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126.
Works of Yoko Ono.
Original flyer and programme for a presentation by Norman Seaman of three works by Yoko Ono at the Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City, November 24, 1961. Single sheet, printed offset recto and verso. 14x21.5cm. Illustrated with a b/w photograph of Yoko Ono.
The evening’s programme, detailed on the verso, consisted of three works: “A Grapefruit in the world of Park” (Yoko’s first musical piece); “A Piece for Strawberries and Violin”; and “AOS - to David Tudor”, with voice and instruments provided by the composer together with Ay-O, George Brecht, Joseph Byrd, Philip Corner, Terry Jennings, Jackson Mac Low, Jonas Mekas, Yvonne Rainer, La Monte Young, and others, with movements by Rainer, Trisha Brown, and others. Richard Maxfield is credited as “Electronic Technical Assistant”. A fourth work, “Hide Piece”, was also performed outside of the programme.
In her review of the concert, published in The Village Voice (December 7), Jill Johnston describes being “alternately stupefied and aroused, with longer stretches of stupor, as one might feel when relaxing into a doze induced by a persistent mumble of low-toned voices. A huddle of men in ‘A Place [sic] for Strawberries and Violin’ went on like that for quite a while. Not much happened. Yvonne Rainer the dancer was nice to look at as she sat still on a chair, also as she did an ‘exercise’ in excruciating slow motion of bending the knees, contracting the abdomen, and grimacing the facial muscles.”
Charlotte Moorman, recently employed by Yoko on a salary of $25 a week “and a bottle of Scotch”, assisted in the production of the event, mailing out invitations and running rehearsals. Yoko also created a cello part for her in “A Grapefruit in the world of Park”, inspiring her to become an avant-garde performer herself.
Aside from a small note printing “Addition to names on program”, the flyer is the only printed documentation of this now-historic event, Yoko’s first major public performance in a concert.
Fine.
