SPECTACLES

COMBAT

AU THEATRE
DES NATIONS

ERICK HAWKINS, CHORÉGRAPHE DE L'INSTANT.

N a eu tort de présenter le groupe d'Erick Hawkins sous le titre de « compagnie de danse », car le public passe sa soi-rée à chercher, dans ce qui lui est montré, où peut bien être la danse.

Comme il arrive souvent, c'est en ne se posant pas de questions l'on fait des découvertes. Au spectateur à l'état d'innocence, ou-jeux de ce qu'il a jamais vu ou senti, totalement disponible, Haw-ns ouvre le monde intérieur du mouvement du corps humain. C'est comme si, à l'instar d'un radio-élément, charge de visualiser un processus organique, il nous permettait d'explorer l'intimité du geste de la main et d'en ressentir en nous-mêmes le déroulement.

Hawkins, longtemps soliste chez George Balanchine avant de avoir été chez Martha Graham, est orfèvre en la matière, et joie de la demande s'il existe beaucoup de danseurs capables d'une ana-se infinitésimale aussi poussee du mouvement humain, et aptes à transcender la beauté intrinsèque.

AUCUN ECHANGE SPIRITUEL

Pour vous, pour moi, par son architecture et son expression, la danse, comme tout art, crée entre l'artiste et le public une communication, 'une télépathie, voire un échange spirituel ou émotionnel, qui justifie l'exposition de l'œuvre. Je n'ai rien senti de cela dans lequel nous ont montré au Théâtre Récamier Erick Hawkins, Nancy Beehan et Kelly Holt. Mais j'ai admiré comment ces corps magni-

fiques — vêtus de maillots de bain aux tatouages inutiles à montrer — dont les mouvements et les arrêts constituent souvent d'ingrédients prouesses, parviennent à sublimer n'importe quel geste, du plus commun au plus rare, du quotidien au sportif, du badin au rituel de la danse sacrée de l'Inde. J'ai goûté la perfection de chaque instant gestuel dans son existence formelle, dynamique et rythmique ; j'ai apprécié les répliques fuguées que se donnaient l'homme et la femme au masculin et au féminin.

UN AGREABLE DERIVATIF

Cette suite d'instantanés mouvants, cette chorégraphie analytique de l'instant, était exécutée avec tant de conviction intérieure que de tranquille aisance mêlée d'amour — de volupté presque — du mouvement pour le mouvement, qu'on pouvait se demander si le mot « danse » n'était pas, en fin de compte, le plus approprié de notre vocabulaire pour exprimer ce qu'on voyait.

Ceux pour qui ce qui se passait sur scène exigeait trop de ten-son et d'attention, trouvaient un agréable dérivatif à regarder l'in-strumentiste compositeur, Lucie Dlugoszewski, manipuler avec grâce et une étonnante dexterité les objets à l'aide desquels cette descente d'une part et l'autre de l'autre, d'une part d'ici là beaucoup d'autres) donnait à son piano les timbres inusités exigés par les savantes partitions dues à son réel talent.

Dinah MAGGIE.

ERICK HAWKINS DANCE COMPANY

78
60 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK, N. Y. 10011

MURRAY FARR
MANAGER

212.255.6698

January 16 [1969]

Dear Virgil,

I have one million things to do this moment, but
my feeling won't let me not stop to write you to
tell you how my soul was refreshed to hear the Blake
Songs. I had loved them when I heard them on records-
I don't own a record player, having made up my mind
years ago I would pay and go to a live concert and
be inwardly ready to listen - but Tuesday was amoving
aesthetic experience for me. I so badly needed one
just that moment.

You know I loved Four Saints for the first time in
Hartford, one of the great artistic experiences of my
life. Now again but in a different way of course I
felt you had collaborated with the poems to make a
perfect work of art.

When they were over, I wanted to hear the whole thing
right away again.

What amazed me is that having heard them just once on
records, as each new phrase came forth, I remembered
it as it came and felt I knew it. No mush. Everything
was so vivid from the one hearing, it was tangible as
I heard it again. When in remembering music or dance,
one feels one is reliving the moment by moment experience
as in the theatre in its immediacy, then I know it is
powerful. Oh, such beautiful phrases, pity mercy love.
Such surprises, and such clarity.

I have long suspected that not every gushing forth of
the artist is valid, I have long suspected that when the
art is right, it healing. Your songs healed me that night
with delight. So I just wanted to say so to you.

