Morton Feldman | The Scores Project

1. Morton Feldman: Intersection 3 (1953)

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Morton Feldman:

Morton Feldman:

Morton Feldman:

Morton Feldman:

Morton Feldman:

Intersection

Intersection

Intersection

Intersection

Intersection

3

3

3

3

3

(1953)

(1953)

(1953)

(1953)

(1953)

The pointillism of Morton Feldman’s Intersection 3 is an early example of experimental musical notation. One of many pieces in the 1950s that Feldman wrote on graph paper, the work features a metronomic tempo while inviting its performer, the pianist David Tudor, to decide what pitches to play, prescribing only the number of notes and the general pitch range. The sounds that resulted evoked associations of combat and even brutality among critics, an aesthetic that Feldman himself described as “violently boiling water in some monstrous kettle.”

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Horizontal eleven-inch-wide graph paper with seven horizontal staves outlined in pencil, each one three grid boxes tall. Within the staves, seemingly random boxes are outlined and filled with handwritten numbers from 1 to 11 in black ink. Some grid boxes are outlined horizontally to create rectangles. Top margin handwritten text reads: outlined box “= MM 176” at left, “Intersection #3 for Tudor” at center, and “M Feldman [unreadable word] 1953” at right. — Intersection 3 with a dedication to David Tudor (1953)

Horizontal page with five horizontal staves that span the width of the page, each created from a three-box-tall grid outlined thinly in black. Within the staves, seemingly random boxes are outlined thickly in black and are filled with handwritten numbers from 1 to 11. Some grid boxes are outlined horizontally to create rectangles. Other boxes are horizontally bisected, creating even smaller rectangles. Handwritten text in the top margin reads: outlined box “= MM 176” at left, “Intersection #3” at center, and “M Feldman April 1953” at right. — Intersection 3 (1953)

Page printed with twelve staves containing pencil notation. Beginning at the top, the staves are grouped two together into a grand staff, with treble on top and bass on bottom, followed by an empty stave, all of this repeated four times for a total of four grand staves. Clusters of notes and other musical notations fill staves at irregular intervals, yet the page is balanced with a roughly equal disruption of notations throughout. — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection 3 (1953)

Animated score of David Tudor’s Intersection 3 performance (1953)

Audio sampler of David Tudor’s sonorities for Intersection 3 (1953)

Undated recording of David Tudor performing Intersection 3

Recording of Steffen Schleiermacher performing Intersection 3 (1994)

Recording of Frank Denyer performing Intersection 3 (2005)

Rereleased recording of David Tudor performing Intersection 3 (2007)

Highlights

Black-and-white photograph of Tudor sitting at a piano. The man is turned facing the camera, and in front of him is an array of auxiliary percussion instruments arranged on a low bench. His right hand holds an instrument to his mouth, while his left hand reaches back to play the piano. — David Tudor performing a work by John Cage in London (1954)

Vertical rectangular white page with black printed diagram of two concentric vertical rectangles. Large rectangles are made up of smaller vertical rectangles such that the width of the page requires twice as many rectangles as the length of the page. Numbers on the outside of each rectangle create two concentric perimeters of numbers. Most of the interiors of the small rectangles contain at least one number, with most having multiple numbers, but with others having none at all. Generous white space between the two large shapes. — Intersection + (1953)

Horizontal cream paper with orange printed grid. Three black horizontal marks evenly divide the top third of the page into three sections, with a larger fourth section on bottom. Each section is sparsely populated with squares and rectangles made from outlining one or more of the printed grid boxes. Key at bottom left reads: diamond shape, “Lowest Harmonic”; P, “Lowest pizz (played pizz)”; A, “Lowest Open sound (Played Arco)”; and outlined pen square, “= one beat.” Lines from top to bottom correspond to the O, P, and A key. — Embryonic graph score, likely for Projection 1 (early 1950s)

Verso of white page with black typewritten text in English. Title at top center reads “David Tudor, pianist, and John Cage,” followed by two columns of text, the left with titles of compositions, and the right with corresponding composers. Wide space between columns contains handwritten note in pen. Bottom half of page contains section titled “Program Note” at top followed by two paragraphs of text that run the length of the page. — Program for a performance featuring David Tudor and John Cage (late 1950s)

