Description
This collection includes books,
correspondence, journals, newsletters, pamphlets, ephemera and realia related to Cage's
interest in the study of mushrooms.
Background
John Cage was an American composer and music theorist, as well as an amateur mycologist. He
was born in Los Angeles on the 5th of September, 1912. He attended Pomona College, but
dropped out after two years and headed to Europe. In 1930, while still in Paris, Cage became
interested in both modern music and modern painting. Soon he left and went to Mallorca,
where he began painting and writing music himself. The following year he returned to
California, settling in at Pacific Palisades. While writing music for the piano, he met
Richard Buhlig, who was the first pianist to play the Opus II of Schoenberg. Though Buhlig
was not a teacher of composition, he agreed to help Cage with writing music. From Buhlig he
went to Henry Cowell [1933-34] and, at Cowell's suggestion, to Adolph Weiss in preparation
for studies with Arnold Schoenberg. In order to work with Schoenberg, he gave up painting
and concentrated on music.
Extent
15.5 Linear Feet
15 boxes, 1 painting
Restrictions
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs.
Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair
use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to
determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more
information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
Availability
Collection is open for research.