LOU HARRISON
Over fifty years ago Lou Harrison (1917 - 2003) composer, environmentalist and gay icon, quietly began his own musical revolution. With superb craftsmanship he combined a reverence for world cultures, a passionate belief in social equity and a love of melody and beauty, in all its forms, to create his own world of music.
In his over 300 compositions for western, eastern, and custom-made instruments Lou Harrison wrote for symphony orchestra, ballet, small chamber ensembles and soloists. He was a musical innovator and a visionary in the truest sense-- tirelessly knocking on the door of possibility. Michael Tilson Thomas acknowledged Harrison's mastery by commissioning him to compose "Parade for M.T.T." the first piece of music Tilson Thomas conducted as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony. Performers such as Keith Jarrett, Yo-Yo Ma, The Mark Morris Dance Group and Dennis Russell Davies also premiered Harrison's music.
Beyond his myriad musical accomplishments, Harrison's outspoken, lifelong, involvement in political activism ranging from pre-Stonewall gay rights and early civil rights, to pacifism and countless environmental causes, garnered him icon status in many communities. He was recognized with countless awards including membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters; "Humanitarian of the Year" from by the American Humanist Association; the Michael Callen Medal of Achievement from the Annual Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards (GLAMA), and Musical America's composer of the year 2002.
COLIN McPHEE (1900 - 1964)
was a composer, ethnomusicologist, pianist and writer. His studies of the music, dance and theatre of Bali and Java gained him international recognition as an authority on the subjects, and they also influenced several of his symphonic, choral and chamber compositions, among which are his Tabuh-Tabuhan and Balinese Ceremonial Music for orchestra.
BALI TO NEW YORK
- a musical journey from Indonesian gamelan to downtown Manhattan
With its infinite rhythmic patterning and metal percussion orchestration, Indonesian gamelan music has had a strong influence on many composers.
The American COLIN McPHEE spent several years in Bali during the 1930s transcribing this luminous and fiery music including Balinese Ceremonial Music. In the following decade, under the spell of this magical sound world, JOHN CAGE and LOU HARRISON collaborated on Double Music for an assortment of Chinese gongs, water buffalo bells and thunder sheet.
CHARLIE BARBER'sKantilan Karangan, a re-invention of traditional arabesques of Balinese music, is heard alongside the motoric rhythms of STEVE REICH’s seminal minimalist classic Piano Phase and the eastward-looking Fifth Simfony by West Coast composer LOU HARRISON.
Programme includes:
Colin McPhee Balinese Ceremonial Music (1934-38)
Lou Harrison Fifth Simfony (1939)
Steve Reich Piano Phase (1967)
John Cage/ Lou Harrison Double Music (1941)
Alan Hovhaness Gamelan and Jhala (1967)
Charlie Barber Kantilan Karangan (1993)
- a musical journey from Indonesian gamelan to downtown Manhattan
Balinese Ceremonial Music – Colin McPhee Double Music – John Cage/Lou Harrison Ostinato Pianissimo – Henry Cowell Gamelan and Jhala – Alan Hovhaness Piano Phase – Steve Reich Fifth Simfony – Lou Harrison Kantilan Karangan – Charlie Barber Piano Phase + Clapping Music – Steve Reich
Semra Kurutaç - piano Kate Halsall - piano Hugh Wilkinson - percussion Dave Danford - percussion Gareth Hamlin - percussion Nick Baron - percussion
Sun 17.02.08 LLANTWIT MAJOR St Donats Arts Centre, Tythe Barn 7.30pm 01446 799 100
Tue 19.02.08 CARDIFF St Davids Hall (Level 3 event) 7.30pm 029 2087 8444
Thu 21.02.08 CARMARTHEN Trinity College 7.30pm 01267 676 685
Sat 23.02.08 HOLYHEAD Ucheldre Centre 7.30pm 01407 763 361
Sun 24.02.08 MANCHESTER Royal Northern College of Music 7pm 0161 907 5555
Sat 01.03.08 MOLD Clwyd Theatr Cymru 8pm 0845 330 3565
