“A”-24

This movement was assembled as L.Z. Masque by CZ between 17 Sept. 1968 – 27 Sept. 1969 as a present for LZ, who quickly decided it would stand as the finale to “A” as a whole, although he had yet to write “A”-22 and -23. As the introductory note states, the text is entirely quoted from LZ’s major works in a polyvocal arrangement. CZ’s brief account of its composition and anointment as “A”-24 is given in “Commemorative Evening” (25).

Originally the music CZ selected included Frederic Chopin’s Prelude no. 4, op. 28, François Couperin’s Huitième Ordre, Girolamo Frescobaldi’s Corrente Prima, Joseph Haydn’s Air and William Byrd’s 22 variations on Walshingham, but at PZ’s suggestion she decided to use Georg Friedrich Händel’s Harpsicord Suites (Henderson 115).

Published by Grossman as a volume in 1972, what is now the tail-piece (806.10-17) appeared there as the preface; Quartermain’s archival research indicates that LZ intended this preface to serve as a “transition from ‘A’ 23” (207, 214).

“A”-24 has been performed a number of times; of particular importance are:

1) On 14-23 June 1973, along with Arise, arise, at the Cubiculo on West 51st Street, NYC was attended by LZ. Staged by Maurice Edwards, with Douglas Coe on the harpsichord and spoken by Keith Aldrich, Bill Maloney, Luane Rohrbacher, Helene Friedman, Cordell Reagon and Gary Smith (Davenport, Geography 105).
2) On November 15, 1978 by Steve Benson, Lyn Hejinian, Carla Harryman, Kit Robinson, and Barrett Watten, with Bob Perelman on piano, at the San Francisco Art Institute. This performance was videotaped, which is available from The Poetry Center & American Poetry Archives, San Francisco State University. A subsequent performance by the same participants took place in 1979 at the University of California at Davis and the sound recording is available on-line at the Factory School Digital Audio Archives <http://www.factoryschool.org/content/sounds/havanaglen.html>