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Home , Lou Harrison

· ...... CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CHORAL MUSIC OF Lou HARRISON by David L. Brunner

This article coincides with Lou filled with beautifully lyric . Glory of God," set for chorus and Harrison's 75th birthday, May 14, Harrison's music for chorus spans percussion, but the work was left 1992. some 40 years and encompasses 13 unfinished for 15 years. It was not pieces, including a large-scale oratorio until his tenure at Black Mountain HE CHORAL MUSIC OF that remains incomplete, a ballet, an College that Harrison returned to the Lou Harrison is both opera, two masses, and various other Mass, when it was rescored for interesting and double chorus of unison expressive, yet mixed voices, trumpet, harp, largely unlmown to and strings, and titled Mass most conductors. to St. Anthony. Harrison's diverse In the original score, the background includes Kyrie was to be a "kind of study with Cowell and war cry . . . a cry for Schoenberg, associations mercy . . . set very sternly with Cage and Partch, an and shocking" for military abiding affinity to.Eastern snare, side, and bass drums. 3 cultural influences, The Gloria was "for all the adherence to the principles churchbells in the world, l of , and a just everything you had that passion for "." would make a bell ...." His output is considerable Harrison wrote the voice and encompasses music for parts in their entirety, but the theater, percussion completed little more than ensemble, opera, symphonic these first two movements and chamber ensembles, for percussion. In its later harp, psaltery2, piano, version the original vocal choral ensemble, and parts were retained, but . Harrison "decided to tidy it During his career he has up because the church did worked as , not, at that time, enjoy teacher, critic, dance percussion orchestras." accompanist, instrument The Mass to St. Anthony designer, poet, calligrapher, is characterized by restraint and in lean times, animal and simplicity. The vocal nurse, and forest ranger. He lines were conceived as is a gentle, sensitive, and peace-loving pieces, plus a number of gamelan "rhythmitized chant," the sort found man whose music, embodying these songs. among the Franciscans and Indians of qualities, is expressive and carefully the Southwest, yet newly composed. crafted, of clean texture and The Choral Music Harrison's hope was to reconstruct a interesting , and above all, rhythmitized Gregorian style with Harrison's first work for chorus is a percussion and "just a tiny bit of Brunner is Director of Choral Activities at setting of the Mass Ordinary, begun Indian folk flavor, as well." Each the University of Central Florida in on September 1, 1939, the day Hitler movement of the Mass is composed in Orlando, Florida, and Artistic Director marched into Poland. In its original a different mode with no feeling of and Conductor of Gloria Musicae. form it was to be a "Mass to the functional . The melodic

May 1992 Page 17 lines move freely without contrapuntal display. The Kyrie, a Lou Harrison was born on May when he moved to New York. While solemn chant for men's voices, is 14, 1917, in Portland, Oregon. there, he became a critic, writing for especially representative of Harrison's During his youth he gained an early the New York Herald Tribune, expressive melodic gift (See Ex­ appreciation for Asian things - the contributing articles and reviews for ample 1). beginning of his lifelong interest in View, Modern Music, and Listen, The Mass to St. Anthony is an the art, culture, philosophy, and and serving briefly as Chairman of accessible piece for most choirs, music of the East. . the Editorial Board of the New requires limited orchestral forces, and In 1935 he began studies at San . Music Quarterly. At this time is musically rewarding. It was Francisco State College and informal' Harrison also began the premiered in New York City in early study with . From reconstruction of some of Charles 1954 by the New York Concert Cowell's teaching, Harrison became Ives' scores, notably the Third Orchestra and Choir, conducted by interested in a variety of world Symphony, the subsequent edition Margaret Hillis. In 1957 the Fromm music, the method of composing and premiere of which met with Foundation underwrote a recording with melodicles, and the syncretic critical acclaim. In 1947 Harrison of it, conducted by Ms. Hillis, which process of incorporating Eastern was awarded a grant from the was released on the Epic label styles within Western music. American Academy of Arts and (LC3307). The score and parts are He worked as an accompanist and Letters for his music criticisms and published by Peer Southern Concern composer for dancers at San composition. Music. Francisco State for the next several During the summer of 1949 he years and accepted his first academic taught in a music, drama, and dance The Easter Cantata was begun in position at in 1937, workshop at in . 