Chamber and Gamelan Works

Lou Harrison (Composer), Kronos Quartet, The Manhattan Percussion Ensemble Gamelan Sekar Kembar (Orchestra), violin; "Machiko Kobialka," tack piano I; "James Barbagallo," tack piano II; "Patricia Jennerjohn," celesta; "Don Marconi," percussion; "Jerome Neff," percussion; "Robert Hughes," conductor; "Scott L. Hartman," French horn; "Susan Bates", violin; "Lou Harrison," suling player; "Paul Price," conductor "Daniel Kobialka (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: violin; "Machiko Kobialka," tack piano I; "James Barbagallo," tack piano II; "Patricia Jennerjohn," celesta; "Don Marconi," percussion; "Jerome Neff," percussion; "Robert Hughes," conductor; "Scott L. Hartman," French horn; "Susan Bates", violin; "Lou Harrison," suling player; "Paul Price," conductor "Daniel Kobialka
• Orchestra: Kronos Quartet, The Manhattan Percussion Ensemble Gamelan Sekar Kembar
• Composer: Lou Harrison
• Audio CD (May 1, 2006)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: New World Records
• ASIN: B000F7MFY2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #93,000 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Lou Harrison (1917–2003) believed fervently in music’s power to create cultural bridges. To this end he applied his prodigious skills and creative energies to creating syncretic works that link diverse musical languages. Faulted at times for his eclecticism, Harrison responded with a vibrant defense of hybridity, cultivating a musical multiculturalism long before that term—or even the concept—held the currency it now enjoys. Harrison’s major contributions to twentieth-century American music lie in three main areas: (1) the development of the percussion ensemble as a viable performance medium; (2) the linkage of Asian and Western musical styles; and (3) the exploration of just intonation tuning systems. All three are represented in the works on this disc. The influences manifest in the works on this disc remained with Harrison for the rest of his career. He ultimately composed over three dozen gamelan pieces and the estampie became one of his favorite forms (he used it in a dozen works, ranging from solo keyboard to full orchestra). Nor did his advocacy of just intonation systems diminish: he called for pure intervals in works in all genres. But the most distinctive characteristic of Harrison’s music lies in its inherent plurality. He was drawn to community, both in performance groups such as the gamelan and the percussion ensemble, and in the compositions themselves, which unite elements from various times and places. Harrison’s originality lay in the way he creatively combined these elements to produce novel syntheses. His fervent advocacy of hybridity led to a type of transethnic music that truly foreshadowed the post-modern celebration of diversity. The reissue of this seminal release from the CRI catalog features extensive new liner notes by Harrison biographer Leta Miller.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chamber and Gamelan works, July 9, 2007

By	Ira T. Firestone (So east michigan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The harrison works on this disc are absoultely fabulous. Particularly haunting was a 'concerto' for horn and gamelan ensemble. Couldn't get the tune out of my head!