John Cage papers

The first series, Manuscripts, contains manuscripts and corrected typescripts created by John Cage and used in speeches, performances, and published articles. Most were later collected by Cage for publication in his books. In many instances, both the original text and a later version corrected for publication exist and are housed together. This series is arranged alphabetically by title. In some instances, short pieces as well as individual book titles appear within the arrangement. Therefore, when searching for a particular piece, one should look for it under both its title and the title of the book in which it may have appeared.

The collection was arranged by Cage himself before transfer to Wesleyan, and this arrangement has been retained in nearly every instance. Folder titles that appear in quotation marks are Cage’s original folder titles for each piece, in which he also included the title of the book in which it was later published, i.e. "Composition (Silence)." Cage also noted unpublished pieces, i.e. "Listening to Music (unpublished)" and this convention has been retained in the finding aid. Many pieces noted as unpublished by Cage have subsequently appeared in print, notably in "John Cage, Writer: Previously Uncollected Pieces, Selected and Edited" by Richard Kostelanetz. New York: Limelight Editions, 1993. Folder titles not appearing in quotation marks were either not labelled by Cage or are later additions to the manuscripts series and have been added by the archivists.

Cage often typed a short note of explanation to accompany each piece that would supply background information, such as original titles or the context of its first appearance in print or when/where it was delivered. He called these notes "headnotes" and they have been noted or transcribed in the finding aid, within quotation marks, where they occur. Some folder titles had been changed by Cage or crossed out; these are also noted in the finding aid.

Other items described here are Series 2, Interviews with Cage; Series 3, Fan Mail and Mail Art; and Series 4, Cage Ephemera.

This finding aid does not presently include clippings, gallery and exhibition catalogs, a collection of Cage's books and serials, posters, objects, exhibition and literary announcement postcards, and brochures from conferences and other organizations. These are also part of the Wesleyan Cage collection and will be described in additional series.