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

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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.

[@Pianomantodd1]

I just learned that my grandfather is actually Karl Schenzer. Crazy stuff.

[@thediamonddog95]

I would love if, at time when Cale told host his secret, he'd start to whisper to him : Waldo Jeffers had reached his limits...

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

It was more than the human mind could bear!

[@thediamonddog95]

@@MrMusicbyMartin Vissions of Martha's faithlessness haunted him.

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

@@thediamonddog95 haha!!

[@krisscanlon4051]

He was like an 🐙!

[@serjtankian5474]

“What a shmuck” said Martha

[@reflecteddetcelfer]

It is John Cale, It is John Cale, It is John Cale, It is John Cale, It is John Cale, it is indeed John Cale.

[@LazyIRanch]

Not to be confused with J.J. Cale! This is John Cale, who later teamed up with the great Lou Reed and formed The Velvet Underground.

[@dwightv9468]

The piece is Satie's 'Vexations' (1893), a short number to be repeated 840 times. I performed it as a music student in the mid-70s. Smartly, I recorded it as a tape loop and played that.

[@jocksilver7]

Ah those overtly liberal music teachers of the 70s....

[@caryheuchert]

John Cale, a true artist.

[@phil040951]

1963. Always ahead of his time. Wonderful!

[@Rayquesto]

Only 21 years old. By today’s standard, he looks 35.

[@Argonaut121]

I remember the one and only time I saw the Velvet Underground. I also remember I've Got a Secret. This makes me feel very old.

[@simonegad]

i loved i've got a secret-watched it all the time-found it very enlightening as a child-so hey i'm old too!

[@abanana2561]

Tell us about it please

[@7karlheinz]

Very astute observation (by Garry Moore) about the piece not resolving at the end.

[@zebbart]

I'm waiting for the man, to finish this damn concert!

[@alexcampbell3032]

He's never early.

[@alicehom7338]

Can you imagine ANY TV show today that would have a spot about a classical music piece like this? Can you imagine panelists who actually might have HEARD OF such a concert? And even had some educated knowledge about it?? And, perhaps lastly, can you imagine that said TV show would actually allow someone to PLAY the classical music piece on the air??? The times, they have a change-ed.

[@daverice2426]

Ha! Almost exactly what I came here to say! How about a game show host with the musical literacy to remark about the piece not resolving?

[@abdul-lateefismail3978]

Have you heard of a show called QI?

[@daverice2426]

@@abdul-lateefismail3978 Looking it up now...

[@johnnydeutschemark3620]

I would watch tv still if it was this good.

[@jocksilver7]

I was 2 months old and not in the audience of Vexations or of this Tv show. I must have heard Cale solo on National Fm (Portugal) for the first time, sometime around late 75, early 76, at 12 yrs old (but the album in question was still Fear - national FM was eclectic but not always up to date). Cale was/is highly admired and considered here. And my secret is - I have shared a stage with Cale, my local Aveirense Theatre, renewed and remodeled, but not on the same day. I like Lou's solo work, but Cale's is something else.

[@simonegad]

gorgeous performance-i love john cale. i so love eric satie. sad that the actors were i felt insensitive. i loved this television program hosted by george gobel and watched it all the time when i was a kid however.

[@simonegad]

i meant garry moore-yikes-sorry!

[@cuebj]

September 1963. Just over a year later, towards end of 1964, founded the group that eventually they called Velvet Underground in 1965. Managed by Andy Warhol from 1966. Release the first LP in 1967 to almost complete indifference... I first saw Cale at Nottingham University in mid 1970s after release of Fear, which bought immediately came out. I still have it and know it by heart. Reed played at Charlton Athletic Football Club ground in support of The Who, not a great performance, he probably wasn't suited to an all-day very large stadium gig where there was a pretty nasty mood due to heat, alcohol, and whatever else some of the crowd might have been taking.

[@rosemarymills1671]

how fun to go back like this!!

