieT i tUrned around
mEans
fRom that’S
E Correct
24'30"
Lrs there Are problems
the grey oNe
pL
noT many
that’s oUt
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIERoutSide
ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS for exAmpleÉDITIONS
©ATELIER ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
laCk but a few in moss and montHs
gOod to keep it smalleR
pR 23'30"
to sEe
Nr Larger
makes us bLind
simply tUne in
yoU
Csnp that juSt means
yoU’ve not
accOrdingly
keeP tell Me he said
I But
cause fOr joy
yOu could say
that shoppIng bliNd
it wAs impossible
no boarD To what
no sEcretary aUtumn
that iS queStion
to Come 25'00"
VII (XII) how magnifiCent All the colors
does not mAtter 24'00" iN my promise

hunTing
somethiNg Him
is Always
iT continues mushRooms too
or treeS
makE it
and pLant not yoUr work
that’s reaL sculpture’s More welcome
not it is bUt Buildings

it’S winter Out of sight
makes Us sit around
for eMotion it eveN
pAssive
he had no trouBle losT
a lOver revolUtionary
of the daNce and Silent
VIII (III) even in School
i Am sorel he said
iT shaPe
sUrely 26'30"
hiS meAning
for merCe
to follow Rules
As far as 25'30" in order later to breAk them
i speNd what you’ve Seen
iT’s unlikely
sHopping cooking thiS one’s
i hAve edIble
uS
winteR exCited
killEd him
at pRospect
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS its three-dimensionaL
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS tIme ÉDITIONS
quaLity iS
accePting rules
yoU need thAt
to let uS have iS to say
eventUally quiescence before we Put
cAme along
Must this is not poetRy
Believe right plAce
that nO matter what we did
aNd nothing to Say
then Again at the Same
To satisfy him desIre
Saying it
my pleasUre eventually looked at watCh
another Season 27'00"
we’Re
they suCceed tIme to return
where sculpture fAils he Said
celebratioN 26'00"
recognition Puts
iT is in one’s heAd
i know not How
or whAt IX (II) twiCe
in the Last week or so
following the fatheR Is
world without End iTs name
incLudes Of narayama
immediateLy
at cloUd and el niño fidenCio
thiNk
both beautifullY made woulD have been
to Block out shoUted get out of the way
thE give Me pleasure
beNeficially XI (VIII) My
myceliUm forming a sheath of cAlling
thRough
sounDs the Air
once more reAdy for no matter what thin roof with Sheet 28'30"
Can be sure is one the one i aM
Later 27'30" preservatIon

return to anImal life
it didn’T it coUld
hOw she’d’eard’erself it waS part
aCting Of
pruned it ruthlesslY Rapid transportation
like Birds or any numbEr
i love them All
it was nEarly
lettiNg yesterDay
made Use of heavy string of knowing whEn
to holD it together
ego goeS out
whAtever they did then there was an aMplified reel to reel
was it politiCs As old dog
and at the end tamaRi
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS in this earLy
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER According
Is to where one flieS
seT you May say
why dOve’n’bill
didn’t reCeive invitations I
unholY
fUngi
Both 29'00”
up thE that iS
mouNtain even withOut
comes Up
of birDs 28'00" but then i heaR
mercifully frozen to deAth procEssor
see whAt there is
X (IX) very glaD
formeD
mE in spEed
wheN with my noSe
are righT think what i Might
I should have stayed
eveN Athletic event
soUnd asleep down the stReet
for burglar alarMs the cuisinArt

pleaSes
was hunting mushRooms our Movement
thEn hydnum I
why did it haPpen yoU

my dreAms might Say
made it pOetic teeny in paRis
sAy
aRtha kama dharma moksha how long does Train
but thE whEn
dAy before to get to the aiRport 30'30"
changeD 29'30" onE hour
fEel worLd
interpenetrationS non-obstruction kLm
XII (VII) it wAs
to fRee yourself if yoU ever
sMall theatre in two weekS
dIstinctions between good but i Can’t explain
an empty circLe why it tOok
neaRly
the other with a smiLe iN
belgiUm germany
shAggy manes there are no aCcidents
unless yOu change this
Return
the communIty and before that Postcard from heaven
thE the trIp

peopLe and afterwards Olso
earLy then nothIng works
as planneD
circumstAnces that arise 31'00"
begin by not eMploying E
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS madE

©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS to finiSh
goaL are speCial
yourseLf woRking
surprisE
mArtin 30'00" orgAn
I (V, V) problems of Asking something (a little slower) recepTion

of ouR living surE
Mushrooms
In course Rnkl
possibLe happEns next
probLems Lrs
the shApe
of woRk most of the peopLe
coUldn’t believe them
mornIng Stores
mAde clear
Cfl
the european Mind 31'30"
they should let the work stAy O
Taken two thRee four

iS they doN’t look happy
foUnd to make it sUrprising
work making iTself my objeCt
whAt it will be thOreau said
unKnown keeP
in advancE but then took back what he saId
II (XI, VI) Called Oc

it is in that viCinity
no answerIng service and put yOur name on them
Puts
no boarD Itself
no sEcretary did i fOrget
it waS than anythIng are the zinnias
tlCm
Dlnv
we just left the gRound
And are up E
32'00"
Tilly freSh
III (IX, X) they tolD
but frEd sent that i bEcame
ciRcuit circumstaNces
a scEne 33'30"
mLpb is The
I should have stayed
probLem youNg disciple of ramakrishna
he will shoUt withoUt
at Someone
Can for burglar alarMs
O was hunting mushRooms
and trEes
pRoblem
i shouldN’t it is Process
fred tUlan
Changed couldn’t find wAy out
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS O
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Not ÉDITIONS
32'30" woulD have been
lPr shoUted get out of the way
mI give Me pleasure
what we dOn’t want haD i

I not movEd
to have to change our minDs hiddeN means
E That
increaSe the number of things wIll
when he was a Child pay atteNtion to everything
the tRip hidden means of reprodUction
wAs
shorT don’t Miss
to do with mushRooms 34'00"
E was looking for bErries
two are Public
what the oRgan did for him
and tilly’s rEsponse was no hAd
mentaL iN basket
kL enough for a hunDred people
lUnch
a poUnd iMportant
commitmentS IV (VI, IV) a musiC
33'00" yeArs ago
lCnp Needs no rehearsal
tO put abouT
souveniR
eat chickeN witH
this wAs always the case in othEr parts
wRiting a song his famiLy
at Least never
hE asked by this qUartet
wouLd you write for the singer the name on the Shirt is beaver
to Converse
makes it definiteLy
yoU It’s 35'30"
japaneSe farmer doN’t
land in Constant meNtioned
I And not the viola player
34'30"
you doN’t Book
waNt
your bAggage plAnts man and life
that is the difference Between us maRk
rice And
cloveR I
does wIthout kNew
to keep thiNgs who will Undertake the part
difficUlty with cathy i hope So
V (I, I)
She as hE wrote
if i ever Check betweeN
A bag
besides techNical wiTh
nOthing
robin dreyer who had sTudied trombone Letting
for sometHing like mOre
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS inclinAtions
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS just as Much ÉDITIONS
thRough
last summEr eAch point or points
with Limiting All
rehearsaL time have Being
it was not insUred 36'00"
twO points
zukosfSky says in latteR case
with as little musiC boTh
as possIble 35'00"
because of my Notoriety Interpenetration
it has beeN commissioned sight unseen Very
becaUse
in north cArolina relationship between theM
keeping Body morE so
All
standaRds precedeNce
the vIola part exceeds the others The

Not bOth
sUre how onLy
thiS is nOw
in College
is the sAme Motion
in spAce
the shop i fouNd spAce
so he senT me
witHout Behave
musiciAns in mind is nOthing
to pick fRuit towaRds
wriTten
emptIness scAttering of seed
i’m Very you hAve 37'30"
in village coming Back
Upsets 36'30" yOu
Many aRe
bodiEs iT’ll be
thiNg
on a dIal
a Tendency Very
is wOrthy mUch
Less and More
Of power VI (VII, XII) it wAs

More at the cheRry lane’s
sMall theatre
her doctorAl dIstinctions between good
pAper
Began cLose
tO Little
centeR shAggy manes
enlighTenment between pleasuRe
what shall I I am
enVision clichÉ
tUrning it on or off in your Life
Making
sureLy
it was yEars Alteration
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER of ÉDITIONS
eNergy ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
she had wriTten it williaMs 38'00"
mOtor madE
now just recentLy received 37'00" quaLity
theOry actuaLly
for micacEous
My
not All the time
A
totAl stranger tAught to enjoy
Between the pRoject
Mark
he fOund
japanese faRmer’s way musIc
of growing winTer recentLy wrote
mIserable aLl
Very for the cherry lAne
conceRts
yoU are they were the fIrst
to i aM
pErcussion piece
idEas beautifuL just the caps
giviNg to reaLize
The he meAnt
nOthing-in-between Mushrooms
of enlighTenment
in either directiOn phonE
are More these two Lines 38'30"

certainLy
a littlE shoCk
of the yeAr
A long past the pRoper
yeaR before loved though Ill
he Said
we Moved but i have the impRession
that was I think leArning
Lepiota never ceaSes to amaze me
and shouLd what haPpens
when Attention
wAlks with lois
in the caR aRe you serious
cap rIght
sidE up thAt
and in Summer
Lemon
increaSes
juice of a haLf not even musIcal
At a page oneS in grass
by econoMy
rEached eduCation
were signaL pooR
of being in severaL 40'00"
placEs In the face of
hAve looked at before Suddenly
39'00" or taking global Point of view
VII (III, VIII) what it doeS we’d certAinly find
in one Piece perhapS
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS were ÉDITIONS
©ATELIER tAught ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS at any PointÉDITIONS
©ATELIER in time ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
A
neRvous system dooRs
exActly
cAn
high Sound Silent
anyone getS
thiS one’s
edIble I
of pleaSure muSt have
to reCognize
in favoR we were either Close
of what’s not Intended to the caR
iS It
landscaPe and aS far afield
no Problem
’t’s we who turn Away
And
it could have eaSily viSions
haPpens of Profession
unintentionAlly
chAnging take me aRound the globe
Right time 40'30"
wAy
right plAce
39'30" keep me buSy
firSt effect but Serves
at the Same or somethIng
layIng on
of ruleS juSt
to attraCt attention I
appRoval coUldn’t
I get a chance See my way
ideaS cOoking without it

