Lou Harrison: Composing a World

Leta E. Miller, Fredric Lieberman

ISBN 10: 0195110226 / ISBN 13: 9780195110227

Published by Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford, 1998

About this Item

Book in very good condition; slight scuffing to boards and spine; faint pencil inscription top corner front free end paper; faint to light toning to clean interior; binding sound. CD-ROM disc in plastic sleeve adhered to back end paper with unbroken seal. 385 numbered pages. Black cloth boards with silver stamped lettering on spine. 9 3/8 x 6.5 in. Inv. JM017.

Seller Inventory # 005530

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Lou Harrison: Composing a World
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford
• Publication Date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195110226
• ISBN 13: 9780195110227
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket

About this title

Synopsis

Lou Harrison, who celebrated his 80th birthday in 1997, has often been cited as one of the America's most original and influential composers. In addition to his prolific musical output, Harrison is also a skilled painter, calligrapher, essayist, critic, poet, and instrument-builder. During his long and varied career, he has explored dance, Asian music, tuning systems, and universal languages, and has actively championed political causes ranging from pacifism to gay rights. As an articulate and outspoken observer of the contemporary musical scene, he is frequently quoted in the media; yet until now no comprehensive study of his life and works has been published.

The present book, supported by extensive archival research and nearly 70 interviews, examines the ideas that have shaped Harrison's creative output, as seen through the eyes of the composer and his associates. A detailed biographical section is followed by individual chapters focusing on Music and Dance, Intonation and Tuning, Instruments, Asian influences, Gamelan, Music and Politics, Music Criticism, and Compositional Processes. In a separate chapter, the authors describe the historical background of the San Francisco gay community, Harrison's literary and musical statements on gay rights, and possible "gay markers" on his musical style.

An annotated works-list details over 300 compositions, and a full-length CD illustrates the text in sound, including several unique and previously unrecorded works.

This engaging study of Harrison's life and works will be indispensable to students and scholars of American music and to performing artists and programmers.

About the Author

About the Authors:
Musicologist and flutist Leta Miller has published articles, books, and critical editions of Renaissance, Baroque, and contemporary music and has been featured on thirteen solo recordings, including three CDs of music by Lou Harrison. Composer and ethnomusiclogist Fredric Lieberman has published compositions, articles, books, films, and recordings dealing with Chinese, Indian, and other Asian musics and on American popular music. Both authors are Professors of Music at the University of California, Santa Cruz.