1943 and took its completed form in where he also wrote, taught, Portland, Oregon. It was at this time 1966. It is dedicated to the Associated accompanied, and performed music that Harrison became interested in students of Hartnell College and had for dancers. calligraphy, a lovely written art its premiere there on April 3, 1966, In the late 1930s Cowell form evident in his letters, texts, and with Vahe Aslanian conducting. The introduced Harrison to manuscript scores. It was also then scoring is for alto soloist,. SATB with whom he collaborated on the that sent him a first chorus, two trumpets, two presentation of percussion concerts edition copy of 's trombones, glockenspiel, chimes, and composed the Double Music in , a book which harp, and strings. 1941. was to spark his intereSt in just The Cantata is cast in five The following year Harrison intonation. movements: an instrumental sinfonia; moved to Los Angeles where he He returned to New York in the "Aubade;" "Chorale en Rondeau" for studied with . fall of 1949 and taught composition chorus, brass, and strings; "Mary's Harrison did not become an ardent and orchestration at the Greenwich Song at the Tomb" for alto solo, solo disciple of serial technique (although House Music School. In 1951 he was cello, harp, glockenspiel, and chimes; he has written a number of works in invited to teach at Black Mountain a "Narrative" for tenors, strings, and twelve-tone style), but gained from College in North Carolina, a brass; and the concluding "Alleluia" Schoenberg a fondness for clarity of progressive and innovative arts for the full ensemble. texture, one of the most distinctive school where a number of well­ A variety of choral writing is features of Harrison's music. known artists had taught. Though utilized. Unison vocal lines in a quasi­ Harrison taught in the dance Harrison taught there for only one recitative style and chordal statements department at UCLA until 1943 year, a Guggenheim Fellowship . in quartal and quintal are common in the voices, often juxtaposed against ostinatos and Robert Whitney and the Louisville bass drum). Although originally canonic figures in the accompanying Orchestra, with singers from the intended for eight baritones, Harrison instruments. Although the Cantata is Southern Baptist Seminary, prepared has heard (and approves of) relatively short, the variety of vocal by Walter Dahlin. performances with larger choral writing provides color and interest. The scoring is for eight baritones, forces. There is an architectural symmetry two trombones, piano, harp, strings, The texts for these songs were present texturally, modally, and with and percussion (waterbowlst, written by Harrison on themes of regard to tempo and character of the kettledrums, maracas, triangles, and holiness, nourishment, tenderness, movements. The Easter Cantata remains in manuscript. Example 1 Mass to St. Anthony, movement I, bass , mm. 5-14 The Four Strict Songs were begun at Black Mountain, North Carolina, in 1951 and finished in 1955 after Harrison's move to Aptos, California. 9'1 :.%; I-1if {r~ 'rW-:I-p ij-il-":iFf ~ I They were commissioned (and IQ: - - ri - e,__ IQ: - - - ri - e_ e - Ie - - - i - son. __ premiered on January 18, 1956) by

Page 18 CHORAL JOURNAL a different pentatonic mode and is to enabled him to stay on as a resident working mostly on the Music Primer, be performed justly tuned. The Four from 1952-1953 - a fruitful time a little book full of insight into his Strict Songs are examplary of for composition and a turning point compositional interests, procedures, Harrison's concise and economic as he decided "in favor of world and beliefs (published in 1971). craftsmanship and his fondness for music." In 1967 he began to teach Music form and structure. They are among In the spring of 1953 he moved to and the World Cultures at San Jose Harrison's more widely known choral the West Coast, eventually settling in State College. That year also marked pieces and are available from Aptos, where he has lived ever