78 Fifth Avenue New York 10011 Erick Hawkins

August 24, 1971

Dear Virgil:

Ever since I saw your new book, I have hoped to write to
thank you for your lovely writing about Lucie. You have
no idea how your backing her up has BACKED HER UP.

Naturally she has taken such a beating for working with me
so extensively, instead of having her music taken with the
deep seriousness she has put into it, not just as an adjunct
to the dance. How are we going to get people to see that
the music written in collaboration with dance can be just
as fine as any music, and MUST BE. So I myself am very
grateful to you.

When Francis Thorne phoned her one day and said she was in
line for a grant, I at once smelled your fine hand. (Do you
mind the mixing of metaphor?) Anyway, it was wonderful of
you to go to bat for her.

We were quite pleased too lately when Leighton Kerner came
out with these two articles in the Voice, and probably you
didn't see them, so I send them on. Did Lucie ever give
you the reprint of Parker's nice article from the Dance Magazine.
The new editor said finally there was a literate article in the
magazine.

I imagine you are away. But I hope you have had a pleasant
and fruitful summer composing. So sorry the conflict of working
kept me from hearing your performance earlier this summer.

78 Fifth Avenue 255-6698 New York 10011 Erick Hawkins

December 8, 1971

Dear Virgil:

Ever since you phoned me that night I have expected to sit
down and write you to thank you for your thinking of asking
me to work with you on Four Saints. I regret very much
that it seemed impossible to try to do it, for I would have
loved it. After all, I think it is the greatest new opera
I ever had the experience of hearing, and I am proud of having
seen the first performance as well as the later ones in New
York. I have some fear that we are at the University of
Minnesota right at the time it is being done in Bridgeport,
but maybe there will be a repeat or such that I can come to.

Lucie was so excited to hear the Mother of Us All. I had heard
the first performance up at Columbia, in fact I think I went both
nights. I was sorry I wasn't able to hear it again.

The next thing I have wanted to write you about makes me very
ashamed. It is something I swore I would never do. Then I
did it, and can't even remember why I didn't reach you at the
time. I have tried for a Guggenheim Fellowship at least
twelve times. I think I have had practically all of the dance
"authorities" who didn't hate my guts write for me in all of those
times. When I first got to know Northrop and finally when it
was time to apply again I asked him if I could use his name,
I told me that he had written quite on his own to Dr. Moe about
both Lucie and me. But that didn't make a dent.

They have bypassed me all these times and really given to some
dancers who had hardly produced a damn thing. But I have seen
this in the music field too as I am sure you have.

So this time, I remembered the last day of the applications,
and instead of giving up in despair, I thot to try once more.
I didn't write a project, just said choreography, and a letter
to Mr. Matthias saying surely every one on the committee would
know what I have done (I didn't add: or shouldn;t be on their
committee). I didn;t do as you suggested and demand to have
them publish the names of the committee on dance.

But since it was the last day, somehow I literally didn't have
time to reach you to ask you whether you would be willing to
write even a short paragraph trying to recommend me to them.
I used Parker Tyler, Judge Isaacs, and Naima Prevots, the
head of dance at American University where with the Wolf Trap
Farm Center of the Performing Arts we were in residence
for four weeks last summer, and are to be again next summer.

ERICK HAWKINS

78 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK 10011

(212) 255-6698

July 14, 1973

Dear Virgil,

Finally the year has subsided. We did our last performances
for a while the Festival at New London - here is the review
in the Times a week ago - and while I am finishing a new piece
for our performances at the Guggenheim in September, finally
I have had a minute to come to really think about the Second
Symphony. We could premiere it with the Buffalo Symphony in
February if I could get it ready, and find the proper artist
to design for it.

I would like to talk with you about it shortly, hopib-g that
you re still in the city, and about something else.

May I phone you in a day or two and then maybe you could
order us a nice dinner downstairs as Lucie told me you did
when she was there and we could dine together in a few days.
(Thursday and Friday aren't good for I have to go to a
performances at NYU that the dancers of the company are
doing). Wednesday or Saturday?

I love every melody and every note of the Symphony! I
think it is just beautiful as I played the tape over after
not hearing it then for several months. I would be proud to
do my part to see that more people hear it every year.
We probably could do it then with the Denver and El Paso
symphony and perhaps if they could do it justice with the
UCLA university orchestra in May.