of Poetic life
yesteRday
Alert but quiet aftEr
A few years
VIII (VIII, XI) wouldn’t dreaM founD
thAn comes and somEthing
of Replying likewiSe
A form
about the coMputer the one
which iS your favorite
it is a Means And
over It suRe 42'00"
it coUld
be thiS could progrAm it
Of they Said
Rapid transportation 41'00" i aM
or any numbEr
outsIde
i love them All actUally
outSide
three were tapeD they said it wOuld take about ten minutes
is opEn foR
ron called it vocalS mE
to leArn
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS i cook theM
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS how to Do itÉDITIONS
tApe away from idEa
bRief at itS own center
400 wAtt Mystery

thunderclapS And
bRown rice
they were no More thunderclaps
than those In finnegans wake Abundant
hUnt Surprising
becauSe i like
vOcals thinking of Myself
veRy soft 42'30"
drIed
vocals likE myceliUm
see whAt there is
very baDly with 41'30" paralySis
in spEed instead Of alcohol
with my noSe
Me mushRooms
quick A no nEed
aRe busy Anonymity
the cuisinArt
pleaSes the blenD
joE heaney
froM thin oneS’ll do
IX (X, II) i Have aM
amazEd by his feelings
certainlY
is a Prize Remembered
tO say as far as I am
Concerned 44'00"
Mind together
anYwhere yet wAlk
any direCtion the oNe entitled
up in Air
fivE
timeS as much where they beLong
aLmost 43'00"
eventuAlly say music changEs
for instanCe in any case not on Paper
To
chance operatIons It is
as thOugh
to Find and Then
the finaL hAd
throUgh dreams thAt’s why
not clOsing not Music

but hE was
veRy little choice to listen to a Record
and lIghtning
yoU just hunt
instanCes of things
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Mind
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS rApidly
X (II, IX) happeNing
Conversation
though that wouLd be a step A boat beneath the water
Is
from The XII (XII, VII) destruCtion 44'30"
use Of
does not mAtter
and el niño fidenCio where we begiN
we failed To say
plaY the game grown-up politicians do 43'30" sHould
aBout
thE lAst time we saw him
souNds
afteR that
myceliUm forming a sheath crEation
leaDer should be and at Last preservation

XI (VI, III) mAhogany’s root
don’t think i wouLd Last is not last
and that throUgh being
includE its environment
it’S
not to Put giving Up
wIth this caMe in
exceptiOn we Believe
Tudor
sOrrow
plAyed it is that he isN’t with us
thAn each alone Anymore
laTer Csnp
continUe
even without uS 45'00" thOreau said
I (XI, VI, II) you Could say (faster) rPn

when i heaRd her
A was suffIcient entertainment
Oc
ideas come To
E that shoppIng
compaRably Dlb
drink whEn thirsty
it was Like no sEcretary
those zen one-Liners except of courSe mimi
perspire in sUmmer
Shiver in winter you Could
oC get Rid
And
where are yOu in it Tl
46'30"
neaRly thE
oceaN ciRcuit
U E
there are no aCcidents mLpb

unless yOu change this
by Placement fL
of Idea
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS 45'30"
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS it is©ATELIER
pleasUre ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
O at Someone
beCause
It he Opened
happeneD the Refriferator
thEre are
quaNtity
baSe of it all U
fC Clpt
Of something
Rs
of Problems
A
mI
dieT
E Onlp 47'00"
fRom I
Eating bDp
Lrs E
most of the peopLe increaSe the number of things

that’s oUt
outSide Cmwl
Cfl
in all dimensiOns 46'00" they aRe
two thRee four
you Name it A
to make it sUrprising
an elderly lady asked Tilly
somEthing exceptIon
tRick lDn
E quality is taking ovEr

weekS 48'30"
it’s two and a haLf II (VIII, XI, VIII) wouldn’t dreaM
kL
wAy
increase yoUr of Replying
commitmentS A form
aCt
tO put 47'30" of Self-expression
it is a Means
lRf havIng
it coUld
eat chickeN it waS part
Umbm
dCtr One
the peRforming
and put yOur name on them sElf-
Pln i love them All
Isp three were tapeD
a gOod way thE chicken polypore
brI ego goeS out
Dlnv think of Myself

how to kEep them As old dog
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIERfreSh
ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS no©ATELIER
new tRicksÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
you Cut them off 400 wAtt
not alwayS
about two inches below the floweR
they were no More thunderclaps
And
you do This I
E
mRtnk compUter 49'00"
thEm 48'00" that iS
Lrts alsO
of the aLoe veRy soft
mealy bUg vocals likE
Sdl get Along
each part the same but changeD
plaCe them
cOntinue i do not spEnd much time
which aRe coming from itS own position
III (II, IX, X)
most of the plaNts Conversation
U not onLy those

Is
with the Cut stem
prOjecting she was Telling
comPletely lepiOta
of a Conch
I whY
to Block out
One
thEre now Moment
V (VII, XII, VI) we hAve
not just chaNge of life
the Urban the ten oxheRding pictures
the perioD was Mushroom
mAhogany’s root was chestnut haIred dog
IV (X, II, IX) tHis is and eviL
i saY between faiLing

is a Prize A
tO say 49'30" Return
tiMe wIth gifts
to thE
saYing peopLe
siCk Left behind
fivE And vera 50'30"
it iS begin by not eMploying

aLmost
is As it is as thE
for instanCe when it rings pick up the teLephone
To
to goaL
not Idea not yEt
iF this And this
symboLs VI (XII, VII, XII) destruCtion
throUgh dreams
thAt
previOusly the solutioNs
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIERyouR mind
ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS we failed
©ATELIERTo say
yoU tHe
Mushrooms hAve its place
wHatever else would have bRought about

You think had givEn us
Prepared probLem
fOr cooking
Last is not last
we were taking theM to friends and that throUgh being
outSide oneself
verticallY written
that you are stuCk with giving Up
was onE thing 50'00" needs reMaking
to everything elSe we were supposed to Be studying

Listed when yOu
thAn aNd over
it Could be Again
easT and leT me see it
51'00"
result Is coUnt
i Found even without uS
of yourseLf
is sUch Countless
in the Air
cOuld be
the grey oNe
bRing iT
aboUt
but a few in moss and montHs all the books aboUt them
for exAmple
suRprisingly to let uS have
rathEr than withoUt
for joy what eLse circuMstances
to save the pLants
more moBile
yoU
that juSt means nO matter what we did
yoU’ve not
we’d Never
tell Me he said bAck
what is the Basis To what
at hOme sUzuki
aNd winter now it’S
aCtion
slAve
could be this or thAt
paTience
devotioN is merely
yoUr pasToral situations
in that liSt’s not having hate to everytHing
to Come 51'30" else thAt lives
hAve i failed indooRs
iN for human bEings
hunTing
aLways
my spending eacH pLaying chess 52'30"
All the by pUtting
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS being togetheR
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS to diScover
makE it in an Urban situation
and pLant
that’s reaL My attention
ramBles
not it is bUt make it seem at hOme
artS
Using chance operations keepiNg the mind
never Moving out goAl
By taking losT
nOt choices
with plaNts yoU might
the dAncer and Silent
iT VII (VI, IV, IV) a musiC

sUrely the two dAvids’
hiS walkiNg
for me the aCtion of sculpture one afTernoon
thAt tHe future
i speNd we pAy attention
iT’s unlikely but moving aRound
He hE asked
deAth of cold aLong
aLl
any suppoRt oUr
it was his dEvotion to teaching 52'00" mealS together
its three-dimensionaL
Can’t tell whether my game
aLl Is
aNswered
aNy better shoUted get out of the way
wAs where 53'00" the saMe
anD
that is the difference Between us bothEr
to chaNge
he sAid The way
had the Room
does wIthout driver was voIce of god
that was wheN 54'00"
like lUggage pay atteNtion to everything
She aroUnd you
Couldn’t whistle the saMe time
but neveR
finAlly collected much has bEen learned
daNger of being checked but sPores
At this time
robin dreyer who had sTudied trombone iN basket
for sometHing like
whAt it’s anD hearing
now at santa cRuz are eqUally
Mushrooms for them to eat
thE other harD
because of aLan chadwick’s presence there now with anothEr
and my garment bag went to seattLe Name
it was not insUred That
thIs time
to the pawnS iN
with as little musiC qUestion
he dIed
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS aNd before that
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS if ©ATELIER
i can Manage that
was oNly obliged i will neveR
in north cArolina havE
By
A young student subject of this Poem
53'30" is inActivity of the camera
theRe’s wheN i knew i was going
one hundred and sIxty in neither case shoulD
iN imagine that yoU are
difficUlty is that to Make a movie
thiS is is what he saiD
bEsides 54'30"
VIII (IX, X, III) filleD
that i bEcame aNd
circumstaNces That
They found me thIs
lettiNg
voIce of god pictUres
eveN coMe to it
soUnd asleep cameRa lost
complains homE is small
Moving
oR nor your intimate sense Perceptions
End tAste
why did it haPpen oN top of which

in baD working order
my dreAms as in oUter space
thiNk for Mushroom hunting are your ears
when he got to the point when the Driver
Down
whEther the next Minute
wheN you fAll in love
goal goes ouT the window
happens To us
for advIce at the crown point preSs
yoU
objective the grouNd can’T
rabbi reqUired whAt i wanted
cornucopioides in aMounts beyond belief
you asK
is anotheR likE
and ovEr 55'00" hAd
woRked
though People took me in garMent bag
fAirly high
It
caNnot and eviL
imagine his Delight when rabbi said
yoU should get rid of the goat aLso
And
brilliant blue Milk not having Recourse 56'00"
IX (V, V, I) went to finlAnd because i thought shIrts

wRiting or spAce
once More
about hIghest purpose venus de Milo principle
And fibrous
went aLone
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS even ÉDITIONS
©ATELIER sLightly ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS doing whaT i can
it’S monday today
the shApe and so went to the troUble
Tomorrow
fRame to flights in the Air
mornIng
mAde clear ramaKrishna
people talk about influence froM outside
chEmistry
And
Then And taught
that there’S subuRb of calcutta
one mental attitUde was so subMerged
To
chAnterelle amerIcan ways
couLdn’t do it
they thinK 55'30"
i hopE i have i Love
it mAy even be thAt will be
look foR
aRtist has I wonder
dharma and Moksha whether thAt will be
wIth it Man
of finlAnd
Luggage 56'30"
heLps To
of everydAy life paStes
in amsteRdam
he gIves it infUsions
At first of course
laTe’n’september The composer
hAd
thAt of the oceAn
where oaK mushrooms not Music
arE growing
now whAt i’d like obligEd
he cited thundeR
just now telephone Rang that I
instanCes of things
bathrooM more like A camera
theIr name is beaver that would fiNd
of something eLse A boat beneath the water
asking me to Look for mushrooms
into A XI (III, VIII, VII) even in School
natuRally in one Piece
In which never been Am music
Agreed to follow Rules