since. the beginning of a lasting G. Schirmer. Increased recognition for his work relationship with William Colvig, came in the form of awards and whose background as a musician, A Joyous Procession and a Solemn commissions. He received the electrician, and craftsman has been Procession (1962), a charming pair of Twentieth Century Masterpiece invaluable in their building of processional pieces scored for voices, Award in Rome for his Scene III various instruments and . trombones, and percussion, were from the opera Rapunzel, a first In the years that followed, written in 1962. The voice parts are place prize he shared with Jean Harrison served as a visiting without text, appropriate words to be Louis Martinet of France. Stravinsky professor at Stanford University, the supplied by the performers according gave the award and Leontyne Price University of California - Berkley, to the occasion. The Processions were sang the premiere there on April 14, and the University of Southern composed "for the wondrous lively 1954. While still in Rome, Harrison California, and taught again at Mills nuns of the Immaculate Heart received notice of his second College in 1978, appointed there to College in Los Angeles," and are Guggenheim Fellowship. He won a the Milhaud Chair in 1980. In published in manuscript, with Fromm Foundation Award in 1955, addition, he became active touring, whimsical drawings, by C. F. Peters. the same year a commission came performing, and lecturing on Asian from Robert Whitney and the music and his own compositions. He Louisville Orchestra for Four Strict was elected to the National Institute Songs, his first choral work in just of Arts and Letters and received a intonation. Koussevitsky Foundation In all of Harrison's works A Rockefeller Grant in 1961 Commission in 1973, and in 1975 enabled Harrison to spend six served as representative one senses the essence of months in Japan, Korea, and China, to the League of Asian the composer's approach to studying Korean Court and Chinese Conference in Manila, the . His Eastern travel Philippines. music and life: "Cherish, continued in the spring of 1963 Harrison received another chair conserve, consider, create." when Harrison taught at the East­ from Mills College and taught there West Center of the University of on a reduced schedule from Hawaii, where the Pacifilw Rondo 1983-84. Since his retirement from was commissioned and premiered. academic life in 1985, he has In 1966 he received the Phoebe maintained a busy schedule of The "Joyous Procession" is scored Ketchum Throne Fellowship, which composition, lectures, and for high and low voices, two was substantial enough to provide performance. trombones, four large tambourines, support for a three-year period. He and a great gong in carriage (to be spent a year in Mexico, as a result, hung with Chinese glass wind chimes and other small bells with clappers, so that the "whole affair jangles and splendor, and deal with images suggests a Mandala - balanced, happily with every step"). Each of nature and the earth. Each song is and temporally symmetric.6 component has a relatively short structured on a formula which was phrase of varying length which is to invented by John Cage in the middle The first of the Songs is built on be repeated until the procession is 1930s, a technique Harrison calls a phrases of nine half notes' duration complete. The vocal parts are ornate, "useful, indeed, fascinating way of appearing 81 times (9 x 9). with graceful figuration, appearing forming a piece."5 Cage referred to Movement two is organized as 11 half both antiphonally and in unison the type of structure as: notes x 11, the third as 7 x 7 x 7, and octaves. The resulting rhythmic fabric the final movement as 5 x 5. is one of constant and subtle change. the whole having as many The vocal ranges are restricted to The "Solemn Procession" is also parts as the unit has small parts, one octave in the first and last songs, scored for high and low voices and and these, large and small, in a self-imposed constraint, and only two trombones. Eight large handbells the same proportion. Suppose, slightly larger in the remaining two. (of random pitch, so as to produce a for example, that one composes Harrison says of the songs: "I was "strong clang" only) and a large bass a phrase ten measures long. The thinking in minimalist terms, of drum in carriage provide a entire form will now be 10 x 10, course, but melodically, it turns out, contrasting sonority to the first or, 100 measures .... The result as always." Each movement employs processional. Like the first, the voices