[@sarahw641]

John Cale was very good looking when he was young.

[@hobojoe1482]

Then he got cocaine face

[@LazyIRanch]

@@hobojoe1482 Wrong John Cale. You are thinking of JJ Cale, an American who wrote "Cocaine". John Cale later teamed up with Lou Reed and formed the band "The Velvet Underground".

[@hobojoe1482]

@@LazyIRanch The velvet underground John Cale did a ton of cocaine

[@cactaceous]

Hobo Joe A ton. A lot of heroin too. The entirety of the recording of Nico's album Marble Index for example was spent between the two in a two week full on binge in the studio shooting up heroin and snorting cocaine. Then he really went head first into cocaine during the mid 70's. He really went crazy on it. Glad he got out and is still playing and recording to the day.

[@nancyfoster4599]

He is still a handsome man.

[@RobinParmar]

This is amazing on every level.

[@alexapenn6399]

wow ~ ~ ~ what an incredible piece of music. it just goes right into you and stays there - i feel so calm and secretive - so meditative. . .

[@robertmurray4490]

On a par with the young Frank Zappa's appearance on the Steve Allen Show playing a bicycle.

[@yyy333]

haaa cale looks like such a nice young man

[@pablozewoppa]

You Tube has only just sent this to me, after 11 years. Thanks for posting!

[@alexapenn6399]

That was a beautiful and haunting composition - i can still hear it in my head (and a perfectly tuned piano with a beautiful sound). Mr. Cale playing was extremely impressive. One could see that Mr. Chezner really got this music - he was just lost in it - a very intelligent young man (i'm in love -lol) . . Who was the composer for heaven's sake?? i'm going to listen again (maybe not 840 times though :).

[@SpanglerConrad]

It's Schenzer, not Chezner, and yes he's very handsome.

[@caspianallen4522]

Instablaster.

[@nancyfoster4599]

The composer is Erik Satie. You should hear more of his work.

[@sandyatkins6978]

Cale is the most talented VU alum and one of the most interesting composers/performers of the latter 20th century. And Satie was a sly mischievous composer who had more fun with music than perhaps anyone ever.

[@marks.3303]

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, 'Venus in Furs'..."

[@markandresen1]

The first and only time Cale had a sensible haircut.

[@headfullofideas]

His first appearance on tv!

[@tryharder75]

Beautiful!

[@tryharder75]

Thank you Mr Cale. You have a whim of iron.

[@APlaceForUtubes]

[Welsh Accent]: Glourious

[@gilwood7530]

I never knew this existed ...WOW ! I loved the Velvets But He was so much more !

[@alexapenn6399]

i've been listening to other pianists and i think Mr. Cale is the best as was the piano. . .

[@robleeatheart]

As much as I admire JC (lol), there are a number of pianists that are at least his equal …

[@alexapenn6399]

Holy s--- ~ it's Erik Satie!!!!

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

I love how this intelligent, conservatory-educated pianist ended up playing the untutored drones and dissonance of the drug-addled Velvet Underground.

[@robleeatheart]

Ummm … drones, yes … dissonant music, yes ( So was Satie’s at the time), some drug use, yes .. addled, I respectfully disagree …

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

@@robleeatheart Listen again to Sister Ray and tell me that they weren’t just a little bit addled.

[@jackhillty]

I'll be your mirror reflect what you are

[@harpmanb]

I wonder if Cale still owns the sheet music he used or if he auctioned it off. I'll buy it, John!

[@liamjay6844]

Really interesting hearing his Welsh accent before he started to have a slight New York twang to it.

[@reflecteddetcelfer]

That is indeed very interesting.

[@gotham61]

Thanks for posting. Vexations has been performed many times since 1963, and there is even a French pianist who has played it solo non-stop several times. watch?v=gImDzmNuEDA

[@bluealnico]

Come on John,cheer up-you got out of Wales didn’t you!