Activating
providing i have the tiMe center among centerS
then A thiS one’s

presenT came put In
waS
are twinS exCited
am sUre the fiRst
57'00" tIme
Turned to me you See it
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Air ways

©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS landscaPe
don’t you thinK or something compArable 58'00"
nownEss happenS
X (IV, III, XI) to set aLl oPen eye

havE grAdually
taken Path
I have this is not poetRy
tOld which is hAving
Tudor there are timeS
then one comeS
rAther layIng on
thAt path
Much Saying it
Enlightenment to Come
we’Re
Records tIme to return
as far as I am
i Couldn’t out of our mindS
of being Put
Are in one’s heAd
the oNe entitled to diStinguish
lAnkavatara when People
where they beLong And
away fRom poetry
music changEs is your music nothing but A
of slow Process
from uSe
It is juSt sounds
by means Of a gas engine 57'30"
thoughts about It as loNg as possible
oneS in grass a Tendency
58'30" is wOrthy
attaChed must have been spLit
between visiOn
honey mushRoom and treatMent of body
but dIfferent
eAch
god knowS what Acceptance 59'30"
it offered the Public fully capaBle
speciAl at One’s
whateveR
XII (I, I, V) instEad dieT
i thiNk
unTil pencIl’s
Over a hundred inVentor
to try it oUt
actuaLly
One Much
visitEd
Modern thaN
eAch point or points you Think
that wAs his guess
not line Between the andersOns
twO points enLightened
theOry
woRk
that tiMe
enlighTened
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Interpenetration
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS hAir stood
©ATELIER on end
from View for yeArs
Between
his woUld be Outside
Much continued hunting mushRooms
morE so of growing winTer
59'00" hIgh protein diet
precedeNce to moVement towards
yoU are
visiTing her and Many 60'00"
cOnnections are I (VI, IV, IV, VII) diffiCult (fast, but not so fast)
in hospitaL to be At all
N’karen
when they’re On track abouT
as Much wHenever
sAy
heArt attack stockhAusen
But pRivacy
to enjOy
some honoRs hE asked
Living
no regreTs aLl together
yoU
sIngle write Some
serVice for both musiC
productIvity
yoU you doN’t
Many off the kitcheN
will livE he sAid
aCtually no quartet they change
to go to Berlin It
oNe
rice And musiciaN
it is haRd And he is not the viola player
wrIte music Book

to keep thiNgs
my stUdy plAnts man and life
chemicalS
reCeived the book the fiRst one
60'30" and beautIful
something he Asked her to do
he may fiNd a viola player
straNger 61'30"
iTems Unforgettable
for sometHing like anderSon’s book
inclinAtions
my purpose in writing musiC
the oRganization illustrAte our lives
of orchEstras has to do iN robin dreyer’s mind
because of aLan chadwick’s presence there To
his cLass in gardening Horns of plenty
it was not insUred might hAppen
aS possible good behavioR
thEy might have been discontinued
it is very diffiCult deLicious
as possIble or understand commerciaL policies
very mUch
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS he gave up©ATELIER
his ambitioN
Now lives one of the thingS i want to do
in north cArolina is introduCe
didn’t want to But delIght
And soul
togetheR fuNgi
i Need
one hundred and sIxty
hArd
what’s good is i Now have all the shirts to Believe my desires
sUre how
enAmelled
or at leaSt i have eight pRoblem
61'00"
eaCh delIght
thing for me to hAve what edwiN said
of sileNce 62'00"
so he senT me qUickly
of tHem in
Sesame
cAlled
when marCel
but most of all guy neaRing’s
in nEw hampshire minnA’s alright
as you caN
his famiLy
coLlected mushrooms are mosTly water
by this qUartet
my Study otHer things
for my Attention
thE
wRiting mStnw
it occurEd to me not Consciously
to Let him say utteR interest
each performance wiLl be A
Uncovered or covered
from itS recepTion
you Could taste them too mEans
Is fRom 63'30"
Next Eating
the situatioN is weLcome
Am aware pLay is on the side

almost noBody
U
becAuse
oR salt’n’pepper Stvw
and chromatIc 62'30"
it aCts
would thiNk it gOod
a pUzzle pR
Nr
bitterneSs to modify simply tUne in
mind aCts
II (XI, VI, II, I) i was Convinced O
ouR minds to Prepare food
sAy
Trst It
Oc
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIERwhEn
kR that shoppIng
Dlb
look at thE
Lwt no sEcretary 64'00"
except of courSe mimi
those zen one-Liners
U you Could
bR
Swk And
Tl
but i Can’t explain Each
O 63'00" sRv
neaRly a scEne
Nrsw in a pLay
cloUd probLem
wanted to take a taxi for just one bloCk
he will shoUt
when what’S out
O beCause
dad used to sPeak of common sense he Opened
of Idea the Refrigerator
in egO quaNtity
of brUssel sprouts
mlI or asked the priCe
happeneD
O 64'30"
and paIn
Poor man
to thE
shIft the mind in your Life
to gO on that pauL
circumstAnces that arise
qualIty
begin by not eMploying
bDp as thE
possibLe
hE yourseLf
not yEt
rSb this And this
but generAlly
george and tilly mehawiCh telephone Rang
Rmnb to Make
arIsing
ukrAnian directLy on magnetic tape
severaL pieces for oboe 66'00"
an elderly lady asked Tilly At home
somEthing
tRick conceRts
stay out of thE 65'00" they were the fIrst
mentaL
hospitaL wrotE the manifesto music
a poUnd is instantaneous and unpredictabLe
Lines
commitmentS by writing heAring or playing
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS organiCally
tO put My
lRf our Ears
fN sesame oiL
Umbm are not at aLl in any way a part of it

arE now in excellent condition
Caring
and put yOur name on them your plAce
cleaned and wraPped up A
Is yeaR before
a gOod way
to begIn giving each the saMe
i’ve learneD as though It contained
for awhiLe
E
Left them covered
Sbmp 65'30" mAde 66'30"
otheR walks alone
III (VII, XII, VI, V) we hAve then uncovered and tamarI quickly
to fRee yourself mE
froM
davId tudor gave it is a pLeasure
and eviL
between faiLing juice of a haLf
And succeeding
cAll it that
between pleasuRe of Music
grEw
timE iNteresting
Like of which
for fuLl what broUght us all together
nEver to holD it together
but hAd given
it is A
Away was it politiCs
paRalyzed in the worLd of art

no More mornIng
thInk seT
why dOve’n’bill
enjoyed the waLks Circumstances
in cLouds unholY
thAt happen
the climB
a mushRoom and humidifiEr
just In but coNstantly changing soloist
thE nick of time 67'00" comes Up
couLd have changed what i think happeneD 68'00"

those signs there that’re skuLl wAs
plAce traffiC
it reMains what eLse
too latE
whether the horsetaiL equatIon
from tuLsa abouT
will arrivE religiOn taking over
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER by ÉDITIONS
eAting the mushrooms they find
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS when Church
©ATELIER is closed
IV (II, IX, X, III) lover of Circumstance saY

at tabLe celebBration
of bElief
gone to the movIes iN love
The ballad of flUte
Of narayama
she launcheD her show
and el niño fidenCio diseAses
mahoganY not parasitic i hope V (IX, X, III, VIII) very glaD
But mE
rElated
iN effect wheN
the Urban are righT
anD
once more reAdy for no matter what voIce of god
iN one place
violenCe 67'30" soUnd asleep
in japanese fiLm
caMe 68'30"
she mentIoned silence i make tRanslation
in The desert thEn hydnum
hOw she’d’eard’erself
but Continued making new ones sPent night in woods
actuallY living and dying like weAther
it was not Boring
thiNk
all the other sounDs Appears
jUst iN great numbers
the saMe
i Don’t relative moveD in
what advice do yoU give
invisiblE reMains
kNown
voice of The if a birD sings
onE
Is wheN
fiNd me
aboUt The man asked
Music away from theIr
in this centuRy
chancE agaiN
to Prove it rabbi reqUired
hiM
hAd is anotheR
Not prEsence
anD having
are eqUally uP
iMportant thAt’s for sure
69'00" iN the trees
process like threaDs
founD 70'00"
now with anothEr looking for pleUrotus
arouNd Must be at one point
unable to Tear myself away

when the others wanted to©ATELIER
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS go for a swIm
ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS VI (V, V, I IX) ÉDITIONS
©ATELIER went to finlAnd because
©ATELIER i thought
of ouR living
is aNother is so coMplex
calcUtta It is not
you May even went aLone