May 1992 Page 19 and trombones repeat until the Example 2 Nova Odo, processional is complete. The vocal movement I, mm. 55-66 line is long spun, with high and low voices singing both unison and in quartal harmonies. Both processionals / I , ~ II-I J lIJ - are in hexatonic modes. Trp. " "'" t! The instrumental parts are easily If!JW=f -j .,.. , l'lI'i~ accessible. The vocal parts are within ~. the range of an octave, but Trb. mf''-.. considerably more ornate than the @ @ instrumental parts and will require f.' .,,-- , -Ill . --I ~ J 111 =-- some flexihility on the part of the Chorus " singers. Scripting and memorizing t! IIj I 1 -& t -VI 'I "1 these melodies present the greatest -if La Sor- dris- ti - no en la A - - - tom - challenge; however, they could be tutti f.' >->- >- >- >- >- >- >- interesting, unusual, and colorful Ree. additions to programs in concert halls 1 1 I I I I or religious settings. oh monstrous! oh monstrous! h'dI eous t h~Ing! h-dI eous 'h0 @- @ . -~L - &a 11 II_ The Nova Odo or "New Ode" was I written from 1961-63 in Seoul, t! ",r I" , I (-p Im{va Taipei, Tokyo, and Aptos, during .11- II lI- Harrison's travel and study as part of a Rockefeller Foundation grant. It VIn. t! 1"- - '=' my was dedicated to the Rockefeller " Foundation and composed for the t! ....., ·7T_T' Composer's Workshop of the San II ~~ = Francisco Conservatory of Music, the , and t! .....,., Enrique Jorda. The first performance ~~ :;; :;t_~r was an open reading with the Seoul "";:;...... = Symphony in Korea in 1963 with Va. I Harrison himself playing piri7 with the court players. The first complete performance was at the Cabrillo Ve. I~ Festival on August 17, 1968, on the 9 • = - same program with the Peace Pieces. C.B The scoring is for male chorus, ~~ ~ reciting chorus, and large occidental orchestra. The colorful percussion @ battery consists of traditional ~.I instruments along with assimilated I ~ I I .~'.I J~ Oriental instruments, muted brake drums, windglass, ranch triangles, It! ---- 1 ~Pi'II'T 8 '~-<= .~Jlr. washtubs, piano, celeste, tack pian0 , - organ, and glockenspiel. The texts by Harrison, in English '--..:. @ and Esperanto, protest the use of -- nuclear weapons, a theme close to his A_J 1 --. ~ L J U J~ J ----I J heart. (He, in fact, refers to his own I t!'-'I 'I "I 'I 'I life in two distinct portions: "BB" ~r _I l~ 'r I (before bomb) and "AB" (after ne-bu ha - vas cin - - - dran - - - ta --- . thing!. . thing bomb). The introductory bass monstrous! oh monstrous! oh monstrous! h~us hl~s oh monstro~s! hl~s oh recitative forbids "the use of the work ~ I 1 1 1 1 I ~ ~ 1 1 to any government at all which poisons the earth atomically, either 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 _ I ~ C:!....J C:!....J 1 1 1 _ -- oh monstrous! oh monstrous! hideous h' hideous oh monstrous! by explosion or by imperfect disposal @ t Ing 65 of byproducts - either now, or in ::.-----i' the future." It is "political activist .,... -& ~ f" music" which graphically portrays the t! text, but is also, more subtly, a protest against , as

Page 20 CHORAL JOURNAL Example 3 Peace Piece One Haiku is a minimalist piece of only vocal melody, mm. 42-46 37 measures, single line texture, non­ pulsatile , and limited range of only three justly tuned pitches. Both the shiao and voice parts are ~t'~I~,{1 ornamented with melodic graces. realms of ex - i - f1 ence, small or great,- vi- si- hie or in - vi -si - hie, near or This tiny piece mirrors the concentrated form of the poem, charmingly evoking the mood of the the first movement for Western texture, and form. Novo Odo remains text. Haiku is also unpublished. instruments in this tuning is unpublished. juxtaposed against the Peace Piece One, an "Invocation unaccompanied bass introduction in Haiku was written in 1968 and for the Health of all Beings," was just intonation. dedicated to William Erlendson. It completed March 14, 1968, in Aptos, The first movement is suggestive of was first performed at a "private California. After the assassination of serial composition (the opening vocal evening" in Berkeley in the same Martin Luther King on April 4, it melody presents the pitches ])1/ G E year, with the composer playing was dedicated to his memory. At its C GIl A FiI D F before repeating any shiao1o , and was later programmed premiere on August 17, 1968, at the pitches), but does not follow strict­ on a semi-formal