Ginsberg, Allen

Allen Ginsberg Reads Kaddish: A 20th Century American Ecstatic Narrative Poem

New York, NY, USA: Atlantic Recording Corporation, 1966. First Edition. LP Record in Gatefold Sleeve. "I've read this huge poem aloud only three times in front of an audience-- I used to read the Proem (sic) & last sections in the early '60s, and a recording of that time is on Fantasy record 7006: the Big Table Chicago reading. The first reading of the complete text was for the Catholic Worker when they opened a new salvation center near the bowery in 1960. I didn't read the whole poem aloud (except once to (Jack) Kerouac in my kitchen) in public again till occasion of this recording at Brandeis University Nov. 24, 1964. I had read at Harvard several times the previous week, we'd had trouble with the administration there-- kicked out of Lowell House after a Poesy reading in fact-- (Peter) Orlovsky reading his Sex Experiments after our chanting Buddhist prayers had been too confusing to the Academy-- the audience at the Jewish University was sympathetic and encouraging-- I'd drunk a little wine-- as can be heard by slowed down pace of the reading and occasionally slurred language-- so for self-dramatic historic reasons I decided to open up my soul and read Kaddish complete." (from first paragraph, "How Kaddish Happened," first panel inner cover) The historic recording of Kaddish read in its entirety by its creator Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997), Founding Father of the Beat Generation. Written in remembrance of his tormented, mentally ill mother Naomi Ginsberg, Kaddish is a Tour de Force, a wrenching Masterpiece which many Beat skullers consider to be Ginsberg's very greatest work, even compared to Howl (1956). We offer the 1966 first pressing of this Milestone of Beat audio/aesthetic history, 12" LP record in gatefold sleeve featuring a bold contemporary photograph of Ginsberg by the acclaimed photographer Richard Avedon at front panel; Ginsberg's classic essay "How Kaddish Happened" (quoted above) at both inner gatefold panels; & photograph of young Ginsberg with his mother at the 1939 New York World's Fair, over which are superimposed red facsimile lines from Kaddish hand-written & signed by Ginsberg, at rear panel. With all points in Morgan, F7, pg. 358- including "A-12239-A" engraved at matrix (just outside label) of LP Side 1, ""A-12240-A" at matrix of LP side 2. An exhilarating, top-tier Ginsberg collectible in its rarest original form. See also our item No.s 4728, 7132. In relatively exceptionally fine condition: Gatefold sleeve with only light rubbing, faint scratching at all panels; a touch of wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same. LP record with small areas of light rubbing, faint scratching at both sides, it does not appear to have been played extensively & we have not played it to avoid any further wear. Record is housed in a newer "Archival Quality...Original Master" clear sleeve, original paper sleeve not present. Fine. [Item #7685]

Price: $225.00 save 15% $191.25