Lou Harrison: La Koro Sutro

Lou Harrison (Composer), John Bergamo (Conductor), Philip Brett (Conductor), American Gamelan (Orchestra), Berkeley Chorus (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: American Gamelan, Berkeley Chorus
• Conductor: John Bergamo, Philip Brett
• Composer: Lou Harrison
• Audio CD (November 18, 2009)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: New Albion Records
• ASIN: B000000R2D
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,301 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finest Harrison CD that I Own, July 19, 2002

By 

Christopher Forbes "weirdears" (Brooklyn,, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lou Harrison: La Koro Sutro (Audio CD)

I am a great fan of the varied career of Lou Harrison, perhaps the most eclectic of all American composers. His music shows the influence of Gamelan and other eastern elements, but it is music that is clearly of the west. He still even occasionally composes in twelve-note fashion, though of course within his own unique style.

La Koro Sutro is a masterwork, perhaps the most impressive Harrision work I have yet heard. The text is an Esperanto translation of the Buddhist Heart Sutra, accompanied by the "American Gamelan" (instruments created by Harrison and his life partner, William Colvig), harp and organ. Throughout the piece, Harrison displays his genius for sound. The choral writing too is excellent and the piece rises to a luminous conclusion. Deeply spiritual and moving music!

The other works on the recording are equally fine. The Varied Trio is a beautiful work for violin, piano and percussion. It is written in Harrison's "oriental chamber music" style. The titles of the movements show the varied influences from Indonesian and the French Baroque (Rondeau in Honor of Fragonard). The Suite for Violin and American Gamelan is also stunning. The slow first movement is haunting. The piece then morphs into a series of Baroque inspired dance pieces with some Indian influences in the Jhala movements. As always, Harrison fuses his overtly asian influence with a distinctively Western attitude toward composition.

Harrison should be more widely appreciated I think. His music is mostly tonal and immediately communicative. As such, it should command the same wide audience that has embraced Part, Gorecki and Tavener. But Harrison is not simple-minded as some of the minimalists can be, particularly Tavener at his worst. The music is always fresh and rewarding, and the harmonic pallete is adventurous without becoming too dissonant.

If you are a fan of minimalism, world music, or simply contemporary music that can be immediately enjoyed and yet stand up to close scrutiny, this is a great place to start. I can not give this CD enough praise!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gratitude...., June 14, 2004

By 

S. Hutton "Scott Hutton" (Hartsdale, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lou Harrison: La Koro Sutro (Audio CD)

I didn't know Lou Harrison from chopped liver until this lovely late spring evening of 2004, when it was given to me to hear Lo Koro Sutro whilst watching a Hudson Valley sunset.

I have been "working" with the Heart Sutra for about 30 years...and I write to you all, not as a music person (though I have those credens) but as a very thankful Dharma person who finally heard a version of this sutra proper for the West.

Btw, it happens to be beautiful too.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply spiritual music, May 17, 2000

By 

H. F. Gibbard "Noir Guy" (Dark City, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lou Harrison: La Koro Sutro (Audio CD)

"La Koro Sutro" is Esperanto for "the Heart Sutra," a traditional Buddhist hymn. I found this music deeply moving and spiritual. Lou Harrison studied with Arnold Schoenberg, but this music is not at all like Schoenberg's. This music draws you in, sometimes with unusual percussive effects (Harrison uses strange instruments like metal rice bowls), sometimes with warm, ethereal vocals. I highly recommend this album.