concert at San Jose Cabrillo Festival with Gerhard style twelve-tone writing. Instead, it State University. It is a setting of a Samuel conducting, all three Peace utilizes a compositional device Haiku by Kay Davis, scored for Pieces were performed, with the first Harrison calls "interval control," the unison mixed chorus with shiao, repeated at the end of the cycle. selection of certain intervals to be harp, windchimes, and gong. The scoring is for unison chorus in used as material for the melodic It is the only light-hearted secular octaves, trombone, two harps, reed function. A reciting chorus, tone text among Harrison's choral works: organ, strings, and a colorful clusters, and a wide range of of small instrumental effects offer dramatic Boys in sleeping bags woodblock, large triangle, small bell, punctuation of the highly charged feel the different backyard tambourine rattles, two small dance and emotional text (See Example 2). that lives in the night. drums, three suspended garbage cans An imbedded message encoded in the rhythmic equivalents of the International Morse Code appears subliminally in the woodwinds: "Class struggle between church and state was won. Will layman win struggle against military?" The calm of the second movement is in marked contrast to the violence of the first. It is written in the style of Korean court music, with characteristically florid melodic lines for piri and unison men's voices in avery slow tempo. Pak9 and bass drum serve as structural punctuation, marking the phrase sections in colotomic fashion (another Eastern compositional device). The final movement has the distinctive feel of gamelan music in that there is a basic melody played in relatively unadorned manner by certain instruments and embellished in several layers by other instruments, with percussion delineating the form by marking phrases or temporal units. The piece progresses in three movements from chaos to order, conflict to resolution, and discord to consonance, manifested in the move from even temperament quasi­ to modal purity, simplified

May 1992 Page 21

inner tension, desire, and conflict The Mass is scored for unison characteristic melodic and rhythmic inherent in the text. It is set in a voices throughout, with optional style of chant. quasi-serial manner and employs a organ drones and harp figuration in The melodies are generated by single melodic line shared, in turn, by octaves accompanying most of the melodicles - small cells which may tenor and baritone. movements. In a number of ways be combined and recombined in The final song is highly Harrison has adopted the many ways - transposed up or down declamatory in style. Large sections compositional style of traditional the tones of the mode, transformed build in intensity by means of Gregorian settings of the Mass, by retrograde or inversion, joined increasing melodic activity and an particularly the structural form of with each other in various ways, or increase in sonority by the addition of each movement, the manner of solo­ permutated rhythmically while voices and instrumental doublings. choral altematim practice, and the retaining their pitch patterns. In this

The Mass for St. Cecilia's Day was Example 5 Mass for St. Cecilia's Day begun in 1983 in Wellington, New Zealand, and completed in 1986 in Aptos. It is a setting, in eleven JZ]I SANCTuS Ji @ J0i~ "@jil movements, of the Mass Ordinary and Propers for St. Cecilia's Feast SA)-.IC .l'..... )JC.--..I1 .. H· Day, November 22, dedicated to both the Saint Cecilia's Society for the Preservation and Restoration of }! Gregorian Chant and the Peking Opera of Santa Cruz, California. The first public performances took place in a series of concerts on November 18, 20, 22, and 27, 1988, by the Saint Cecilia Society, with Lou Harrison and William Colvig playing harp and organ respectively. GMadrig. cninner • by CrlnfC' Paul Brandvik ~ICJ author of The Compleet Madrigal Dinner Booke