Best,

Did you ever see this Kennelgoy article?

August 1, 1973

Mr. Erick Hawkins
78 Fifth Avenue
New York 10011

Dear Erick:

I have been in New York since
July 27th and am leaving on August 4th.

My address from that time till
August 24th will be -

c/o REA
Box 1568
Aspen, Colorado 81611
Telephone: 303) 925-3230

Naturally I am over-joyed at the
possibilities of your dancing to my
Second Symphony.

Do please make it all come true.

Thanks for the handsome articles.

Affection ever,

Virgil Thomson

VT:ea

ERICK HAWKINS
TO FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK 10011
255-6698

255-6698
JUNEAU AVENUE AT
MOUNT HARRY ROAD
BUFFALO, NE

Christmas eve

[1973]

Dear Virgil:

It has been a longtime! I heard of course that you
were in Israel - I guess during the troubles,
then knew you were back here.

We are getting ready for performances at the Brooklyn
Academy January 3 4 5 with the American Symphony
strings adn brass, but I was caught up enough that
tonight when I couldn't rehearse with the dancers
I could think more about the symphony which has to
be ready February 8th at Buffalo.

So I just wanted to tell you again how thrilled I
am always to hear it. It moves me dancing joolity and
all, and made me weep tonight remembering my mother and
then- she is buried in Kansas City, and then my
father who died just a year ago.

There is something so poignant in the music, it
touches things way inside me, and I remembere
d the time we lieved for a year in a little town in
Kansas and I when as a child of five to the graveyard
in a surrye with the fringe on the top. M any years
ago I was driving thru on a Sunday night, went off the
highway remembering the streets leading into the town
from that five year old, and found my way to the church
next door to where we lived and we went in for a few minutes
for the sunday night service. Why I haven't thoutght of that
for years, but you see it wells up from some very deep
beautiful thing that hearing the tape of the symphony
tonight brought back. Many the human race doesn't
change, but I see some of my childhood scenes thru
a certain feeling and I think some of it was very innocent
and pure, for all of the trouble. At least I know my
mother and father were very pure hard working people
for all of their ½rovincialness, and so as I thot of what
I shall work on for the music I thot of them.

I just hope I can do a beautiful work to come up to what
you have done. So I have the four weeks after our performances
in Brooklyn, adn I am sure it will be a great joy . I do
hope you will be free to try to come to Buffalo when we
do it. that would be lovely. I treasure you.

10 June 1974

Dear Erick,

The National Symphony management writes that
your world premiere of my Second Symphony is
now firmly set for 19 July, at which time I
shall be staying with Priscilla Rea in Aspen.

My present plan is to join her in Denver on
the 9th.

Will it be possible for me to see a rehearsal
before that time? I have no desire to tamper
with your design, merely a great interest in
seeing your work.

Affection ever,

VC

ERICK HAWKINS
76 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK 10011
265-6698

Monday March 10 (1975)

Dear Virgil,

I am as enchanted as ever with the music of the symphony even though I have played it hundreds of times lately.

I got a lot done yesterday and have only about 8 bars to do on Tuesday, and it is done!

It has been a great luxury, such as I have seldom had, to work without a deadline. I had my troubles this year what with the arm I slipped on west Vriginia University last April, and then getting my noce punched and broken and some resulting dizziness! that has been the main reason for the slowness. I guess I told you that when my shoulder froze I knew I couldn't work on your piece because it required lifting and lots of vigor. So that is why I switched and did the Alan Hovhaness piece: here are reviews of our doing it last July at Kennedy Center with the National Symphony.

I made the dance so that I didn't have to use my right arm! Pretty clever, eh?

Anyway, now I have had the fun of working on your piece with constant pleasure. If anything thing is not good, it is not because I didn't have time. I have tried to FEEL thru everything the best I could. It is absolutely packed with movement, and I think you will like it. I still think my title, JULY 4, 1900, is just about right, and I hope you will like it after seeing the dance.

I have completely done the costumes over from scratch, and now they are wonderful. The set always was lovely.

There is a remotye chance that we can premiere it with the Celveland Symphony on July 3 or 5 this summer since we are at Case Western Reserve. Unless, some date comes thru earlier.

I was in our ewlevator here November 1 chasing a robber with three cops, when it dropped three floors. No one hurt, but I have been waiting day by day now for the final inspection to be made so it will be available. Surely it will be this week.

