100. Ginsberg, Allen. Lengthy autograph letter signed (“love Allen Ginsberg”), 5 pages (8.5 x 10.75 in.; 216 x 273 mm.), [Cherry Valley, N.Y.], 10 February 1971. With original 9.5 x 4.25 (241 x 108 mm.) envelope imprinted at the left edge: “CIA Conspiracy Trial Office!” and “Free John, Pun & Jack!” along the bottom, addressed by Ginsberg to “Mr. Gary Lorenz, Special Events Secretary, Symphony School of America, P.O. Box 454, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601.” The return address penned by Ginsberg in the upper left: “Allen Ginsberg, c/o City Lights Books” with a San Francisco address. Postmarked “Cherry Valley, NY, 11 February 1971.” The letter itself has a post office box, Stuyvesant Station, New York City address handwritten by Ginsberg in the upper right of the first page. Light toning and occasional slight tears near edges.

Poet Laureate of the Beat Generation, Allen Ginsberg, lists his “favorite musical compositions accumulated in ear/mind” – including specific works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Prajnaparamita Sutra … which will turn everyone on … Hare Krishna Mantra … Fugs record on which I sang, or George Harrison’s recent ‘My Sweet Lord’ … Scott Joplin – Maple Leaf Rag … Bessie Smith … Ray Charles … Opera. Bertol Brecht / Kurt Weil Mahagony … Some Versions of Rolling Stones’ Lets Spend the Night Together…Beatles…J. Lennon – Give Peace a Chance … Bob Dylan…”

With a long-stemmed daisy drawn by Ginsberg along the left edge, the poet begins his letter, Dear Symphony School & Mr. Lorenz & Students: My favorite musical Compositions accumulated in ear/mind for several decades to present include, since you asked: (A) Jannequin – Les oiseaux (See Ezra Pound’s 1970 Edition Cantos p.450) Alphonse De Mudarra [sic, Alonso Mudarra] – David’s Lament (Triste Estaba El Rey David) Bach – Unaccompanied partitas (Esp. #2), Mass in 5 minor & St Matthew’as Passion. Beethoven – Grosse Fuge, Piano Sonata op. 111, Quarter op 116 (?) the one so straine’d – Missa Solemnis… Ginsberg then lists pieces by Schubert, Brahms, Prokofieff, and Schoenberg.

He continues with (B): Prajnaparamita Sutra [Highest perfect wisdom] –so chanted in Sino-Japanese presently in USA by S.F. Soto Zin Temple – by Rothi Suzuki & Disciples – Send someone to learn from them and you can perform it as a musical presentation of Chantery which will turn everyone on! Hare Khrishna Mantra – Any Iskon [sic ISKCON, International Society for Krishna Consciousness] version, as per Fugs record on which I sang, or George Harrison’s recent ‘My Sweet Lord’ or as done by Swami Bhaktivedanta’s Groups around USA & London … (C) Scott Joplin – Maple Leaf Rag (& others) opera: Tremonisha (Can get score & recorded version from scholars Sam & Ann Charters c/o Gotham Book Mart 41 W 47 St. – N.Y,C.) Ma Rainey’s version of Easy C.C. Rider blues ‘See, See what you have done’ etc. and other (forget name) “I’m gonna buy me a pistol, Jus as long as I am tall, Lord Lord Lord, Kill my man and Hit the cannonball…”

Bessie Smith’s version of Empy [sic] Bed Blues, At the Christmas Ball, Gimme a Pigfoot & a Bottle of Beer, *Young Woman’s Blues especially Leadbelly’s versions of Boll Weevil, Black Girl, Irene. Ray Charles version of ‘Feel All Right’ & Got a Woman. Billie Holliday’s Version of Strange Fruit, Fine & Mellow, I Got a Right to Sing the Blues, Easy Living. Thelonius Monk Mysterioso, Round About Midnight. Charles “Bird” Parker --- Ornithology. Lester Young’s Lester Leaps In & put these, listed above, as examples of Classical American Music which, if singers & musicians have proper training, they can approximate, imitate, or improvise in the spirit of original, for mind’s historical pleasure, & for Cultural revolution’s acknowledgement as “classic” U.S. art.

On page 4, Ginsberg has penned in full: Opera. Bertol Brecht/Kurt Weil Mahagony Greatest of XX Century Operas. Perform as much of it as possible.

He’s headed the last page: “Pop Fragments addenda.” In full: Some Versions of Rolling Stones’ Lets Spend the Night Together. Beatles I Wanna Hold Your Hand (Early Beatles), I heard the News today Oh Boy (Pepper), I am a Walrus (Difficult Composition), Strawberry Fields. J. Lennon – Give Peace a Chance. Geo. Harrison (as before) – My Sweet Lord (Extended & Improved with varying mantras chorused in backround [sic]). Bob Dylan – Masters of War, & Hard Rain, Tamborine man, Sad Eyed Lady of Lowland, Gates of Eden & ask your students to check out, hear, my own recorded versions, tuned to music, of Blake’s Songs of Innocence & Experience recorded last year 1970 – to see if they are singable by others than myself – especially Nurses Song and The Grey Monk. – there’s all I can think of, fast – Love Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg was living on his Cherry Valley farm in upstate New York. A month earlier, he had testified in pre-trial hearings in Detroit for three members of the White Panther Party charged in the 29 September 1968, bombing of a CIA office in Ann Arbor, Michigan: 28-year-old poet John Sinclair, 21-year-old John W. Forrest, and 25-year-old Lawrence “Pun” Plamondon. Sinclair and Forrest were charged with conspiracy in the bombing; Plamondon was charged with the actual bombing. The envelope used by Ginsberg to mail this letter was printed by the defense. 
$3,000 - $5,000