Vertical rectangular press clipping, with two columns completely filled with text in English. Title “David Tudor Program Opens Sunday Afternoon Series” in large, bold font above both columns of text. All text in clipping part of the Tudor article. — “David Tudor Program Opens Sunday Afternoon Series,” Hartford Times (November 1953)

Scores (7 items)

Score for Projection 1 for solo cello (1950)

Vertical rectangular white page with black printed diagram of two concentric vertical rectangles. Large rectangles are made up of smaller vertical rectangles such that the width of the page requires twice as many rectangles as the length of the page. Numbers on the outside of each rectangle create two concentric perimeters of numbers. Most of the interiors of the small rectangles contain at least one number, with most having multiple numbers, but with others having none at all. Generous white space between the two large shapes. — Intersection + (1953)

Page printed with twelve staves containing pencil notation. Beginning at the top, the staves are grouped two together into a grand staff, with treble on top and bass on bottom, followed by an empty stave, all of this repeated four times for a total of four grand staves. Clusters of notes and other musical notations fill staves at irregular intervals, yet the page is balanced with a roughly equal disruption of notations throughout. Vertical bar lines appear throughout, some creating measures filled only with a single letter “F” or “S” (at least one instance for every grand staff). — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection + (Quarter-note Realization) (ca. 1953)

Page printed with twelve staves containing pencil notation. Beginning at the top, the staves are grouped by twos into a grand staff, with treble on top and bass on bottom, followed by an empty stave, all of this repeated four times for a total of four grand staves. Clusters of notes and other musical notations fill staves at irregular intervals, yet the page is balanced with a roughly equal disruption of notations throughout. Heavy use of beamed sixteenth and thirty-second notes. Vertical bar lines appear throughout, some creating measures filled only with a single letter “F” or “S” (at least one instance for every grand staff). — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection + (32nd-note Realization) (ca. 1953)

Page printed with twelve staves containing pencil notation. Beginning at the top, the staves are grouped by twos into a grand staff, with treble on top and bass on bottom, followed by an empty stave, all of this repeated four times for a total of four grand staves. Clusters of notes and other musical notations fill staves. Heavy use of beamed sixteenth and thirty-second notes. Vertical bar lines appear throughout, some creating completely empty measures. — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection + (Alternative 32nd-note Realization) (ca. 1953)

Black-and-white photocopy of a hand-drawn score with printed text in English. Page contains three horizontal staves made from three vertically stacked printed squares repeated more than forty times. Throughout the staves, boxes are outlined and contain handwritten numbers, with some boxes joined horizontally to make larger rectangles. At the top of each stave, intervals of ten are indicated with a printed number. — Intersection 2 (ca. 1951–52)

Two-page spread of bound book, showing left interior of red cover and right page with eight printed staves and handwritten musical notation in pencil. — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection 2 (early 1950s)

Sketches and materials (4 items)

Transparency sheet with black handwritten text and symbols. Left side of page features, from top to bottom, two lines forming a right angle labeled “MM” and a right-pointing arrow above two perpendicular lines forming a cross with a hole punched through the center labeled with “1.” ; and an upward-pointing arrow above short vertical line segments. Center of page empty. Bottom right of page features two shapes created from boxes stacked three high. — Transparency sheet with graph guidelines (early 1950s)

Horizontal cream paper with orange printed grid. Three black horizontal marks evenly divide the top third of the page into three sections, with a larger fourth section on bottom. Each section is sparsely populated with squares and rectangles made from outlining one or more of the printed grid boxes. Key at bottom left reads: diamond shape, “Lowest Harmonic”; P, “Lowest pizz (played pizz)”; A, “Lowest Open sound (Played Arco)”; and outlined pen square, “= one beat.” Lines from top to bottom correspond to the O, P, and A key. — Embryonic graph score, likely for Projection 1 (early 1950s)

