Lou Harrison (1917-2003)

Today, Donald shows how Lou Harrison was greatly influenced by his mother, Calline, who was an avid collector of artefacts from Asia and the Middle East, and by his father Clarence who encouraged him to read widely. He learnt numerous musical instruments and was also taught to dance and perform on the stage. Harrison's home life was nomadic, and, before he'd graduated from high school, the family had lived at nearly thirty different addresses. This had a major impact upon Harrison, who learnt not to develop close friendships with others because he'd soon be leaving again. These years at school were also when Harrison began to realise he was gay.

Harrison was determined to pursue music, and was soon taking lessons from Henry Cowell, to whom he dedicated his Prelude for Grandpiano. Through Cowell, Harrison got to know fellow composer, John Cage. They began to collaborate, exploring the potential of different percussion instruments.

The Heart Sutra (Tial, Sariputro, ciuj Darmoj)

Rutgers University Kirkpatrick Choir

Patrick Gardner, conductor

Waltz in C (New York Waltzes)

Anthony De Mare, piano

First Concerto for Flute and Percussion

Manuela Wiesler, flute

Kroumata Percussion Ensemble

Suite for Symphonic Strings (excerpt)

The New Professionals

Rebecca Miller, conductor

Largo Ostinato

Nathan Williamson, piano

John Cage & Lou Harrison

Double Music

Percussion UVU

Donald Macleod delves into the early life and influences of Lou Harrison.

Today, Donald follows Lou Harrison to Los Angeles where he began to take lessons with Arnold Schoenberg. Harrison had expected to be rejected by Schoenberg, but upon reading through some of his scores, the older composer willingly took Harrison on. When it was time for Harrison to leave and head to New York, Schoenberg's advice was to study with nobody, only study Mozart.

When Harrison arrived in New York, he was soon despondent about the noise. His partner had left him for another man and Harrison, in despair, tried to take his own life. Harrison found New York's gay life far more closeted than San Francisco, but he soon began a relationship with a Methodist minister, Bronx McGowan. This came to an end when McGowan was moved to another church. On the creative front Harrison started to work with dancers, composing works such as The Marriage at the Eiffel Tower.

Blaze of Day (Finale: Solstice)

California Symphony Orchestra

Barry Jekowsky, conductor

Piano Sonata No 3 (excerpt)

Nathan Williamson, piano

Symphony No 2 “Elegiac ? (excerpt)

American Composers Orchestra

Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

Hesitation Waltz (New York Waltzes)

Anthony De Mare, piano

Waltz in A (New York Waltzes)

Suite No 2

The New Professionals

Rebecca Miller, conductor

The Marriage at the Eiffel Tower (Overture)

California Parallèle Ensemble

Nicole Paiement, conductor

The Only Jealousy of Emer (excerpt)

Suite for Cello and Harp

Dan Reiter, cello

Karen Gottlieb, harp

Donald Macleod follows Harrison to Los Angeles and New York.

In today's episode we see how Lou Harrison's time in New York taught him that a busy city was not the right environment for him. After suffering from a nervous breakdown, he eventually returned home to his parents, south of San Francisco. His mother, Calline, suggested she buy Harrison a place of his own and they found a house on a former avocado farm near Santa Cruz. It was perfect for Harrison: quiet and isolated. He supplemented his income working with the fire crew of the local forestry team, and also as a veterinary nurse.

This was a period when Lou Harrison began to explore the possibilities of just intonation. He also received a generous grant which would allow him to attend a conference in Asia. In Tokyo he was able to explore culture to the full, from Japanese cuisine to Noh plays. He was very taken with the sound of the Zheng zither performed by a musician from Taiwan. He also made a journey to Korea where he encountered the small double-reed instrument, the piri. Once back in America, Harrison started making his own zither, and his Concerto in Slendro explores one of the two main tuning systems used by Balinese gamelans.