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NEW this year: NOAH AND JQIJ,N OF ARK Call or write for your ERf.E dascrip­ tlve brochure. Join the hundreds who have made these Madrigal Dinners a tradition. knight-shtick press ..---" = original ascending melodicle '--_-', = melodicles involving a third ____ = original descending melodicle ...... -.- = Box 814 Dept. A original pitch order varied Bemidji. MN 56601-0814 -- - -, = related patterns on other pitches Telephone 218-751-2148 A Division of EXTREMELY, LTD. Page 24 CHORAL JOURNAL way the "tune begins in tiny ways The ballet is cast in eight San Jose State for David Rohrbaugh, and grows almost organically, cell movements, five of which employ baritone of the San Francisco Opera. with each other cell."13 This chorus. Most of the choral writing is technique is used to some extent in in the form of unison choral song Recent pieces include A nearly all the choral works (See with percussion accompaniment, a Soediatmoko Set (1989) and Homage Example 5). relatively simple melodic style similar to Pacifica (1991), the latter being an In contour and form, Harrison has to recitative, with a restricted range extended piece for soloists, mixed captured the flavor of medieval and syllabic setting of the text. A chorus, and J avenese gamelan, plainsong mass settings while adding number of choral effects, however, commissioned by KPFA in Berkeley a distinctively fresh color through the are also utilized, including speech for the dedication of their new use of interesting hex atonic modes choir, vocal drones, humming, and broadcast facilities. The work was and accompanying drones. The chance elements, one of few instances written in response to KPFA's Hymn, the only movement to employ of such techniques in Harrison's coverage of what Harrison refers to as a seven-tone mode, is further unique work. Orpheus is unpublished. "Mr. Bush's war in the Middle East" in that it breaks into two-part (the U.S. government's involvement organum of a fashion on the text From 1972 to the present Harrison in the war with Iraq), and is based recounting details of St. Cecilia's life has spent much of his time writing on texts by Mark Twain, Chief and martyrdom. music for gamelan, designing and Seattle, and the composer. The Mass jor St. Cecilia's Day is building instruments with William There are two musical references lovely and moving in its simplicity. It Colvig, lecturing, and concertizing to KPFA and the Pacifica Foundation is published by the composer in an with his gamelan groups. (also housed in the same building) elegant limited edition seriagraph of In traditional gamelan music, the embedded in the work. The text of an equally beautiful autograph. vocal parts are generally part of the the Prelude~sung oy a solo singer in overall texture, the singing at the top Javanese style, incorporates the call Other Works Employing Chorus of that texture. Harrison's songs are letters of all Pacifica stations, along with the names of the cities from The Political Primer was an early written in this manner and range which they broadcast. The second is project begun in 1951 that remains from small pieces for friends to a rhythmic configuration of the incomplete. It was planned to be a larger, more extended works. One of Morse Code equivalents of the letters large-scale oratorio in three sections the latter is Scenes from Cavafy KPFA in the First Interlude. Homage based on three political patterns, with (1979-80) for voices and gamelan. to Pacifica, like his earlier original texts in both English and This work was composed while at Esperanto. Some of these recitatives were finished and survive to this day. Other "great mountains" of music also exist, some of which have been PRESBYTERIAN incorporated into other things. Parts of the Second (the Elegiac) and Third ASSOCIATION symphonies, for example, use OF material from the overtures. MUSICIANS Harrison's ballet Orpheus (for the Singer to the Dance), dedicated "to Offering for the Church Musician Francis Thorne with grateful pleasure," was composed in 1969 at • Quarterly Journal-Reformed Liturgy and the request of a fellow faculty Music-Guidelines for Churches Seeking to member at San Jose State University, Anthony Cirone, also a percussionist Employ Musicians. with the San Francisco Symphony. It • Referral Service for Churches and Musicians. was first performed at San Jose State • Worship and Music Conferences throughout the in the same year as part of a concert U.S. to welcome Harrison to the • Worship and Music Resources for Presbyteries. University. The work is an adaptation of Membership open to all persons involved in church Harrison's earlier percussion work music. Labyrinth #3 (1941), with text from Robert Duncan's" A Set of Romantic For information contact: Hymns," a colorful, expressive, and sometimes sensual and erotic text. Orpheus is scored for tenor solo The Presbyterian Association of Musicians and large SA TB chorus with a large 1000 E. Morehead Street percussion ensemble distributed Charlotte, NC 28204 among 15 players.