Horizontal white page with six printed staves. Top two staves contain handwritten numbers, bar lines, and musical notes on first half. Fifth and sixth staves contain handwritten numbers, bar lines, musical notes, and other musical notation in pen. — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection + (Sketches of Numbered Boxes) (ca. 1953)

Horizontal white page with six printed staves. First and second contain handwritten numbers, bar lines, musical notes, and other musical notation on entire length at a greater volume than the first two. Fifth and sixth staves contain handwritten numbers, bar lines, and musical notes in pen on first half. There are short horizontal lines each with one number underneath the clusters of notes. — Realization of Morton Feldman’s Intersection + (Sketches of Clusters) (ca. 1953)

Programs and flyers (6 items)

Recto of white page program with black text in English. Top half, in large sans serif typeface features time, date, and location of the performance. Bottom half contains program with composition titles and composers, followed by a small paragraph titled “Program notes.” — Program for a concert featuring David Tudor at the Festival of Contemporary Arts, University of Illinois School of Music (22 March 1953)

Verso of white page program with black text in German. Title at top left in large bold font reads “musik der zeit.” Majority of page bisected vertically at center, with composers on left and composition titles on right. Time, date, and location of the performance at top of text on right side of page. — Program for Musik der Zeit, featuring David Tudor and John Cage at Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk Köln (26 November 1954)

White page with black typewritten text. Top center features time, date, and location of the performance at the University of British Columbia, followed by a program of performances featuring titles, composers, and performers of seven pieces. Bottom half of page blank. — Program for a concert featuring David Tudor and John Cage at the University of British Columbia (2 December 1955)

“WHRB Presents David Tudor, Pianist, & John Cage in a Program for ‘New’ Music for Piano at Harvard University” (20 April 1956)

White page with black typewritten text in German. Top half of page contains time, date, and location of the performance at Vortragssaal der Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst. Bottom half of page contains program with two columns, the left listing composers, and the right, the title of their compositions to be performed. — Program for a concert featuring David Tudor at the Vortragssaal at the Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst (30 November 1956)

Verso of white page with black typewritten text in English. Title at top center reads “David Tudor, pianist, and John Cage,” followed by two columns of text, the left with titles of compositions, and the right with corresponding composers. Wide space between columns contains handwritten note in pen. Bottom half of page contains section titled “Program Note” at top followed by two paragraphs of text that run the length of the page. — Program for a performance featuring David Tudor and John Cage (late 1950s)

Photographs (5 items)

Black-and-white photograph of Tudor sitting at a piano. The man is turned facing the camera, and in front of him is an array of auxiliary percussion instruments arranged on a low bench. His right hand holds an instrument to his mouth, while his left hand reaches back to play the piano. — David Tudor performing a work by John Cage in London (1954)

Black-and-white photograph of Tudor in a tuxedo standing on a stage and resting one hand on a grand piano. At the bottom of the frame, the backs of audience members’ heads are visible as they look up toward the stage. — David Tudor performing in Spain (1950s)

Black-and-white portrait of Tudor in a suit looking directly to the camera while seated at and playing a piano. Soft light from a window at his left touches his back and the left side of his face. Background is dominated by a wall paneled with light-colored wood. — David Tudor as a young man at the piano (1950s)

David Tudor as young man at the piano (1950s)

Black-and-white photograph of Christian Wolff, Earle Brown, John Cage, David Tudor, and Morton Feldman, in casual suits, arranged in a line and smiling at the camera. Photographed from the shin up. — Christian Wolff, Earle Brown, John Cage, David Tudor, and Morton Feldman at the Capitol Records building in New York (ca. 1953)

Press clippings (14 items)

Vertical rectangular press clipping, with two columns completely filled with text in English. Title “David Tudor Program Opens Sunday Afternoon Series” in large, bold font above both columns of text. All text in clipping part of the Tudor article. — “David Tudor Program Opens Sunday Afternoon Series,” Hartford Times (November 1953)

Vertical rectangular press clipping. Top half contains a black-and-white photograph of a male dancer in black tights and long-sleeve shirt, mid-leap and pictured from the side. Bottom half of clipping contains short paragraph of printed text in English advertising a Merce Cunningham performance at Black Mountain College. — “Merce Cunningham of New York” (August 1953?)