close youR
Eyes probLems
when they’re oPen in thAt
the indians have gone fuRther than others
Asked morris how to go
mornIng
my Notion
anD cleAring up
throUgh the years day after toMorrow
dreaMing except one dAy
Then
a gooD that there’S
in lifE’r death back here on sUnday
aNd
chemisTry The
hAve
thIs unKnown
priNciple thEir
pictUres 69'30" wAy
coMe to it 70'30"
towaRds mushroom hunting heRe
in thE woods for Mushrooms
behInd
one sPecies Luggage
Always go and buy them
coLlected
it get mAde VIII (III, VIII, VII, XI) itS
in amsteRdam Pupils
were tAught
rewrItten coloR
exActly
At first of course
was Mystery artiSt
you fAll in love iS thus
nearly Threw in the bucket edIble
at the crown point preSs waS
to reCognize
i coUld at pRospect
can’T of fInally
hAd taSting it
you asK
likE we Possess it
VII (IV, III, XI, X) goaL’s found its condition to be perfect or neArly
i havE not
taken Path IX (I, I, V, XII) as hE wrote
I have Now
is The
he prefers recOrded music yOu’re
To music 72'00"
hAppened 71'00" Letting
As mOre
aM just as Much
Enlightenment And
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS A center
©ATELIER or centers
Records
thIs not line Between
i Couldn’t twO points
leAves now that you’Re

the effect oN intelligence enlighTened
Interpenetration
lAnkavatara from View
Unenlightened
desperateLy to win Much
music changEs X (VIII, XI, VIII, II) My

in any case not on Paper wAy
It ran winteR
by means Of a gas engine to A
Spring
The composer Make the year
without pAuse
of the oceAn over It
destrUction
not Music a meanS
to Explain creatiOn
when we weRe
71'30" oR that
people wanted to hIde under water or any numbEr
i love them All 72'30"
dad then invented a deviCe the Door
more like A camera thE chicken polypore
we caN
ego goeS out
juMps i wasn’t qUite certain
with A little sesame oil Spring’s
oR not there are no more solUtions he agreed
Moved out
shAll i have But
to where one flieS we avOid fall
you May say have ofteN wondered
to pIck
fUngi slAve
becauSe i like was permanenT in india
alsO
veRy soft aUtumn
thE sounds requireS
musiC
see whAt there is
very baDly with greAtest pleasure
i do not spEnd much time iN
no machine really pleaSes meanT
my spending eacH
XI (XII, VII, XII, VI) prinCiple
underlying All All the
where we begiN being togethR
we failed To say not hEaring
tHe Living
one we Ask 73'00" Life
had sent us to the blackboaRd not it is bUt
had givEn us Us we are
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS aLive
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS 74'00"
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
or seemingLy not giving Up
bUt for eMotion
it’S he had no trouBle
giving Up nOt choices
needs reMaking with plaNts
the dAncer
a Being iT
when yOu sUrely
at oNe with himself hiS mind
Again XII (X, II, IX, IV) tHe

certainlY
laTer no Particular thing
continUe
in the catSkill woods yOur
i aM
no Coolness
i was verY
A siCk
populatioN fivE
timeS as much
noT many was earLy
in the dAy when i ate
but a few in moss and montHs several Caps
cAution i use
to keep it smalleR Through
anothEr chance operatIons
untiL i reached 73'30" beFore breakfast
makes us bLind the finaL
throUgh dreams
74'30"
previOusly
theRe are
withoUt trouble
we were in verMont
tHat’s
manY of these cleaned
aPt
fOr cooking
More
when You
Changing our plans
starting out from onE

Speaking
wouLd i like
thAn
Cursory reading
the sTate of my stomach
Ideas’n’desires
i Found
of yourseLf
is sUch
that i enjOy them
to the woRld of relativity
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS they’re aroUnd
list of nuMbers 75'00"

154 155
IV.
(APPENDIX)
MACROLEPIOTA PROCERA
PARASOL MUSHROOM
156 APPENDIX
157
Cage and Lois Long oversee printing of Mushroom Book at Hollander Workshop, 1972.
1958–1959 INDETERMINACY
Indeterminacy was frequently used by Cage as a conceptual and com-

positional structuring principle, epitomized by the chance operations and
unpredictable outcomes offered by the systems he designed that drew inspira-
tion from the I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination practice. Indeterminacy is
also the title of a body of work. First presented in 1958 as a lecture composed
entirely of 30 stories, it was then expanded, in 1959, with an additional 60
stories read by Cage in tandem with music performed by David Tudor.
Tudor’s arrangement took from Cage’s Concert for Piano and Orchestra,
and included noise from several radios. That same year the performance was
repeated, with Cage’s Fontana Mix replacing the radios, captured on a record-
ing by Folkways and released as the album Indeterminacy: New Aspect of Form in
Instrumental and Electronic Music. The 90 stories range in length as written, but
all are meant be read in a one-minute time frame. Thus, the pace of recital
varies, although Cage warned long stories should not be read with such speed
that their meaning would be distorted.
Following that recording, Cage continued to add to Indeterminacy. Most
of the Folkways-recorded stories are printed in Silence and A Year from Monday,
with slight revisions as well as new stories. It is generally accepted that there
are upwards of 180 stories in Indeterminacy. The recognized order of these is in
line with how they were told in the first recording. However, there is no ‘au-
thentic’ or ‘original’ structure. Cage insisted the numerical arrangement is
arbitrary. Only on certain occasions did he indicate stories whose meaning
would be obscured if separated from another, otherwise the stories could be
compiled quite freely.
Silence also includes “secondary stories” which read like Indeterminacy sto-
ries but are not titled or referenced as such. Cage suggested Indeterminacy stories
be read just as one purposelessly browses a newspaper, “Jumping here and there
and responding at the same time to environmental events and sounds.”
The subjects of Indeterminacy, Cage admitted, consist of “things that
happened that stuck in my mind,” and mushrooms are frequently referenced.
Predominantly relaying Cage’s personal experiences and observations, some
stories include excerpts from texts by Taoist thinker Kwang Tse, Hindu mys-
tic Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, or directly cite Zen literature. In one
important sense, the plurality of voices and variations between performances
and printed matter all offered Cage occasion for changing his mind.
158 APPENDIX
159
1965–1981 DIARY 1972 MUSHROOM BOOK
Cage’s Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) Published in an edition of 75, Mushroom Book consists of 20 unnumbered
was written in eight parts spanning 16 years. These parts (or chapters) were lithographs with translucent Japanese-paper overlays in a large denim portfolio.
released intermittently in various guises in various publications. The first in- Populating the loose leaves are mycological anecdotes; visual, poetic, factual.
stallment, printed in 1965 by photo-offset from typescripts, featured in the The book is a collaborative endeavor of John Cage, Alexander Smith, and Lois
magazine Joglars. In 1967 a second was printed in the spring issue of The Paris Long—a dialogue between the anecdotal and analytical, art and ecology.
Review. The first was reprinted in the spring issue of Aspen and a third followed Mushroom Book emerged from an interlude in Cage’s Diary series. While
shortly thereafter as a Great Bear pamphlet. The contents of the texts do not recourse to mushrooms intermittently feature in Diary, the Mushroom Book is,
follow a linear narrative, but are rather a “mosaic of ideas, statements, words, needless to say, full of them. Cage notes in his collection of essays M: Writings
and stories.” ’67–’72, that not only does Mushroom Book expand upon the content and loose
Mosaic-like in both temporal and thematic structure, Diary also evokes collage format of Diary, it also stems from ideas encountered in his text Mureau.
a mosaic in its formal aesthetic. Typed on an IBM Selectric typewriter, Cage For Mureau—the title a melding of “music” and “Thoreau”—Cage developed a
arranged the 12 available typefaces, the number of characters per line (43 or non-syntactic randomization procedure for dissolving language. The texts in
fewer), and left-margin indentation according to a chance-determined plan. Mushroom Book employ the linguistic exercises of both Diary and Mureau, with
Additionally, the third installment’s typeset runs through a spectrum of reds several typed mesostic poems on specific Latin mushroom names. Also included
and blues. The result is a fractured whole of great colorful complexity. His are diary entries somewhat imitating the journals of his beloved philosopher
diaries had not been published together until, in 2015, when Siglio Press gath- Henry David Thoreau, and recipes and field notes. There is also a hand-drawn
ered all eight into one volume. map of a mushrooming area Cage frequented.
Throughout the eight sections, Cage’s observations jump between rec- Amid Cage’s sketchy, handwritten musings are scientific statements and
ollections of lived experiences and philosophical musings, from the banal to observations by mycologist Alexander Smith. President of the Mycological
the profound to the absurd—often in close proximity. His narration is as sin- Society of America, Smith was also editor of the scientific journal Mycologia
cere as it is whimsical, with a healthy dose of witty moments lacing a handful between 1945 and 1950. He was dedicated to the pursuit of classificatory accu-
of recurring themes, throughout a satisfying 16-year journey of writing. Some racy and wrote many informative introductory guides for the mushroom
recognizable terrain includes indeterminacy, Zen, macrobiotics, music, and enthusiast. Cage called upon Smith for his position of intellectual authority,
mushrooms. claiming that he was to mushrooms what the composer Schoenberg was to mu-
Of particular note are Cage’s thoughts on technology, and the impact sic. In Mushroom Book, Smith identifies and elucidates each of the fifteen species
it has on spatiotemporal experiences in modern life. The tone is not pessimis- of mushroom illustrated by Lois Long.
tic, however. Cage accepts the ensuing chaos of a world both connected and A close friend of Cage’s, Long was a textile designer and taught at Pratt
alienated with a light heart, while also suggesting alternative ways of being. Institute. Prior to Mushroom Book, she and Cage had collaborated on Mud Book:
His progressivism is overt, as he discusses the demise of creativity, free-think- How to Make Pies and Cakes—a whimsical childrenʼs book about cookery and
ing and empathy under the homogenizing rubric of an education system creativity. For Mushroom Book, Long’s delicate, technically accurate drawings
already in the hands of the profit motive. evoked the interrogative tradition of natural history illustrations.
Unsurprisingly, Cage finds mushrooms complement, elucidate and ac- However, unlike the systematic clarity of botanical atlases, Mushroom
company his worldview (they also provide some light relief). In one entry, Book’s strata of pages, in their different weights and transparencies, often mean
mushrooms are partnered with teaching-machines, and elsewhere he offers that text and image are unreadable. The textual elements hover on translucent
sage advice that most of us have only just begun to heed: “Distinguish, as you sheets, while Long’s illustrations occupy more stable ground. Such layering en-
would in the case of mushrooms, between those that’re poisonous and those ables a proliferation of text creeping over images, images seeping through text.
that aren’t. Do not use plastics that are derived from fossil fuels.” Word and image cluster and disperse across the page, mimicking the reproduc-
tive structure of spores.
By the 1970s Cage had fully embraced indeterminacy as methodology,
and the sporadic distribution of content on the folio page, as on the forest floor,
160 APPENDIX
161
became a test site where one could hone a sensitivity to chance encounters. As Cage intended the text to be read aloud. He determined that each of
Cage explained of the book; “ideas are to be found in the same way that you the five sections should take around 15 minutes, with each line read in a single
find wild mushrooms in the forest, by just looking. Instead of having them come breath. Once spoken, the disconnected lines were held together by the poetic
at you clearly, they come to you as things hidden, like Easter eggs.” form and performative breath. Cage noted these were “writings which though
coming from ideas are not about them yet nevertheless unintentionally pro-
duce them.”
The interweaving of mushrooms, art, and life in Mushrooms et Variationes
1983 MUSHROOMS ET VARIATIONES is expressive of the Buddhist notion of a general flow. This flow through din-
ner, book, performance, and poem reinforces Cage’s guiding philosophy and
favorite statement from Buckminster Fuller; “It’s all one piece of land.”
Cage continued to perform Mushrooms et Variationes at art galleries, lec-
In 1985 Melody Sumner and Charles Shere organized a supper at tures, and no doubt many more supper parties.
which their seven guests—art and music types—were John Cage, Robert
Ashley, Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, Charles Amirkhanian, Michael Peppe,
and Kenneth Atchley. The happenings of that evening were captured in the
book The Guests Go in to Supper (Burning Books, 1986).
Each guest takes a seat—a chapter—and is introduced with a conver-
sational interview before serving their contribution on archival, acid-free
paper. The dinner amounts to poems, scores, songs, and essays, each course
with a cadence ÉDITIONS
encouraging ©ATELIER
performance and reinforcing the ÉDITIONS
introductory ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
remark “…art is no longer separate from anything.”
The hosts wanted to avoid the hierarchical format of the symposium.
Shere laments that conferences had become academic and artificial, inhibit-
ing the free flow of conversation. With an imperative to present, share, and
consume knowledge, a dinner party encourages sociability and exchange,
with readers of the book openly invited to join in.
Cage’s contribution, Mushrooms et Variationes, had been fermenting since
the fall of 1983, when he had gone on a mushroom foray with mycologists
Orson and Hope Miller in Mountain Lake, Virginia. Some evenings later
Cage was asked to give a talk about his love of art and mushrooms, and he
decided to make a text following the method he had used for Themes and
Variations (Station Hill Press, 1982), which is made up of mesostics on the
names of important people in his life. Mushrooms et Variationes would thus be a
collection of mesostics on the Latin names of mushrooms he had enjoyed col-
lecting and eating.
Cage formed 60 mesostics, five for each of 12 mushroom names, and
each responding to one of 110 ideas “that have struck me as being useful,”
selected using chance operations when browsing his own writings. These mo-
tifs range across cooking, music, love, art, technology, environment, and
Buddhism. From the 60 syntactic texts he used the I Ching to create a form
that was evocative of a renga. Renga is a form of collectively written Japanese
poetry wherein each poet by turn writes a line as distant in meaning from the
preceding line as possible. MORCHELLA ESCULENTA
YELLOW MOREL
162 APPENDIX
163
INDEX INDEX
Page numbers in italics refer to

