are my conditions. I would also like a contract to include the fact that the music may not be altered or changed in any way except by me.
If these conditions are acceptable to you, I shall be glad to receive a contract which expresses them, and a letter which presents your thoughts with regard to the work.
To Thomas Hart Fisher127
June 24, 1945 | 12 East 17th St., New York
Dear Mr. Fisher:
Thank you for your letter, and Miss Page for hers; this in reply to both.
I do not receive the freedom you offer me to experiment with much enthusiasm. The use of electrical keyboard instruments, either those which might be found or some which might be invented and constructed, seems to me impractical: impractical both from your point of view and from my own. You would be faced with transportation and pit problems which would be nearly insurmountable: I would be faced with new instrumental problems which would not allow me the benefit of the technique I have developed with those instruments with which I am familiar. This same problem faces me in composition for a regular symphony orchestra; and, although I wrote in the letter before this that I would be willing to write for orchestra, I am by no means enthusiastic about doing it. It is impossible to experiment with an orchestra since one generally hears his work for the first time at a nearly final rehearsal. The addition of many percussion or other novel instruments to a symphony orchestra will merely make it impractical for you. I have a further objection: serious and aesthetically basic. I do not like the idea of writing “percussion” music for a ballet based on a subject related to percussion per se. The music then becomes literally percussion music, and is empty of what suggestiveness or expressiveness it might otherwise have. Here, of course, we could come to agreement through following the moods of the poem, but not publicizing the derivation of the ballet and music from Poe or from bells.
It seems to me that there are two ways of working: one which is intellectual and, in America, necessarily seemingly amateurish and only semi-professional (in this way one does one’s best work regardless of money, practicality or popularity); the other way of working which is geared to meet the demands of mass-American-distribution systems (in this way of working one meets with a multiplicity of obstacles to the free imagination which can only be solved through a multiplicity of compromises).
I am in a curious position. I realize that your offer to give me this commission is an honor and an opportunity, but I doubt whether it will be to our mutual advantage. Your offer is based on your liking of my prepared piano music, and yet my writing such music for you will merely create problems for you. And unless I so write, I will have to make compromises which I am not willing to make. (If I wrote for symphony orchestra, it would not be for the purpose of imitating my compositions for percussion or prepared piano.)
If this letter has not discouraged you, I suggest that conversations will help us far more than further letters. I am very busy with several other commissions, and I would therefor appreciate it if Miss Page can arrange to again come to New York. It is possible that we might come to some agreement and produce something interesting and worth the trouble.
To Merce Cunningham
[Undated, postmarked March 19, 1946] | 326 Monroe St., New York128
Dearest
I am at a peculiar kind of stand-still. Inspiration ceased. I have discarded one of the Sonatas129 and thrown away many sketches. I have three good ones finished. Of these Maro has chosen two to play and I will write, God willing, two more that please. Laussat130 and I are at odds but still comforts to one another. She does nature things in the house which doesn’t help matters between us. I think she does it because I do it and it’s the first time that she’s been privy to the little room. I think my standstill is due to having been impressed pretty deeply by Alan’s concert,131 Lou’s new book on Ruggles132 and dissonant polyphony, and a long conversation I had with Virgil re expressivity. I do not know exactly where I stand. So I am still and waiting. I will copy the sonatas I have and wait a while. I love you forever. I hope my telegram kept bad previous letter from having bad effect. Your suit is not being sent till tomorrow because the weather was bad and they could not let me have it safely until tomorrow (Monday). I will send key ring and chain then too. When they get around to making the shoes, should they be in colors or simply plain to be dyed? They may not have the colors in suede they said, and you might have trouble matching what colors they do have. What do you advise? I didn’t see Genevieve Jones; she was never in when I called; you should perhaps write to her: 5851 Forbes St. Pittsburgh 17 Pennsylvania. I love you.
My class went beautifully and they want it to go on forever they said; I had about eight in it. And they are composing two-minute dances. They gasped at end of class and said nothing like it had ever happened to them before.
It is very hard for me, not being with you. I miss you deeply.
[handwritten on left bottom] Love I love you.
Mailing suit now.
Books arrived.
To Charles Ives
May 13, 1947 | Location not indicated
Dear Mr. Ives:
Lou Harrison, our mutual friend, has been very ill lately, and at the advice of his doctor and analyst, Richard M. Brickner, 1000 Park Avenue, New York City, is at present receiving custodial care at Stony Lodge, Ossining-on-the-Hudson, New York. His illness is diagnosed as a curable case of schizophrenia. He must remain at Stony Lodge until he is granted admittance to the Psychoanalytic Clinic at 722 W. 168, N.Y.C. When he is in the latter hospital, there will be no charge for his treatment, which, I understand, will be excellent. While he is at Stony Lodge, however, the charges amount to about ten dollars a day.
Being one of his closest friends, I have taken the responsibility of arranging for the payment of bills connected with this illness; I, myself, am not able to help, since I just manage to pay my own bills. I am, therefor, approaching his friends whom I have reason to believe might be both willing and able to be of assistance in this matter.
The first bill from Stony Lodge covers a period of nine days ending May 15 and amounts to $96.42. Lou may need to stay there two or three weeks, dependent as I mentioned on his gaining admittance to the other hospital.
Would you be willing to assume all or any part of this expense? I am certain that Lou will want to repay as soon as he is well and working those who help him at this time. He does not know that I am asking for this assistance. Any details which you want to know can be given by me, or by Dr. Brickner, whose address I have given, or by Dr. Berger at Stony Lodge.
The day I took Lou to Stony Lodge, he asked me to write to you concerning the work which you had given him to do in connection with your compositions. Naturally, he is unable to do it at present. If there is urgency about this, I will be glad to take care of either the return of mss. to you or their transmission to someone else. Otherwise, he might continue that work when he is well.
I look forward to a reply at your convenience.133
To Mrs. Charles Ives134
[ca. late 1947] | Location not indicated
Dear Mrs. Ives:
Through Mrs. Cowell, I hear that extended work on Mr. Ives’ compositions is to be done. It is my feeling that Lou will be able to do this and that he might even