[@dafyddil]

Wales is a pretty nice place actually

[@osbournerudock8587]

Holy fuck! Bizzare. He's older than I thought.

[@bent2]

Born in 1942.

[@morganfisherart]

Come on Cale - why so po-faced? Satie was a fun-loving guy. And what to say about your fellow-pianist John Cage - he laughed more than anyone I have ever met. Oh well...

[@dafyddil]

The host struck me as a kind of buffoon... I wonder if he felt the same.

[@wineinmyfeet3741]

It was nerves, he was nervous about show appearances or concerts until around 1976-ish because he was too busy doing drugs which built up his confidence, although he did start taking drugs around this time.

[@JSTNtheWZRD]

Cale just might have used a bit of his relaxing aid that his music is known for reflecting before this, or rather reflects the relaxing aid perfectly in his person, as his countenance. Like bread and butter. Maybe not. But it is not a hated thing in some circles. Like Poe was said to have such an air about him. In a few years he was the biggest rock star in New York, then a couple years later biggest in all of England.

[@odedfried-gaon2880]

That was an awesome interview. Great little tidbit into history! #OdedFriedGaon #OdedMusic #OdedInformation

[@biegebythesea6775]

his hair must have been considered long for 1963. i mean it's longer than The Beatles' hair.

[@jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj178]

Actually, before the sixties, classical music was often disparaged by non-fans as “long hair music.”

[@x.c.1706]

Satie was a dadaist before Dada!

[@TomVfan]

I wish I had a voice like a 60 American TV show guy. Actually on 2nd thoughts the novelty would probably soon wear off...

[@JSTNtheWZRD]

It is quite a good piece

[@wraithby]

John Cale didn't cut the head off a chicken, and toss it in the audience, during this or the 18+ hour performance.

[@robleeatheart]

No

[@magicalharp]

I thought that name sounded familiar. This was 1963, in 1964 he was a founding member of The Velvet Underground (with Lou Reed and two others).

[@EliZevin]

What a savage! Haha love it

[@Argonaut121]

As a 12 year old i had fantasies about Betsy Palmer.

[@edrepard]

Mr. X

[@sarahw641]

They're all sat twiddling their thumbs!

[@brucermorgan]

WHO ON EARTH WOULD KNOW ANOUT THE NOTATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR SATIES PIANO SOLO PIECE "VEXATIONS" ?

[@bme7491]

After hearing the "composition", does anybody wonder why the "artists and musicians" felt their work wasn't being appreciated??

[@robleeatheart]

I imagine that you don’t like Satie’s work? … A pity …

[@bme7491]

@@robleeatheart It's like negative reinforcement.

[@biegebythesea6775]

glasses as well!

[@alexapenn6399]

i love Garry Moore, but he just doesn't get it. . .

[@andersbreispast1398]

MarcMarc: the stinker harassing you and Bruno apparently is in the Mental Hospital now. Bye now, MarcMarc.

[@condocord7544]

stank

[@WilliamTamblyn-eg6be]

Black Communist Surgeons in case you need them

[@dmacmillion]

Way back in the day when gay was not allowed, and adults knew what it was, but they all pretended that they didn't, which allowed for a lot of knowing chuckles, which made you seem hip to your small town girl.

[@eddiewillers1442]

That was awful music.

[@robleeatheart]

??? … ok ….

[@azarmuta]

Error. He is John Cage.

[@reflecteddetcelfer]

Explain please.

[@azarmuta]

I think that this person is John Cage, no John Cale.

[@andreaaluminum]

saturnales It's John Cale. Definitely looks like him, they clearly say "Cale", and he is Welsh while Cage is American.

[@azarmuta]

Sorry. I was worng: www.warholstars.org/andy_warhol_sleep_vexations.html the two men had played this Satie´s composition. Sorry

[@user-rh2csk]

Cale looks exactly like in early 90s when he got sober and clean