F L
Mycological Society resurrected by, 44, 46 Ono, Yoko, 54, 159 Stony Point, 10, 15–25, 23, 24, 40, 48–49,
photographs/captions; page Photographs collected by, see photograph Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), 15, 75, 79 74–75
collections Fall Workshop Mycological Foray (1983), 67 Lactarius, 15 Stravinsky, Igor, 8
numbers followed by D or I indicate, Ferrara, Ralph, 37, 37I, 44, 45 Lactifluus, 15
respectively, Diary or Indeterminacy
TV/radio appearances of, 37, 67–68
California University, 36, 41 Festivals of Contemporary Music, 8 Lascia o Raddoppia? 37 P String Quartet in Four Parts, 74
Studies of American Fungi (Atkinson), 40
entries Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), 8, 69 Lennon, John, 54 Parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), 155
Carmel-by-the-Sea, 26–31, 26I Sumner, Melody, 159
Folkways, 156 Lepiotas, 9, 80, 116, 125 Paris Review, 9, 157
cause and effect, 40D Suzuki, D.T., 17–21, 21I–22I, 28, 54, 129
Long, Lois, 32, 33I, 37I, 44, 45, 45I, 60, 91, Peppe, Michael, 159
A Central Park, 55 The Four Seasons, 37 Swanson, Gloria, 54
Free-thought, 157 116, 158 Photograph collections:
Chance-determined plan, 157
Aesthetic practice, 67, 157 Fuller, R. Buckminster, 40–41, 40D, 160 1962–1992, 18–19, 30–31, 38–39
Agaricus, 5, 40
Chanterelle Weekends, 46
T
M
1987, 62–63
Chanterelles (Cantharellus), 13, 15, 46, 75, 80,
Allegro, John, 68
G
Postcards, 56–57 Taosim, 156
99, 132
Amanita, 8, 69 M: Writings ’67–’72 (Cage), 158 Pleurotus, 15, 45I, 75, 79 Themes and Variations (Cage), 80, 159
Charles, Vera K., 33
Amirkhanian, Charles, 159 Great Bear pamphlets, 157 MacIvor, Prof., 32I Poetry, 60, 79–152, 158, 159, 160 Thoreau, Henry David, 21D, 46–47, 75, 98,
Chess, 68–69
Anderson, Laurie, 159 Grenoble, France, 75, 76–77 Macrobiotics, 54–55, 157 Prajnaparamita-Hridaya-Sutra, 28 109, 123, 158
Child, Julia, 54
Anechoic chamber, 74 The Guests Go in to Supper (Cage), 159 Malcomb, Donald, 69I Pratt Institute, 158 The Three-Penny Opera, 67I
Clitocybe, 80
Ann Arbor Woods, 68I Mao Zedong, 45I–46I Profit motive, 157 Toadstools at Home (Cage), 28–29
Collybia, 8
Armillaria, 2, 80
Ashley, Robert, 159
Columbia University, 17, 21I H Marasmius, 80
Mayer, Dean Clara, 32, 32I
Progressivism, 157
Psalliota, 7
Tudor, David, 69, 156
Composer to Composer Festival (1989), Harvard University, 74, 74I Meadow mushroom (Agaricus campestris), 5
W
Aspen, 157
72–73 Hassan, Ihab, 45D Meditation, 15, 17–20, 37, 54, 74, 74I, 75,
Q
Atchley, Kenneth, 159
Conceptualism, 28, 68, 156 Hollander Workshop, 60 Wasson, Gordon, 68
Atkinson, G.F., 40 82, 138, 144
Concert for Piano and Orchestra, 156 How to Improve the World (Cage), 55–60, 75, 158 Quartet Opus Such-and-Such, 8 ÉDITIONS Weiss, Adolf, 27
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS Metaphysics,
©ATELIER 74 ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
Coomaraswamy, Ananda, 74 CXCI, 40D Weiss, Mitzi, 27
B
Miller, Dr Orson K., 67, 159
Cortinarius, 37I CXCIV, 45D
Behrman, David, 69 Cowell, Henry, 27 CXLII, 21D
Miller, Hope, 159
Morels (Morchella), 67, 68, 75
R West 18th Street, 54–65, 68, 70–71, 75
Western Zhou dynasty (1000–750 BC), 47
Bergner, Roger, 63 Craterellus, 80, 132 CXXX, 55D Ramapo Mountains, 75
Mountain Lake, 67–73, 80, 159 Where Are We Eating? and What Are We Eating?
Berio, Luciano, 37 Cross, Lowell, 68–69 XLV, 60D Re-education, 40
Mud Book (Cage), 158 (Cage) 55
Black Mountain College, 36, 40 Cunningham, Merce, 70, 75 2015 complete volume of, 157 Reflection, 54
Mumma, Gordon, 69 Whole Earth Cook Book (Cadwallader; Ohr),
Blue Bird Tea Room, 26I–27I How to Know the Mushrooms and Toadstools Reunion, 68
Mureau, 46–47, 158 45D
D
Boletus, 8 (Carleton), 26 Romanoff, Mr, 33, 33I
Mushroom Book (Cage), 60, 157, 158–159 Whole Earth Restaurant, 45D
Bongiorno, Mike, 37–40 Hypomyces, 80 Ryerson Theatre, 68
Mushroom Identification (Course No. 1287), Winter, Julie, 54
Dam, Esther, 44, 45
Boulez, Pierre, 8 32–33 Wittengenstein, Ludwig, 55
Death, 17I, 68, 69, 74, 75, 83, 106, 128, 130,
Buddhism, see Zen Buddhism
146 I Mushrooms et Variationes (Cage), 67, 80, 81– S
Y
Burning Books, 159 152, 159–160
Dentinum, 80 I Ching, 41, 47, 97, 156, 159 The Sacred Mushroom (Allegro), 68
Deschooling, 41 IBM, 157 Music Lovers’ Field Companion (Cage), 9, 15 Schoenberg, Arnold, 8, 27, 158 Yamamoto, Shizuko, 54
C Deschooling Society (Illich), 40D Illich, Ivan D., 40, 40D Mycologia, 158
Mycological Society of America, 158
“secondary stories”, 156 A Year from Monday (Cage), 156
Cadwallader, Sharon, 45D Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Indeterminacies, 36, 85, 156, 157, 158 self-discipline, 55, 55D Yoga, 55D
Cage in the Woods, 67 Make Matters Worse) (Cage), see How to Improve Indeterminacy, 16, 16I, 17I, 21I–22I, 26I–27I, self-reflection, 54
Cage, John, 2, 7, 10, 11, 23, 24, 25, 42–43, the World
Diet, 26, 54–55, 93, 102, 122, 137
32I, 33I, 37I, 44I, 45I, 67I, 68I, 69I, 74I, 156
Indeterminacy (album), 156
N Shere, Charles, 159
Siglio Press, 157 Z
60, 61, 70, 75, 76–77 Nearing, Guy, 16, 32, 33I, 44, 44I, 45, 45I,
Arthritis suffered by, 54 The Dismemberment of Orpheus (Hassan), 45D Indoor gardening, 68, 70–1 Silence, 17–20, 37, 54, 74, 74I, 75, 82, 138, Zen Buddhism, 11, 17I, 17–21, 21I–22I, 28,
69I, 138
Compositions by, 27, 37, 46–47, 74, 158 Divination, 41,47, 97, 156, 159 Isaacs, Betty, 16I 144 54, 122, 140, 156, 157, 160
New School for Social Research, 27, 32–43,
Cooking/dining, 8, 37, 45D, 51, 52–53, Double or Nothing? 37 Silence (Cage), 9, 15, 17, 156 Zhou dynasty (1000–750 BC), 47
32I
J
54, 55, 66, 75, 104, 119, 126, 152, 159, Duchamp, Marcel, 68–69 Skunk cabbage (Spathyema foetida), 9, 9, 16 Zukor, Dr, 16
New York Mycological Society (Club), 44–53,
159–160 Smith, Alexander, 68I, 158
Joglars, 157 46
E
Courses/classes run by, 32–36, 41 Some Common Mushrooms and How to Know Them
The Journal 1837–1861 (Thoreau), 47, 158 New York State Agricultural Experiment
Death of, 74, 75 (Charles), 33
Education Automation (Fuller), 40D Station, 26
Diary of, see How to Improve the World Sonata for Clarinet, 27
Norman, Dorothy, 17I
Field books of, 34–35, 58–59
Einstein, Albert, 55D
Electromagnetism, 74 K Nouvelle Revue Française (Boulez), 9
Sparassis, 80
Spock, Dr Benjamin, 54
Foraging, 37, 48–51, 55, 63, 64–65, 67, Kafka, Franz, 45I
Empathy, 157 Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, 156
68I, 69I, 72–73, 75, 131, 146, 159
Indoor gardening of, 68, 70–71
Entoloma, 80
Epstein family, 24, 25
Kass, Ray, 67
Knowledge industry, 40–1 O Station Hill Press, 80, 159
Macrobiotic diet undertaken by, 54–5, 157 Ohr, Judi, 45D Stewart, Fred Carleton, 26
Exposition du Champignon, 8 Kwang Tse, 156
Ohsawa, George, 54–55 Stockhausen, Karlheinz, 8
164 APPENDIX
165
ENDNOTES INDETERMINACY & DIARY
1. Cage moved to the cooperative community of 19. Cage J. ([1965]1968) Interviewed by Studs 38. Bock J. (2008) Concord in Massachusetts, Discord in 56. Cage J. (1979) Where Are We Eating? and p. 16 p. 67
Stony Point, New York, in the summer of 1954. This Terkel, 23 April, Chicago, IL. https://studsterkel.wfmt. the World: The Writings of Henry Thoreau and John Cage, What Are We Eating? (38 Variations on a Theme by Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, Cage J. (1967) Indeterminacy story. A Year from
community was home to numerous creatives who over com/programs/several-members-cast-theater-deaf- Lang, Main, p. 32 Alison Knowles). Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 263 Monday, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown,
the years had wished to live outside of New York City, discuss-their-production-couples-brief-interview-john Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT p. 79 CT, p. 34
39. Illich I. (1970) Deschooling Society, Harper and p. 17
including pianist David Tudor and artist Jasper Johns.
20. Nicholls D. and Cross J. (eds) (2002) The Row, New York, p. 22 57. American Cancer Association (1972) Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, p. 68
2. Kostelanetz R. ([1987] 2003) Conversing with Cambridge Companion to John Cage, Cambridge Unproven methods of cancer management: Zen Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 85 Cage J. (1967) Indeterminacy story. A Year from
40. Fuller R. Buckminster (1962) Education
Cage, Routledge, London, New York, p. 17 University Press, Cambridge, p. 9 macrobiotic diet. CA, A Cancer Journal for Clinicians Monday, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown,
Automation: Freeing the Scholar to Return to His Studies, p. 21 (top)
22(6): 373 CT, p. 34
3. Cage J. (1967) Diary: How To Improve The World 21. Hicks M. (1990) John Cage’s studies with Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale / Cage J. (1973) Diary: How To Improve The World
(You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1966 in A Year from Schoenberg. American Music 8(2): 128 Feffer & Sons, London, p. 7 58. Cage J. (1979) Where Are We Eating? and (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1969 in p. 69
Monday, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, What Are We Eating? (38 Variations on a Theme by M: Writings ’67–’72, Wesleyan University Press, Cage J. (1967) Indeterminacy story. A Year from
22. Miller L. E. (2006) Henry Cowell and John 41. Cage J. (1997) Reflections of a progressive
CT, p. 62 Alison Knowles). Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78, Middletown, CT, p. 77 Monday, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown,
Cage: intersections and influences, 1933–1941. composer on a damaged society. October 82: 77
Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 79 CT, p. 84
4. Cage J. (1961) Music Lovers’ Field Companion. Journal of the American Musicological Society 59(1): 52 p.21 (bottom)
42. Cage J. (1997) Reflections of a progressive
Silence, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, 59. Cage J. (1979) Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78, Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, Wesleyan p. 74