We have to go over the dance now that I have finished the
movement and be sure we can get thru it to show you. It
goes so fast, one can't hesitate.

But I am expecting that we can clear it up and the elevator
be ready by the end of this week or early next, and then
as soon as I am sure I shall phone you, and hope that
you will be free and can come over to let us show it to
you..

I am really very happy about it. I am impressed by
what an extraordinary evocation of a very exact feeling
in mid western American life you found. Since it is so
exactly my own experience I suspect I am appreciate it
in a especially way. Orchestration-wise of course
I think it is brilliant. I hope we can make a great
success with audiences with this collaboration.

So I hope to see you soon.

Lucie got her piece done for Boulez and then he decided
that he had over committed himself as regards rehearsal
time, and so unfortunately has postponed it until December1.
Lucie nearly killed herslef getting it done, but I am
sure it willbe a fine work. But she keeps crying, I
have to hear it to see if it's any good!

I guess this is as good a time as any to say right now,
that just as an onlooker, I am terribly grateful to YOU
for your niceness to her. You really got her over the
hump - just out of your lovely generosity.

Love,
Emil

Esquire Bond

MADE IN U.S.A.
RAG CONTENT

DANCEMAGAZINE

WASHINGTON,D.C.: "Meditation on Orpheus," Erick Hawkins' third choreographic work for dancers in front of a symphony orchestra (world-premiered by the Erick Hawkins Dance Company and the National Symphony Orchestra in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on July 19) reconfirmed his mastery of this format. The typically lush harmonies, Orientalisms and interesting mix of clear rhythms and overlap effects of Alan Hovhaness' music are faithfully mirrored in the dance, which contrasts the active movement of the five girls (Maenads) to the strong poses of Hawkins (Orpheus) and Kevin Tobiason (his shadow or support) with resulting kinetic tension. Unlike many choreographers who work against the music or even musical choreographers (like Robbins) who work on top of the music, Hawkins (like Balanchine) works from inside the musical composition.

The piece is a fascinating synthesis of many (seemingly disparate) elements—Eastern theater concepts; Japanese brushstroke sketches; sculptural props; stylized gestures; dance vocabulary from Graham, Humphrey, ballet, Spanish, etc.; visual tableaux (reminiscent of Limón)—all adding up to the highly theatrical style that is unique with Hawkins. Contrapuntal aspects loom large while the stage distribution takes advantage of the full width with contrasting lines, especially horizontal. The use of body exposure shows again Hawkins' ability to make it aesthetic, not vulgar. The rich colors and clever manipulability of the girls' costumes (by Raya) add an unusual sculptural effect.

Hawkins' powerful mime and movement carried the work to total resolution whether one thought of it in abstract or specific terms. All five girls (Carol Conway, Nada Reagan, Natalie Richman, Arlene Kennedy and Cathy Ward) performed with fluid grace and rhythmic sensitivity, but Ward and Reagan should be noted for their special response to Hawkins' patterns. Tobiason filled his role admirably and Alan Lynes functioned perfectly as the near-nude scene-setter.

The second work, "Classic Kite Tails" (to David Diamond's "Rounds for String Orchestra," was even more impressive than in its 1972 D.C. premiere. The choreography possesses a strong nationalistic style without the obviousness that sometimes appears in more famous dance-works of the "Americana" genre. It provided a notable vehicle for the feline pyrotechnics of Hawkins, the power and precision of Robert Yohn and the fine dancing of the five girls.

Noel Gillespie

DANCEMAGAZINE September 1974

THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 1976

Dance: Erick Hawkins

By ANNA KISSELGOFF

The label of revolutionary
is pinned rather easily these
days on any fashionable
choreographer. Unfortunate-
ly, there is a basic confusion
between th original contribu-
tion any choreographer
makes to his or her art (espe-
cially in modern dance) and
those few dance figures who
have radically changed the
way we look at dance itself.

The whole point of modern
dance in America has been
its freedom. Freedom for per-
sonal expression (as opposed
to self-expression) by every
dancer and freedom to cre-
ate one's own movement
vocabulary, tied to no codifed
technique of the past. Modern
dance, as its early spokesmen
said, was a set of principles
and not a technique.

There is a big difference,
then, between inventing a
movement idiom that is dis-
tinct from another company's
and actually changing our
idea of what dance is or how
it should be perceived. Most
modern-dance choreograph-
ers are in the first category,
while the second category of
true dance radicals numbers
only a few—George Balan-
chine, Martha Graham and
Merce Cunningham.