Beverly's Troubadour Piece, for harp and percussion

Just Strings

Suite for Symphonic Strings (Nocturne)

The New Professionals

Rebecca Miller, conductor

Four Strict Songs (Here is Holiness)

University of California Santa Cruz Chamber Singers

University of California Santa Cruz Chamber Orchestra

Nicole Paiement, conductor

Maria Bachmann, violin

California Symphony Orchestra

Barry Jekowsky, conductor

Pacifika Rondo (excerpt)

Oakland Youth Orchestra

Robert Hughes, conductor

Easter Cantata

Michelle Rivard, mezzo-soprano

Brian Staufenbiel, tenor

California Parallèle Ensemble

Donald Macleod journeys with Lou Harrison on his first trip to Asia.

Today, Donald brings us to 1966, when Lou Harrison met William (Bill) Colvig on a night out to a restaurant. This encounter turned into a relationship, which lasted over thirty years. Bill moved in with Lou, and they began to work together building musical instruments, including an American gamelan. Harrison composed a number of works for this ensemble, including his Suite for Violin and American Gamelan. Bill also suggested that Lou should write an opera on a gay theme, and this turned out to be Young Caesar. The opera included elements of puppetry, which given the lack of emotional expression, was a cause for some criticism after the opera's premiere.

Harrison was now on the verge of a new musical period in his life. He began lessons on the Javanese gamelan, and he would write many works for this ensemble including a Double Concerto. Harrison and Colvig's home became an expression of their varied interests; there were Korean paintings, Persian rugs, a Buddhist shrine and a workshop where they could make instruments. Harrison said that his fifties were one of the happiest periods in his life.

A Waltz for Evelyn Hinrichsen

Eric Moe, piano

Music for Bill and Me

Esther Gattoni, harp

Young Caesar (Act I: What is so fine about becoming a man)

Brian Staufenbiel, tenor

California Parallèle Ensemble

Nicole Paiement, conductor

Young Caesar (Act II: And that crown)

Suite for violin and American Gamelan (excerpt)

Gabriela Diaz, violin

Boston Modern Orchestra Project

Gil Rose, conductor

Double Concerto for Javanese gamelan, violin and cello (excerpt)

Kenneth Goldsmith, violin

Terry King, cello

Mills College Gamelan Ensemble

Third Symphony (Largo ostinato)

Cabrillo Music Festival Orchestra

Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

Piano Concerto with selected orchestra (excerpt)

Keith Jarrett, piano

New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra

Naoto Otomo, conductor

Donald Macleod delves into a time Lou Harrison settles down with Bill Colvig.

In today's programme, Lou Harrison retires from teaching, but now found himself so inundated with commissions that he suggested he needed to retire from retirement! However, he found time to enjoy painting, alongside his music. Lou and Bill found themselves in Asia again, where Harrison was invited to write music for some historic instruments in Japan.

Bill had begun to show signs of dementia. His hearing also started to deteriorate, and Lou took up learning sign language in order to communicate with Bill. When Lou needed a pacemaker fitted, he was forced to sell his mother's house to pay for the doctor's fees. Commissions still came in for Lou in his later years, including writing a Pipa Concerto, a form of Chinese lute, for the artist Wu Man. He also continued to revise works, including his Mass to St Anthony, the seeds of which were sown in 1939.

O you whom I often and silently come where you are

Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir

Musicians – not listed?

Patrick Gardner, director

Grand Duo (Polka)

Tim Fain, violin

Michael Boriskin, piano

Fourth Symphony ‘Last Symphony' (Largo)

California Symphony Orchestra

Barry Jekowsky, conductor

Vestiunt Silve

Emily Golden, mezzo-soprano

Timothy Malish, flute

Janet Lyman Hill, viola

Sarah Adams, viola

Karen Lindquist, harp

Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

Wu Man, pipa

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor

Mass to St Anthony (Gloria)

University of California Santa Cruz Chamber Singers

University of California Santa Cruz Percussion Ensemble

Nicole Paiement, conductor

Donald Macleod explores Harrison's final decades including his varied artistic endeavours.