“Concerts Are Arranged at College,” Asheville Citizen-Times (21 June 1953)

Press clipping of one four-paragraph article in English. “Cage to Perform ‘Abstract’ Music” at top of text column in large, bold font. Jagged, ripped edges on all but right side of page. — “Cage to Perform ‘Abstract’ Music,” Daily Illini (24 March 1953)

Horizontal rectangular press clipping the width of three columns completely filled with text in English. Title “‘Magnetic Music’ Not Ready” in large, bold sans serif typeface above all columns of text. Black-and-white photograph of a man with short hair at bottom of first column and captioned “John Cage . . . A New Sound.” All text in clipping is part of the article. — “‘Magnetic Music’ Not Ready,” Daily Illini (March 1953)

Magazine page with black-and-white photograph of microphone placed on two converging train tracks, followed by article title, “Tapesichord,” on the top third of the page. Covering the bottom third of the page are the subtitle “the music of whistle and bang,” a pull quote, the byline, and the date. — “Tapesichord: The Music of Whistle and Bang,” Vogue, 78–81, 108 (July 1953)

Portion of newspaper sheet unfolded to show “Concert and Recital” section featuring an article titled “David Tudor, Pianist” containing three paragraphs of text spanning two columns. — “Concert and Recital: David Tudor, Pianist,” New York Herald Tribune (15 April 1954)

Newspaper sheet from the *New York Herald Tribune* with “Concert and Recital” section, at the top and just left of center, featuring an article titled “David Tudor, Pianist” in one page-length column. — “Concert and Recital: David Tudor, Pianist,” New York Herald Tribune, 22 (29 April 1954)

Magazine page with one column of text on left third of page titled “Musical Events: Old Horizons” at top. Right two-thirds contain color ad for Bell’s scotch, featuring illustration of scotch pouring bell-shaped drops into a glass. Paginated 125 at top right. — “Musical Events: Old Horizons,” New Yorker, 125–33 (8 May 1954)

Vertical rectangular press clipping two columns wide, with five paragraphs of text in English. Title “John Cage Offers Stereophonic Concert Including Eight Radios and Four Pianos” in large, italicized font above both columns of text. All text in clipping is part of the Cage article. — “John Cage Offers Stereophonic Concert Including Eight Radios and Four Pianos,” New York Times (31 May 1956)

Horizontal rectangular press clipping four columns wide, with four paragraphs of text in English. Title “New Music Concert Given at the Carl Fischer Hall” in large, italicized font above all columns of text. Top of first column contains participants, composers, and compositions performed. — “New Music Concert Given at the Carl Fischer Hall,” New York Herald Tribune, 15 (31 May 1956)

Vertical rectangular press clipping with one column of text in English. Title “Music of the Future” in large font above both columns of text. Below the title is the subtitle “Science Fiction for the Piano,” followed by two paragraphs, another subheading, “Extra-Special Effects,” and two more paragraphs. — “Music of the Future: Science Fiction for the Piano,” The Times (London) (19 December 1956)

Horizontal rectangular press clipping with one column of text in German. Red pen annotation marks throughout. — “Mozart bevorzugte für das Spiel von Hausmusik. . . ,” The Observer (15 December 1958)

Press clipping with two columns of text in German. Title “Der Kampf mit dem Drachen” in large font above both columns of text, consisting of four long paragraphs. — “Der Kampf mit dem Drachen. In der Musikakademie wurde ein Klavier mit dem Stock geschlagen,” The Observer (5 December 1958)

Correspondence (2 items)

White page with black typewritten text in English addressed “Dear David:” at left above three paragraphs of text and below a large top margin. “Morton” signed below text in blue pen. Bottom half of page blank. — Letter from Morton Feldman to David Tudor (15 June 1953)

Recto of rectangular white envelope stained with flecks of brown. Printed address for the Pacific Coast Company at top left, ink stamp at top right, and clear film window at bottom left. — Envelope with notes written by Morton Feldman (1953)