To these obvious choices,
one should add the name of
Erick Hawkins. In a sense,
Mr. Hawkins's revolution has
still to be fully understood
and the Whitney Museum's
Composer Showcase series
(Charles Schwartz, director)
is to be congratulated for its
revival of excerpts seminal
Hawkins work.

This is the 1957 "Here and
Now With Watchers," created
with a score by Lucia Dlugos-
zewski, and a piece that has
not been seen here for 12

years. An overflow crowd at
the Whitney testified to the
Hawkins company's ever-
growing popularity, and the
four duets presented from
"Here and Now With Watch-
ers" were a useful crash
course in basic Hawkins prin-
ciples for the predominately
young audience.

The most striking aspect of
these four duets (part of a
75-minute work with eight
alternating solos and duets)
is their refreshingly un-
cluttered look. Rebelling
against the psychology-
through-movement dictum of
modern dance, Mr. Hawkins
has taught us here that we
should not look for what the
movement "means" but for
what it makes us sense and
feel.

These are plotless dances,
but they are not abstract.
Anyone who has experience
with dance forms of Asia will
have no trouble with them.
Typically, there are melting
leaps, incredible gliding steps,
an aura of effortlessness, a
peacefulness and harmony
radiated by the dancers and
an unabashed sensuousness
as in the final dance sub-
titled "Like Darling" (per-
formed beautifully by Mr.
Hawkins and Nada Reagan).
All these look best if we dis-
card preconceptions about
dance-viewing and less-
hurried time that we accept
more readily in Asian
theater.

At the "timbre piano,"
Miss Dlugoszewski's own ex-
citing performance of her
score elicited bravos. The
other fine dancers were
Cathy Ward and Robert
Yohn.

Saturday February 12

[1977]

Dear Virgil:

Not long ago I was by sheer accident able to be near the
American Music Center and went up to browse around.

There I found a tape of the Symphony NO. 2, and I was
absolutely enchanted.

I thot how strange that there is such a beautiful work
like that I w ouldn't have known about.

It is absolutely VIRGIL. Limpid. Sure we are different
people, but we do have this in common I think. We like
clarity and a kind of simplicity that the oi polloi
who want sturm und drang think is the simplemindedness
of nothing happening, instead of the simplicity of real
intensity and stripped downness.

What a beautiful journey of sound the symphony makes.
Your description in the preface to the score is exactly
right.

I hadn't got the score until I have digested my pleasure
after hearing it that first day, and then read the
"dancing and jollity".

It certainly is different from Wheatfields and Seascape
and the Blake Songs but I think is right along with them
in the pleasure it gives me. What a joy it is just to
be infront of a lovely work of art. What a making of
something that exists all by itself like a star'.

Why hearing the piece hit me so hard too is because I have
known for sometime that if I got off my ass and got ready
there would be the chance to perform some dances with
symphony orchestras. I know that is a market ready to- be
tapped.

Well, this summer we are closer on the way. We have two
performances at Meadowbrook Festival where the Detroit
Symphony plays in the summer. We do not have the use of
them direct;ly, since we have the theatre on their off
nights, and so we would do largely Lucie's pieces. It
is definite that we will be there (we have a two week residency
ahead), but the exact amount of money to pay for the instruments
is still in the works. So we couldn't do the symphony literally
on our programs. BUT, if I could say to them right away
that we had a work (or even two) like the symphony which
I would compoase to right away maybe it could be scheduled
on one of their regular symphony nights while we are in
residence.

2

But also, we have a performance, maybe two scheduled at
the Filene Center. We are the only company invited
back for a four week residency at the Wolf Trap Farm
American University Center for the Performing Arts.

Last summer we did out performance in the outdoor theatre
at the base of the Ashington Monument, and we came off
the best in attendance and reviews of the three companies
there. But this year we are to be in the Filene Center
shell which is very handsome.

If I could propose it to them right away, there too there might
be a chance of doing the Symphony not on our regular
program but in addition on a symphony program, say either
the National Symphony, or with the graduate orchestra of
the Wolf Trap Farm Academy. My manager tells me this
orchestra is having Beverly Sills. So if she will work
with them, surely they will be good enough for us to
try it.

But apart from that, if I had assurance that everything
was right, I would try to book say the symphony and one
other dances for Symphony concerts all over the country
for next season. I know it would have to be in the works
very fast to be considered.

