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Donald Macleod explores Lou Harrison’s artistic beginnings, including lessons with Henry Cowell.

Lou Silver Harrison was an American, multi-faceted composer who died in 2003. In his music he explored a synthesis of Asian and Western influences, just intonation, and writing for percussion ensemble. He also involved himself in the arts as a performer, dancer, instrument maker, critic, puppeteer, poet, painter and much more. Harrison’s interest in Asian cultures began when he was very young, and remained a significant influence on his work for the rest of his life. He enjoyed working with Gamelan percussion and instruments from Korea or China. With his partner William Colvig, Harrison also made his own instruments including an American Gamelan, for which he composed multiple works. Harrison took lessons with Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, and also collaborated with John Cage in exploring the possibilities of percussion ensembles. His career as a composer developed in the world of dance and theatre, supplementing his income as a critic and, later, as a teacher.

Today, Donald shows how Lou Harrison was greatly influenced by his mother, Calline, who was an avid collector of artefacts from Asia and the Middle East, and by his father Clarence who encouraged him to read widely. He learnt numerous musical instruments and was also taught to dance and perform on the stage. Harrison’s home life was nomadic, and, before he’d graduated from high school, the family had lived at nearly thirty different addresses. This had a major impact upon Harrison, who learnt not to develop close friendships with others because he’d soon be leaving again. These years at school were also when Harrison began to realise he was gay.

Harrison was determined to pursue music, and was soon taking lessons from Henry Cowell, to whom he dedicated his Prelude for Grandpiano. Through Cowell, Harrison got to know fellow composer, John Cage. They began to collaborate, exploring the potential of different percussion instruments.

The Heart Sutra (Tial, Sariputro, ciuj Darmoj)
Rutgers University Kirkpatrick Choir
Patrick Gardner, conductor

Waltz in C (New York Waltzes)
Anthony De Mare, piano

First Concerto for Flute and Percussion
Manuela Wiesler, flute
Kroumata Percussion Ensemble

Suite for Symphonic Strings (excerpt)
The New Professionals
Rebecca Miller, conductor

Largo Ostinato
Nathan Williamson, piano

Prelude for Grandpiano
Anthony De Mare, piano

John Cage & Lou Harrison
Double Music
Percussion UVU

Produced by Luke Whitlock