1960
https://archive.org/details/C_1960_XX_XX
In 1960, John Corigliano interviewed Max Neuhaus on WBAI-FM radio in New York City. At the time, Corigliano was the music director for the station and Neuhaus was a percussionist still focused on musical performance rather than sound installation.
Key topics of the interview
- Performance of Zyklus: The interview primarily centered on Neuhaus's interpretation of Karlheinz Stockhausen's avant-garde piece Zyklus for one percussionist.
- Challenges of the work: Neuhaus discussed the unique challenges of performing Zyklus, as it called for a large number of instruments that made spontaneous performance difficult.
- Collaboration with Stockhausen: He also explained how, after consulting with Stockhausen and months of practice, he developed a satisfactory method for performing the piece.
Context of Neuhaus's career
This interview captures Neuhaus at an early stage of his career, when he was known for his percussion work in contemporary classical music. The discussion of his experimental performance methods for Zyklus foreshadows his later, more radical, sound works, such as Public Supply, created for WBAI in 1966, and his sound installations.