23. Nicholls D. and Cross J. (eds) (2002) The composer on a damaged society. October 82: 87
p. 276 Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 90 University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 262 Cage J. (1967) Indeterminacy story. A Year from
Cambridge Companion to John Cage, Cambridge
43. Retallack J. (1996) Musicage: Cage Muses on Monday, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown,
5. Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, University Press, Cambridge, p. 53 60. Cage J., Ashley R., Ono Y., Anderson L., p. 26
Words, Art, Music, Wesleyan University Press, CT, p. 134
Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 261 Amirkhanian C., Peppe M., and Atchley K. (1986) Cage J. (1967) Indeterminacy story. A Year from
24. Suzuki D. T. ([1927]1964) An Introduction to Zen Middletown, CT, p. 89
The Guests Go in to Supper, Burning Books, San Monday, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown,
6. Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, Buddhism, Grove Press, New York, p. 51
44. Bloch E. D. (2013) John Cage, Mycologist. New Francisco, CA, p. 28 CT, p. 88
Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 262
25. Cage J. and Nearing G. (1959) Mushroom York Botanical Garden, New York. https://www.
61. Cripps C. L. (2004) Fungi in Forest Ecosystems: p. 32
7. Suzuki D. T. ([1949]1958) Essays in Zen Identification. New School Press Release Collection, New nybg.org/blogs/science-talk/2013/12/john-cage-
Systematics, Diversity, and Ecology, The New York Cage J. (2000) Indeterminacy – Ninety Stories, Performance
Buddhism, Rider & Company, London, p. 13 School for Social Research, New York mycologist
Botanical Garden Press, New York, p. 17 Edition, C. F. Peters, New York
8. Suzuki D. T. ([1927]1964)
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS 26. Cage©ATELIER ÉDITIONS 45. Cage J. in Donzelli ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS 62.©ATELIER ÉDITIONS p. ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
An Introduction to Zen J. (1967) A Year from Monday, Wesleyan W. (2007) The Glorious
Small S. (2011) Harmony of the spores: John 33
Buddhism, Grove Press, New York, p. 35 University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 35 Mushroom by Frank Spinelli. New York Mycological
Cage and Mycology. Gastronomica 11(2): 19 Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, Wesleyan
Society Newsletter, winter, p. 10
9. Suzuki D. T. ([1927]1964) An Introduction to Zen 27. Cage J. in Laura Kuhn (ed.) (2016) The Selected University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 268
63. Radio documentary adapted from a piece first
Buddhism, Grove Press, New York, p. 70 Letters of John Cage, Wesleyan University Press, 46. Cage J. (1967) A Year from Monday, Wesleyan
published in The Journal of Wild Culture, Fall 1988 p. 37
Middletown, CT, p. 265 University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 162
10. Suzuki D. T. (2015) Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki, Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, Wesleyan
64. Scheffer F. and Culver A. ([1995] 2004) From
vol. I, University of California Press, CA, p. 133 28. Charles V. K. (1931) Some Common Mushrooms 47. Hassab I. (1963) The dismemberment of University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 268
Zero: Four Films on John Cage, Mode Records, New
and How to Know Them, Circular 143 Orpheus: reflections on modern culture, language
11. Cage J. (1976) Interviewed by Holly Martin, York [DVD] p. 40
and literature. The American Scholar, 32(3): 463–484
29 July, Greenwich Village, NY. http://www. 29. Silverman K. (2010) Begin Again: A Biography of Cage J. (1973) Diary: How To Improve The World
65. Cage J. (1961) Silence, Wesleyan University
blackmountainstudiesjournal.org/volume4/holly- John Cage, Northwestern University Press, Evanston, 48. Cage J. (1967) A Year from Monday, Wesleyan (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1971–72 in
Press, Middletown, CT, p. 8
martin-the-asian-factor-in-john-cages-aesthetics/ IL, p. 170 University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 166 M: Writings ’67–’72, Wesleyan University Press,
66. Cage J. (1967) A Year from Monday, Wesleyan Middletown, CT, p. 205
12. Larson K. (2012) Where the Heart Beats: John 30. Anderson H. (2018) People: John Cage. 49. Cage J. (1973) Foreword. M: Writings ’67–’72,
University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 31
Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists, Histories of the New School, New York. Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. ix p. 44
Penguin, New York, p. 172 http://newschoolhistories.org/people/john-cage 67. Cage J. (1981) For the Birds: John Cage in Cage J. (1961) Indeterminacy story. Silence, Wesleyan
50. Cage J. (1991) An autobiographical
Conversation with Daniel Charles, Marion Boyars University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 267
13. Cage J. (1976) Interviewed by Holly Martin, 31. (1965) New School Bulletin 14(1), New School statement. Southwest Review 76(1): 59
Publishers, London, p. 239
29 July, Greenwich Village, New York. http://www. for Social Research, New York p. 45 (top)
51. Cage J. (1979) Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78,
blackmountainstudiesjournal.org/volume4/holly- Cage J. (2000) Indeterminacy – Ninety Stories, Performance
32. (1960) New School Bulletin 17(3), New School Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 88
martin-the-asian-factor-in-john-cages-aesthetics Edition, C. F. Peters, New York
for Social Research, New York, p. 36
52. Cage J. in Laura Kuhn (ed.) (2016) The Selected
14. Larson K. (2012) Where the Heart Beats: John p. 45 (bottom)
33. Cage J. in Laura Kuhn (ed.) (2016) The Selected Letters of John Cage, Wesleyan University Press,
Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists, Cage J. (1973) Diary: How To Improve The World
Letters of John Cage, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 540
Penguin, New York, p. 413 (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1971–72 in
Middletown, CT, p. 265
53. Silverman K. (2010) Begin Again: A Biography of M: Writings ’67−’72, Wesleyan University Press,
15. Suzuki D. T. (2015) Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki,
34. Hansen A. (1965) A Primer of Happenings and John Cage, Northwestern University Press, Evanston, Middletown, CT, p. 207
vol. I, University of California Press, CA, p. 122
Time Space Art, Ultramarine Publishing, New York, IL, p. 354
p. 55
16. Cage J. (1981) For the Birds: John Cage in pp. 98, 101
54. Cage J. (1979) Where Are We Eating? and Cage J. (1973) Diary: How To Improve The World
Conversation with Daniel Charles, Marion Boyars
35. Cage J., Kirby M., and Schechner R. (1965) What Are We Eating? (38 Variations on a Theme by (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1969 in M:
Publishers, London, p. 188
An interview with John Cage. The Tulane Drama Alison Knowles). Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78, Writings ’67–’72, Wesleyan University Press,
17. Stewart F. C. (1933) How to Know the Mushrooms Review 10(2): 67 Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT, p. 79 Middletown, CT, pp. 67–69
and Toadstools, Circular 82, New York State
36. Revill D. (1992) The Roaring Silence: John Cage, 55. Yamamoto S. (2015). Transforming Difficulty p. 60
Agricultural Experiment Station, New York, p.1
A Life, Arcade Publishing, New York, p. 182 Into Happiness—My Life’s Journey. [Blog] Patricia Cage J. (1967) Diary: How To Improve The World
18. Bernstein D. W. and Hatch C. (eds) (2001) Goodwin. http://patriciagoodwin.blogspot com/ (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1966 in A Year
37. Lascia o Raddoppia. (1959). RAI Italia, 26th
Writings through John Cageʼs Music, Poetry, and Art, 2015/04/revolutionary-common-sense-story-of.html from Monday, Wesleyan University Press,
February.
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, p. 269 Middletown, CT, p. 60
166 APPENDIX
167
BIBLIOGRAPHY PERMISSIONS
PUBLICATIONS Cage J. (1976) Interviewed by Holly Martin, 29 Miller L. E. (2006) Henry Cowell and John Cage: VOLUME I p. 38–39 p. 70–71
(1960) New School Bulletin 17(3), New School for Social July, Greenwich Village, New York. http://www. intersections and influences, 1933–1941. Journal of the Cover Photographs of mushrooms sent to Cage Interior of John Cage and Merce Cunninghamʼs
Research, New York blackmountainstudiesjournal.org/volume4/holly- American Musicological Society 59(1): 47–112 John Cage, 13 July 1967, Stony Point, New (1962–1992). Top left image “Cesare Amanita” loft in New York, date and photographer unknown.
martin-the-asian-factor-in-john-cages-aesthetics York, photographs by William Gedney for his copyright Nathan Horwitt, 1967. All other images, Courtesy of the John Cage Trust.
(1965) New School Catalog 14(1), New School for Social Retallack J. (1996) Musicage: Cage Muses on Words, Art,
Cage J. ([1965]1968) Interviewed by Studs Terkel, 23 Music, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT Composer Series. Courtesy of the William Gedney photographers unknown. Courtesy of the John
Research, New York p. 72–73
April, Chicago, IL. https://studsterkel.wfmt.com/ Photographs and Papers, David M. Rubenstein Cage Mycology Collection, University of California
Revill D. (1992) The Roaring Silence: John Cage, A Life, Cage at Composer to Composer Festival in
American Cancer Society (1972) Unproven methods
programs/several-members-cast-theater-deaf-discuss-their- Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Santa Cruz Special Collections and Archives.
Arcade Publishing, New York Telluride, Colorado, 1989. Photograph by John
of cancer management: Zen macrobiotic diet. A Cancer
production-couples-brief-interview-john p. 42 Fago. © John Fago, courtesy of Other Minds
Journal for Clinicians 22(6): 372–375
Rose D. (2008) A plurality of one: John Cage and the Foreword, Indeterminacy & Diary
