The following are Yoko Ono's program notes for "Toning," a piano piece
performed by Sarah Cahill on the U.C. Berkeley campus Sunday, January
25th:

   "Toning" is a piano piece to be performed by the performer
   solely for the purpose of toning and healing the body and
   the mind of the performer.

   We all know about music being a strong instrument for
   healing. But we create the most appealing music to entertain
   and please the audience. This has been the case from way
   back in the history of piano music. It was first to entertain
   and please the ruling classes, followed by the attempt to
   communicate to the intellectuals. There were piano pieces
   to entertain the working class as well. However, it was
   always to "entertain" and communicate to the audience rather
   than to the performer himself or herself. Decorative notes,
   and harmonies were added to make it more pleasing. When
   such music went into the body of the audience, the body had
   a hard time digesting the complexity of the composition,
   with its frills and incidentals added for the effect. The
   liver had to work overtime to enjoy the music with various
   side notes, added for "beauty." The effect of that was
   intoxication, not toning or healing. It was confusing at
   best, if one played such piano piece for the toning and
   healing of one's body.
   
   Stripped of all incidental notes and enhancing harmonies,
   Toning is like organic food.  No frills, no added color.
   The ascending harmonies and their minimal connective notes,
   thereby, wake up the healthy vibration of the parts of the
   body, while each part responds to the musical notes and
   harmonies necessary for its healing.
   
   The repeated ascendance from C to C, affects and heals the
   body from its roots to the space between the performer's
   head and the sky. This is the beginning of healing of the
   planet to achieve world peace. It begins with first healing
   the performer.
   
   As Gandhi said: "Outward Peace is useless without Inner Peace."

Instructions for Toning: Repeat the ascent from C to high C several times
while you let the sound vibrate inside you.  For maximum effect, perform
in the woods where no other human vibration can interrupt your performance.
Listen and carefully take in each note, as the note vibrates in you.
The vibration of the woods will assist your Toning.

"Jeff Dunn" <[log in to unmask]>

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