[Cage, John. (1912–1992)] Zukofsky, Paul. (1943–2017)
Collection of Recipes from John Cage, collected by Paul Zukofsky
Collection of recipes from the important composer, collected by violinist Paul Zukofsky. Included are: a 7-page typed document on "Marcobiotic [sic] Cooking," with recipes for tabouli, brown rice, granola, mushroom paté and other dishes; a recipe for cookies written in Zukofsky's hand with notes for a zucchini recipe at the foot; and a recipe for "Cage's Pesto" in Zukofsky's hand on a fragment of toned paper. With an envelope addressed to Zukofsky from Cage and postmarked October 13, 1989. Typed document in fine condition, 8.5 x 11 inches; handwritten recipes 8.5 x 11 inches and 3 x 8.5 inches, one with heavy toning, but overall very good.Cage, long an avid mycologist, mushroom forager and expert on cooking with mushrooms, adapted later in life a macrobiotic diet. The New York Times reported on a gourmet macrobiotic dinner party hosted by Cage and his partner Merce Cunningham in March 1981: "Guests were offered Greek olives, crunchy string beans with soy and wasabi paste dip and thin slices of Scotch salmon with Mr. Cage's homemade bread. The bread had the texture of the best Dutch pumpernickel and was flavored with fresh dill. When a guest asked for the recipe, Mr. Cage smiled wickedly. 'When I'm about to make bread I look in the icebox and choose those things I don't want to use anymore.' he said, 'Old broccoli, carrots, and so on. I puree them and make a sort of gruel which I mix with stone-ground whole-wheat flour. Then I bake it. That's all.' "
American violinist and conductor Paul Zukofsky was known for his work in the field of contemporary music. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Zukofsky was the only child of the American Objectivist poet Louis Zukofsky and Celia Thaew Zukofsky, a musician and composer. He began performing at an early age and was soon drawn to modern music, especially to the possibilities of extended techniques on the violin. Over the course of his career, he collaborated with composers including Milton Babbitt, John Cage, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, Morton Feldman, Philip Glass, Peter Mennin, Krzysztof Penderecki, Roger Sessions, Charles Wuorinen, and Iannis Xenakis. He gave world premieres of concertos by Robert Sessions (for violin, cello and orchestra), Charles Wuorinen (for amplified violin and orchestra), Morton Feldman (for violin and orchestra), Phillip Glass, and the Scottish composer Iain Hamilton, among others. (17507)
Classical Music Autograph Letter