CHAPTER ÄMM—THEME 1
“In recent years, both Eberhard Blum, a German flutist connected with SUNY-Buffalo, and Peter Froehlich of the English Theatre at the University of Ottawa, have performed this poem brilliantly, each of them surpassing Schwitters’ own partial recording.”—Richard Kostelanetz, Text-Sound Texts, 1980
March 8th, 1979, Yale University
“Tesch, Haisch, Tschiiaa; Haisch, Tschiiaa.” I’m in the last pew. Passing Dwight Chapel after class, I’d noticed the sign. Schwitters—from dad’s Priimiittitti—free, now?!
“Haisch, Happaisch; Happapeppaisch.” The dark-suited actor radiates energy as he recites a piece he’d called “Fury of Sneezing.” Forty people are up close, I’m alone back here. “Happapeppaisch; Happapeppaisch; Happapeppaisch; Happa peppe; TSCHAA!” These abstract sound-poems—absurd dialogues—non-sequitur vignettes: seriously funny.
Ten-minute break. He’s back, announcing, dramatically, Die Sonate in Urlauten. Takes his time. Deep breath. And…. “Fümms bö wö tää zää Uu, pögiff, kwii Ee, Ooooooooooooooooooo.” His command, possession, force of will! And there’s so much! Beautiful in a way I’ve never experienced. Unpredictable, yet familiar and—romantic. Backwards alphabets? So moving.
I’m producer for Yale Dramat Children’s Theater Company—we’ve got Lewis Carroll’s nonsense poem The Hunting of the Snark touring schools now. I’m always looking for pieces to adapt. This Schwitters poem? Half hour: the right length.
Too weird for schools. Leaving church, I read on the sign: Peter Froehlich.
***
Midnight, May 5th, 1979, Yale University
“Bö, bö, bö, bö, bö, böwö, böwö, böwö, böwö, böwö, böwö, böwörö, böwörö, böwörö, böwörö, böwörö, böwörö, böwöböpö, böwöböpö, böwöböpö, böwöböpö, böwöböpö, böwöböpö, böwöröböpö, böwöröböpö, böwöröböpö, böwöröböpö, böwöröböpö, böwöröböpö….”
After four hours of thirty sound-poems recited by shifting clusters of Sheep’s Clothing’s fifteen members, Scott M. is reading Ur Sonata.
If I hadn’t seen Peter Froehlich’s one-man show eight weeks ago, I’d be thinking Scott was doing great just to pronounce the syllables. But I know how wonderful this piece can be. Scott’s version is monotonous, relentless, unending. I want to leave.
How would I stage Ur Sonata?
Peter Froehlich performs his Kurt Schwitters one-man show, “MERZ”