Cage J. Radio documentary adapted from a piece first Minnesota, 1969. Photograph by James Klosty. Archive.
people-to-people committee on fungi. Fungi 1(4): 25 Excerpts from Silence: Lectures and Writings (1961),
Arora D. (1979) Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive
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Guide to the Fleshy Fungi of the Central California Coast, Ten
Rose D. (2017) Cage: two (diary and letters). Fungi 10(1): 8–15 (1969), and X: Writings ’79-’82 (1983). All by John Cage and friends at the first Chanterelle Weekend Cage in Grenoble, France, 1972. Photograph by
Speed Press, Berkeley, CA Charles V. K. (1931) Some Common Mushrooms and How to
Know Them, Circular 143, United States Department of Silverman K. (2010) Begin Again: A Biography of John Cage,
Cage. Reprinted with permission of Wesleyan of the New York Mycological Society, 1962. James Klosty.
Bernstein D. W. and Hatch C. (eds) (2001) Writings
Agriculture, Washington D.C. Northwestern University Press, Evanston, IL
University Press. Courtesy of the New York Mycological Society.
pp. 80–152
through John Cageʼs Music, Poetry, and Art, University of
Coomaraswamy A. K. (1934) The Transformation of Nature Small S. (2011) Harmony of the spores: John Cage and
p. 8–9 p. 48–51 Mushrooms et Variationes by John Cage. 1983.
Chicago Press, Chicago, IL
in Art, Dover, New York mycology. Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture
John Cage, 13 July 1967, Stony Point, New John Cage, 13 July 1967, Stony Point, New © John Cage Trust.
Bloch E. D. (2013) John Cage, Mycologist. New York
11(2): 19–23
York, photographs by William Gedney for his York, photographs by William Gedney for his
Botanical Garden, New York. https://www.nybg.org/ Cripps C. L. (2004) Fungi in Forest Ecosystems: Systematics, Composer Series. Courtesy of the William Gedney Composer Series. Courtesy of the William Gedney
VOLUME II
blogs/science-talk/2013/12/john-cage-mycologist Diversity, and Ecology, The New York Botanical Garden Stewart F. C. (1933) How to Know the Mushrooms and Photographs and Papers, David M. Rubenstein Photographs and Papers, David M. Rubenstein
Press, New York Toadstools, Circular 82, New York State Agricultural Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Mushroom Book
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Bock J. (2008) Concord in Massachusetts, Discord in the World: The Lithographs by John Cage and Lois Long,
Experiment Station, New York
Writings of Henry Thoreau and John Cage, Peter Lang, Bern Dworkin C. (2004) Opinion: mycopedagogy. College p. 10 p. 52–53 botanical statements by Alexander H. Smith. 1972.
English 66(6): 603–611 Suzuki D. T. ([1949]1958) Essays in Zen Buddhism, Rider At Hollander Workshop, New York, 1972. Spain, 1970. Photograph by James Klosty. © John Cage Trust.
Cage J. (1961) Silence, Wesleyan University Press,
& Company, London Photograph by James Klosty.
Middletown, CT Fuller R. Buckminster (1962) Education Automation: Freeing the p. 56–57
Scholar to Return ÉDITIONS
to His Studies. Southern Illinois University ©ATELIER
Suzuki D. T. ([1927]1964) An Introduction to Zen ÉDITIONS
Buddhism, p. ©ATELIER
18–19 ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER
Postcards collected ÉDITIONS
by Cage, ca. 1980. Artwork by ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS
Cage J. (1967) A Year from Monday, Wesleyan University
Press, Carbondale / Feffer & Sons, London Grove Press, New York Photographs of mushrooms sent to Cage (1962– Gerry Miller. Courtesy of the John Cage Mycology
Press, Middletown, CT
Gluek G. (1966) The sounds that mushrooms make. New Suzuki D. T. (2015) Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki, vol. I,
1992). Photographers unknown. Courtesy of the Collection, University of California Santa Cruz
Cage J. (1973) M: Writings ’67–’72, Wesleyan University
York Times, Oct. 2 University of California Press, CA
John Cage Mycology Collection, University of Special Collections and Archives.
Press, Middletown, CT California Santa Cruz Special Collections and
Hansen A. (1965) A Primer of Happenings and Time Space Thoreau H. D. (1993) Faith in a Seed: The Dispersion Of p. 58–59
Archives.
Cage J. (1979) Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78, Wesleyan Field Book. “Exhibit of books from the Library
Art, Ultramarine Publishing, New York Seeds And Other Late Natural History Writings, Island Press,
University Press, Middletown, CT
Washington DC
p. 23 of Dr. Marcus Crahan shown at the UCLA
Hassab I. (1963) The dismemberment of Orpheus: John Cage with basket, 1958, Stony Point, New York. Biomedical Library from January 4 to March 5,
Cage J. (1981) For the Birds: John Cage in Conversation with
reflections on modern culture, language and literature. Thoreau H. D. (2009) The Journal, 1837-1861, New Photographer unknown. Courtesy of the John Cage 1971” [accordian book with Japanese paper sleeve
Daniel Charles, Marion Boyars Publishers, London
The American Scholar, 32(3): 463–484 York Review of Books, New York Trust. decorated with mushroom], 1971. Photographs by
Cage J. (1991) An autobiographical statement. Pascale Georgiev, 2019. Courtesy of the John Cage
Hicks M. (1990) John Cage’s studies with Schoenberg. Toale B. (1992) The edible drawings of John Cage. p. 24–25
Southwest Review 76(1): 59 Mycology Collection, University of California
American Music 8(2): 125–140 Hand Papermaking 7(2): 22–23 Photographs by Bruce Davidson. © Bruce
Santa Cruz Special Collections and Archives.
Cage J. (1997) Reflections of a progressive composer on
Illich I. (1970) Deschooling Society, Harper and Row, New York Tsing A. (2015) The Mushroom at the End of the World,
Davidson/Magnum Photos.
a damaged society. October 82: 77–93
Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ p. 61
Kostelanetz R. (ed.) (1993) John Cage Writer: Selected Texts,
p. 28–29
Collecting wild greens, Grenoble, France, May
Cage J. (2000) Indeterminacy – Ninety Stories, Performance Edition,
Cooper Square Press, New York Walls A. (2014) Cy Twombly and the art of hunting
Toadstools at Home, 1907 edition, Somerville
1971. Photograph by James Klosty.
C. F. Peters, New York
mushrooms. American Art 28(2): 50–69
Hastings F.R.C.S. of British Fungi—with additional
Kostelanetz R. ([1987] 2003) Conversing with Cage, annotated pages added by Cage, 1960–1979. p. 62–63
Cage J. (2016) The Selected Letters of John Cage, Wesleyan
Routledge, London, New York Wilson T. (1983) Interview with Cage made in Photographs by Pascale Georgiev, 2019. John Cage Photographs of mushrooms sent to Cage (1962–
University Press, Middletown, CT
Mountain Lake. Personamedia [transcript]. http://www. Mycology Collection, University of California 1992). All photographs by Roger Bergner, 1987.
Kuhn L. (ed.) (2016) The Selected Letters of John Cage,
Cage J. in Donzelli W. (2007) The Glorious Mushroom by personamedia.com/Cage_in_the_Woods.html Santa Cruz Special Collections and Archives. Courtesy of the John Cage Mycology Collection,
Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT
Frank Spinelli. New York Mycological Society Newsletter, winter University of California Santa Cruz Special
Wilson T. (2009) Cage in the Woods. Inside the Music, p. 30–31
Lane M. (1990) Black Mountain College: Sprouted Seeds: Collections and Archives.
Cage J., Ashley R.,Ono Y., Anderson L., Amirkhanian CBC Radio-2 Photographs of mushrooms sent to Cage (1962–
An Anthology of Personal Accounts, University of Tennessee
C., Peppe M., and Atchley K. (1986) The Guests Go in to
Press, Knoxville, TN Yamamoto S. (2015). Transforming Difficulty Into
1992). Photographers unknown. Courtesy of the p. 64–65
Supper, Burning Books, San Francisco, CA
Happiness—My Life’s Journey. [Blog] Patricia
John Cage Mycology Collection, University of Grenoble, France, May 1971. Photograph by James
Larson K. (2012) Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen California Santa Cruz Special Collections and Klosty.
Cage J., Kirby M., and Schechner R. (1965) An interview Goodwin. http://patriciagoodwin.blogspot.com/
Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists, Penguin, New York Archives.
with John Cage. The Tulane Drama Review 10(2): 50–72 2015/04/revolutionary-common-sense-story-of.html p. 66
Lyon N. (1963) John Cage. A second fame: good food. p. 34–35 Cage cooking, 1987. From an oversized photographic
Cage J. and Nearing G. (1959) Mushroom
Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/haute-cuisine- MEDIA Field book—“Last week of April 1958–May collage of John Cage cooking and eating mushrooms
Identification, New School Press Release Collection,
john-cage-recipes-vogue 2–27, 1959” [accordian book—small, green with David and JoAnn W. 1987 Reads “Happy 75th
New School for Social Research, New York Bongiorno M. and Cage J. (1959) Lascia o Raddoppia,
Nicholls D. and Cross J. (eds) (2002) The Cambridge Companion RAI, Milan [Television] covers], 1958–1959. Photographs by Pascale Birthday John and Thanks for your help. David
Cage J. and Tudor D. (1959) Indeterminacy, Folkways
to John Cage, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Georgiev, 2019. Courtesy of the John Cage & JoAnn W[einrib].” Courtesy of the John Cage
FT 3704, 1959. Reissued as Smithsonian/Folkways Scheffer F. and Culver A. ([1995] 2004) From Zero: Four Mycology Collection, University of California Mycology Collection, University of California Santa
CD DF 40804/5, 1992 Films on John Cage, Mode Records, New York [DVD] Santa Cruz Special Collections and Archives. Cruz Special Collections and Archives.
168 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The publishers wish to extend their immense gratitude to the
John Cage Trust. Our mycological foray was forever enriched
by the exhaustive knowledge and generous assistance of Laura
Kuhn and Emy Martin. Publishing the inaugural reproduction
of Mushroom Book remains an honor to Atelier Éditions.
For more information about the Trust, please visit
www.johncage.org.
We also wish to thank Paul Sadowski of the New York