May 1992 Page 25 instrumental composition Pacijika Foundation and premiered at the Compositional Influences Rondo (1963), reaffirms Harrison's California Institute of Technology in commitment both to the cultures of 1971. Young Caesar was reworked in This entire body of literature is tbe Pacific and to pacifism, and 1988 on a commission from the interesting, colorful, and diversified, exemplifies the hybridization of styles Portland Gay Men's Chorus to and reflects Harrison's interests at and instrumentation inherent in his include choruses, in addition to various times of his life. Harrison's style. recitatives and arias, spoken music emerges from his study, dialogues, stage movement, and personal associations and experiences, Young Caesar was written in dance. It was performed in Portland beliefs, affinities, and cultural 1970-71 on a libretto by Robert on April 10, 1988, directed by Ric sensitivities. "It's never enough," he Gordon. In its original form it was a Young, with the virtuosi DelIo Rosa says, "just to know your own musical puppet oper.a inspired by the Asian Players directed by Robert Hughes. tradition. There's so much out there tradition of puppet theater and The chorus, though often present in the world; there's no reason to put composed for friends. It was intended on stage, sings relatively little music, on blinders."14 for five singers, five instrumentalists, all of it generally short and not His interest in just intonation, and five puppeteers. The singers took complex. The chorus music serves to sparked by the writings and work of all the many roles and the comment on the stage action, set the Harry Partch, is evident in the Four instrumentalists played 50-75 scene, or reinforce the mood. Dressed Strict Songs, A Joyous Processional instruments of European and East all in black, the chorus is also utilized and a Solemn Procession, Haiku, Asian extraction and ones constructed to change scenes and to suggest Peace Piece One, La Koro Sutro, and by William Colvig. A version for solo settings, functioning from time to Mass for St. Cecilia's Day. voices, speakers, and Western time as litter-bearers, banner-carriers, His life-long interest in percussion instruments was arranged by Kerry trees, and oarsmen aboard ship. instruments is manifested in his Lewis and is available from Peer In its newly-staged version, the colorful use of percussion in Nova Southern Concert Music. visual and aural aspects of the work Odo, Peace Piece One, La Koro Young Caesar was commissioned combine to produce an interesting, Sutro, and Orpheus. for the Encounters concert series in entertaining, and absorbing theater From his work with dancers, Los Angeles by the Judith S. Thomas piece. Harrison gained an interest in rhythmic structure, recurrent patterns, ostinatos, form, and grace, all evident in all his works for chorus. Henry Cowell's influence is evident in Harrison's insatiable interest and delight in "world music" and, compositionally, in his use of melodicles and rhythmic controls. Micro Music TAP Master & PITCH Master The Mass for St. Cecilia's Day is an The TAP Master system develops music reading skills and rhythm especially good example of the So ftw are performance ability in students of all ages. It teaches rhythms in a natural 'brary musical setting, through a carefully-developed sequence of exercises. intricate manipulation of melodicles Ll Three levels of lesson tapes are available. to produce extended melodies. The most comprehensive system teaches basic pitch and intonation library of music teaching sight-reading skills to a fine edge. Students From Schoenberg, Harrison software for the most perform exercises along with recorded musical learned clarity of texture, evident in accompaniment. As with the TAP Master, widely used music instant aural and visual feedback all his choral music, and serial Sk,tch the S,,', teaching computer. motivates students and keeps technique, a limited implementation These more than 50 intensely interactive them aware of their progress programs feature student record keeping, and success. Three series of which is evident in the second of Individual study guides, and networking of tap'es develop pitch capability. Optional Master Musician Curriculum recogmtion, sensation of the Three Songs and in paragrafos Guide helps teachers effectively combine correct intonation, pitch three and six of La Koro Sutro. He . d"d I . tit . t d memory in a tonal center, In IVI ua programs In 0 a comp e e musIc s u y and music reading skills. program. also credits his exposure of Adolph Weiss' methods of varying a musical MUSICPRlNTEltPwS4.0 motive to Schoenberg. The Musician's tool for the 90's John Cage's influence is evident in Stunningly fast and easy to use, MusicPrinter Plus 4.0 is a tool for Musicians, who don't the borrowing of "Mr. Cage's Square have to be computer experts. Just