Lou Harrison (1917-2003)

Introduction
Lou Harrison was an American composer known for incorporating musical elements of non-Western cultures into his work. He studied with Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg and wrote the majority of his works in just intonation rather than the conventional equal temperament. The use of microtones are also a prominent characteristic of his works. His musical style is concerned less with harmony more with rhythm and melody.

Work Analysis
"Last Symphony" (#4) - Composed for orchestra with a variety of percussion instruments including drums, ringing metal instruments, and a tack piano. The work combined Native American, Asian, and even ancient music. It is certainly a fantastic display of his taste and influences. Harrison uses a systematic compositional technique called “Interval control” where the opening of introductory Largo movement includes only the intervals of m3, m6, M2. There is a very clear emphasis on melody, rhythm, and tonality, although harmony is often left out altogether. The whole piece contains very lively and bright melodies and tonal colors. The second “Stampede” movement attempts to paint the picture of a sort of stamping dance using fast and forceful rhythms, breaking from the intensity only sparsely throughout. The fourth movement includes a narrator who sings and chants three Native American stories about coyote and is backed by very high-spirited melodies.

Observations
Listening to Harrison's music was a delightful experience and it certainly expanded my ear, so to speak, in that it pushed my musical inclinations to a greater degree toward melody and rhythm. Although harmony is of particular importance to myself as a musician, Harrison undoubtedly sparked my interest in this regard with his exhilarating melodies and rhythms. The same can be said about his use of just intonation and micro-tones. I found his application of these concepts to be fascinating, especially in his Piano Concerto (1983-1985) commissioned and performed by Keith Jarrett. Harrison wrote the piece for a piano tuned in Kirnberger #2, a form of well temperament.

Comparisons
All comparisons made to Harrison's music must be with particular consideration to his influences of other cultures. References to these other cultures, especially those of Asia, are often explicit and with clear character and purpose. Javanese-style music with Gamelan, for example, is a very strong influence for Harrison. He has several other notable works which are clearly derived from the knowledge gained from his studying with Schoenberg, as evidenced by his use of the twelve-tone method.

Works Cited
https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2017/05/13/525919082/lou-harrison-the-maverick-composer-with-asia-in-his-ears

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Harrison

https://www.allmusic.com/composition/symphony-no-4-last-symphony-for-baritone-orchestra-mc0002430541