Mycological Society, the Library and Archives of the University
of California Santa Cruz (which houses the John Cage Mycology
Collection), the Duke University Libraries, Wesleyan University
Press, Paula Madawick, as well as photographers Bruce Davidson,
John Fago and James Klosty.
This book was typset in

Baskerville, Space Mono and Traulha
Music Loversʼ Field Companion, Mushrooms et Variationes, and

Mushroom Book (with Lois Long and Alexander H. Smith)
by John Cage
MANAGING EDITOR
Pascale Georgiev
EDITOR
Ananda Pellerin
SUB-EDITOR
Gregor Shepherd
AUTHOR
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIERKingston Trinder
RESEARCHER &
WRITER (APPENDIX)
Isabelle Bucklow
INDEXER
Andy Armitage
PROOFREADER
Helius
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Capucine Labarthe
ILLUSTRATOR
Katty Maury
IMAGE RETOUCHER
Benjamin Hoy
PUBLISHED BY
Atelier Éditions
Los Angeles, California
www.atelier-editions.com
© 2020 Atelier Éditions

All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced without the written
permission of the publisher and the John Cage Trust.
Edition of 4500, Printed in Italy

on 100% ecological paper from sustainable forests
carbon neutral print production | IT-213-2X9ZMP2 | www.natureOffice.com
ISBN 978-1-7336220-0-4
MUSHROOM
169
BOOK
JOHN CAGE
LOIS LONG
ALEXANDER H. SMITH
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS © JOHN CAGE TRUST ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS © JOHN CAGE TRUST ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS © JOHN CAGE TRUST
©ATELIER ÉDITIONS © JOHN CAGE TRUST ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS

John CAGE A Mycological Foray Variations On Mushrooms Atelier Editions

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JOHN CAGE

©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS

©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS ©ATELIER ÉDITIONS

WHERE THE WHIPPOORWILL

Bashô: Matsutake ya shiranu ko no ha no hebaritsuku.

— John Cage, 1965

MUSIC LOVERS’ FIELD COMPANION 5

dence that I am on the right track. The

Cage foraging at Stony Point, New York, 13 July, 1967.

That raucous buck and doe perform a cacophonous arrangement, Cage

Nevertheless, Cage remained interested in the relationship between seasonal-

Photographs collected by Cage, 1962–1992.

Here in this emptiness there is no form, no perception, no name, no con-

Cage’s 1907 edition of Toadstools at Home,

Photographs collected by Cage, 1962–1992.

Cage’s field book, 1958–1959.

Photographs collected by Cage, 1962–1992.

Destruction means criticism and repudiation; it means revolution. It involves

Cage said of the composition:

I wrote it by subjecting all the remarks of Henry David Thoreau about

Regularly consulted by Cage, I Ching is an ancient Chinese divination

I devoted my music to it. My work became an exploration of non-intention.

Cage applied chance-derived methodologies to the composition of numerous

American transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau was another

(following spread) Cage dining al fresco in Spain with friends, 1970.

Postcards collected by Cage, ca. 1980.

Cageʼs collage field book, ca. 1971.

Cage collecting wild greens, Grenoble, France, May 1971.

Photographs by Roger Bergner, 1987, collected by Cage.

Cage cooking with friends, ca. 1987.

Mountain Lake, Giles County, southwest Virginia, Fall, 1983

As well as his interest in mushrooms, Cage also had a long-standing INDETERMINACY

“I began using chess and the hunting of wild mushrooms as a balance to my

we Believe mercifully frozen to deAth

grEw embrace me yoUng

and then of courSe in front of Audiences

the desiRe to be secure Enlightenment

to Including because Records

and will bE later on no Mushrooms

makIng left the sMaller ones

In the next Minute

the mondriAns are cracked got needed drUgs

Many Tried to be influenced by tobey

seNse noT concerned

thIs time nEw book

A bag I will try

the piece may neveR kNew

ready for aNything A

VII it wAs then uncovered and tamarI quickly

sElf- XI i was Convinced

thE chicken polypore Trst

so that i don’t interruPt to give moRe time for the trip

©ATELIER ÉDITIONS what and wheN

for twelve hoUrs U

lRm now that you’Re

aLl the same problem bodiEs

Changing our plans musiC

raiN wIth the wasps

whAt i wanted englAnd

remembering That mRnl

janUary ideas come To

only miStakes we were supposed to Be studying

does not mAtter 24'00" iN my promise