John Cale - I've Got a Secret - normal resolution

I have since posted a higher resolution version of this video. John Cale was the guest on this September 16, 1963 episode of I've Got a Secret. His secret centered around his participation in an 18 hour 40 minute piano performance, the first full length presentation of Erik Satie's "Vexations" held at the Pocket Theater. (Not mentioned, pianists John Cage, David Tudor, Christian Wolff, Philip Corner, Viola Farber, Robert Wood, MacRae Cook, David Del Tredici, James Tenney, Howard Klein (the New York Times reviewer), Joshua Rifkin, with two reserves, and with Cale all took turns playing the piece that is three lines long, the required 840 times on September 9, 1963, from 6 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. the following day. John Cage was the fifth of the many pianists who followed after John Cale who was, of course, the fourth. More importantly, Cage arranged for the entire performance having been introduced to this music while in Paris in 1949. A page of sheet music of the piece was lent to him by Henri Sauguet, and Cage kept a photostat of it with him then, finally performing it 14 years later. I read of this in David Revill's book "The Roaring Silence.") Seated also on the I've Got a Secret stage was Off Broadway actor, Karl Schenzer, who's secret was that he was the only person to stay for the entire piano concert.

In early 1965, John Cale co-founded The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• John
• Cale
• I've
• Got
• Secret
• Erik
• Satie
• Vexations
• Karl
• Schenzer

[789trebor]

This is a good companion piece to Frank Zappa's pre-Mothers appearance on The Steve Allen Show! Thanks for posting it!

[reflecteddetcelfer]

It's been a true pleasure to share this - and yes, I think you are right, Frank Zappa on The Steve Allen Show does have much in common with this piece.

[brilleaben]

People were so classy back then!

[DaRandom90]

john cale is a beast

[swampzoid]

that music was quite haunting and beautiful. i enjoyed it but i couldn't sit thru 18 hours of it.  but i could sit thru 18 hours of I've Got A Secret.

[iboatswebsite]

I hate to date myself but I remember watching this show.

It was a great idea.. the format was wonderful.

I think they could actually do this same type of show successfully in this generation.

[barakobama]

Respond to this video...  hear...

[barakobama]

@789trebor  Believe it or not, I wanted to here some Cale stuff after jamming on some Frank stuff. Great call amigo! Cheers!

[greenpete58]

As a huge Velvet Underground fan, this is fascinating. To think only a short time later Cale would meet Lou Reed at Pickwick Records, and two totally distinct musical worlds would collide! Thanks much for this musical curio!

[Dejay4]

Does anyone have the episode with Donald O'Connor? 

[jocksilver7]

@toiseywoisey ... you s*****d rep****can t**t

[jocksilver7]

ahahah Cale is not giving a f*** about what going on - though it's an interesting quiz - sometimes he even dares his famous extralucid hard stare! ahahaha! echoes of the famous all nighter Vexations.

[ipmoic]

As a kid, I had a crush on Betsy Palmer. As an adult now, I can see why !

[Bnjolly]

I love the "whim of iron" comment by Garry Moore!

Does anyone have any more info on Karl Schenzer? I find him a rather handsome and intriguing fellow.

Also, did anyone else think that the melody the house band plays as Cale and Schenzer exit the stage sounds uncannily similar to Satie's theme?