So I am asking whether you think it a good idea. Maybe
you would feel that you should not acquiesce to having
the symphony used in relation to the dance. If so, I
can understand. But if I did a good job, and I think I
will lovel it enough to be inspired, and I have time to
work on it now very comfortably, maybe it could make
a lovely theatre result.

I have a very exact idea already about how it would be
staged right with the orchestra in the back of the stage.
I have some ideas already of the set. It would be a
little different I think from what I have seen anyone
do. I have two possible designers who with my own imagination
could come up with something quite unique.

Of course, if you chose not to agree to my collaborating
with the symphony, I wish there were an alternative is
your writing a piece for string orchestra of about 15 minutes
which could be ready in time for me to choreograph to it
with assurance to schedule for the summer. Naturally
that would be fun to do, but I realize it may be out of
the question in terms of your composing schedule, and
hence my jelling the idea of composing to the symphony.

I had thought that when I talked to you last I might broach
all of this, but then Lucie said you were sort of busy
right now, so I thought I should write it out so you could
think about it and perhaps give me an answer pretty fast.

→ ERICK HAWKINS
TO FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK 10011
258-6666

May 18, 1978

Dear Virgil,

Day after day I had hoped to phone you and ask to come
to see you. The cleaning up of the debris from the
performances has been overwhelming; I have done
nothing except sweat blood. About six weeks before the
performances, I had to let go anther foolish manager who
couldn't produce, and then took on a temporary fellow
who at least did the leg work.

But now I have no one, and yet bookings need to be made.

The sad tale is that I had to get the accounting
for the roundabout, and here it is. You will see
how difficult the loss makes things. So life
is a little grim for all of our artistic success.

I wanted to acknowledge you phone call, and send you this,
and then ask if I cal phone you and come up to see you
as soon as I can possibly get away from here. Hopefully
today, if you were free to see me, or else tomorrow
afternoon.

19 May 1978

Dear Erick,

The accounting of your New York ballet season is interesting,
but it has no relation to me unfortunately.

As I told Lucia, I am planning to publish the score of Parson
Weems and shall need the one that I lent you two years ago,
along with the orchestral parts and a piano score for rehearsals.
If sending these things over is inconvenient for you, as it may
well be in your preparations for leaving town, I can send for
the package. But somebody must telephone me or my secretary
on Monday morning saying just when he can come for it.

Good luck in Texas.

Everbest,

Erick Hawkins, Esq.
78 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10011

VC

ERICK HAWKINS DANCE COMPANY • 78 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10011 • (212) 255-6698

Sandra Wagenfeld
Managing Director

November 15, 1982

Dear Virgil,

I have been away from just about the time your letter was dated, and just brought it to the studio today upon returning, so I hadn't opened it when Cindy said you had called to question whether it had been lost.

Thank you very much for the contribution against any claim that Boosey and Hawkes might make against the list of performances I sent you since the last time I had forwarded money to you.

I had hoped that the last $1500 together with the money for the parts would have compensated you in toto for the score, especially since Alan Lichtenstein gave me the inference that he had been insrumental in furthering the NEA grant for that purpose.

KNowing what was the pattern in the past and the relation between inc ome and outgo, I had hoped that the money given you so far would cover the score. That has been the pattern with all of the other composers who have written for this combination just because I knew it was unrealistic to offer royalites after a minimum fee. Those performances on the list I sent you in Italy and England, much less over the country- resulted in having bank loans which we are still car ying, and which are thru interest eating up everything.

Woould it be amiss to ask Boosey and Hawkes to forego further
royalites for my performances, just as a contribution toward
our eneTerprise and as recompoense for my having been instrumental
in your writing the socre, and then hope that thru performances
we do to continue interest ab out the score, it would generate
royalties for them from renting it as a concert piece?

I certainly hope to keep performing the piece, and that would
help.

I wonder if you ever saw th4e article by Anna Kisselgoff that
was in the Harvard Magazine a year or so ago? Presumably you
get the magazine, but maybe you didn't happen to see that issue.
Since it has a nice photo of Parson Weems, I enclose it. Also
a fine review of our performancess at Kennedy Center a year ago.
We didn't do Parson Weems then since we had done it the
previous visit to Washington. I did try thru a secretary of
Mrs. Mondale to get it performed in the East Room of the White
Room but it didn't work out with the Carters. Maybe sometime.