use the computer keyboard, mouse, or any MIDI controller Root Form" as the structural basis for to enter notes directly on the screen in standard musical notation. Intuitive and natural, it's faster than pencil and paperl the Four Strict Songs and, perhaps, Print scores of any size with outstanding graphic quality in the use of "chance" techniques in on a wide variety of common printers; instantly transpose Orpheus. and extract individual parts; play expressive MIDI Harrison's love of Asian music and performances directly from musical notation - no special coding required. culture began early in his childhood From coursework to music assignments to and was nurtured throughout his life. Temporal Acuity Products, Inc creative composing to professional recording 300 - 120th Avenue N.E., Bldg 1, Bellevue, WA 98005 and beyond, MusicPrinter Plus 4.0 is truly the His study in Asia in 1961 and his (800) 426-2673 • (206) 462-1007 musicians tool for the 90's. extended world tour in 1983 further contributed to his exposure to and

Page 26 CHORAL JOURNAL enthusiasm for East Asian musical heightened expressiveness and clarity Gardner, Patrick G. "La Koro Sutro tradition and culture. This influence that is worth the effort. by Lou Harrison: Historical is increasingly apparent in his choral Although these works may not be Perspective, Analysis, and music, beginning with A Joyous suitable for all choruses, programs, or Performance Considerations." . Processional and a Solemn environments, their skillful Unpublished DMA Dissertation, Processional (1962), the first choral craftsmanship, musical sensitivity, University of Texas at Austin, piece written after his study in Asia. and sensual beauty should be 1981. The works that follow incorporate explored by conductors open to new Harrison, Lou. Lou Harrison's Music Asian instruments and ornamentation challenges. Lou Harrison's music for Primer. New York: C. F. Peters (Nova Odo) and pentatonic modes chorus is simple but not easy, Corporation, 1971. (Peace Piece One, La Koro Sutro, complex but not complicated. It is Rathbun, Virginia Madison. "Lou and his earlier work, the Four Strict music that conductor, performer, and Harrison and His Music." Songs). Harrison's most recent passion listener of diverse cultures can grow Unpublished MA thesis, San for gamelan composition, to love - a body of literature that Jose State University, 1976. construction, and performance also justly deserves study and Rorem, Ned. "Harrison, Lou." The has Eastern origins. performance. New Grove Dictionary oj Music Harrison's early exposure to and Musicians. London: Chinese opera and his view of it as Selected Bibliography MacMillan Press, Ltd. 1980, "complete musical theater," coupled Vol. 8. with an interest in Javanese puppet Baker, Don Russell. "The Percussion Rutman, Neil Clark. "The Solo Piano theater, resulted in the composition of Ensemble Music of Lou Works of Lou Harrison." the two versions of Young Caesar. Harrison: 1939-1942." Unpublished DMA Dissertation, His interest in early music is Unpublished DMA Dissertation, Peabody Conservatory of Music, evident in his setting of traditional University of Illinois, 1985. 1983. forms in the Mass jor St. Cecilia's Brunner, David Lee. "The Choral Day and imitation of conductus style Music of Lou Harrison." Choral Discography in the second paragrafo of La Koro Unpublished DMA Dissertation, Sutro. His interest in Indian cultures University of Illinois, 1989. Mass to St. Anthony of the American Southwest is evident Doty, David B. "The Lou Harrison New York Concert Choir and in the "making-things-right" Navajo Interview." 111, The Quarterly Orchestra, conducted by songs (the Four Strict Songs), and the Journal oj the Just Intonation Margaret Hillis. California Mission period in the Network, Vol. 3, No.2 (Spring Epic LC3307. "rhythmitized chant style" of the 1987), 1-15. Four Strict Songs Mass to St. Anthony. Garland, Peter, ed. A Lou Harrison Members of the Southern The result of this life-long study Reader. Santa Fe: Soundings Baptist Theological Seminary and cross-cultural interest is an opus Press, 1987. Choir and Louisville Orchestra, that is exceedingly interesting, refreshing, and imaginative. In all of Harrison's works one senses the essence of the composer's approach to Toronto music and life: "Cherish, conserve, consider, create."15 Children's Harrison's choral music is singable and accessible to a great many Chorus choruses, yet poses some challenges, Jean Ashworth Bartle, Founder / Music Director notably in the use of just intonation and modes to which many ears may Complete Three-Day be unaccustomed. The fact that most CHORAL CONDUCTOR'S WORKSHOP of the writing is in unison or two­ at Appleby College, Oakville, Ontario part, however, simplifies the task, Monday, August 31, 4:00 p.m. Thursday, September 3,4:00 p.m. and singers have less difficulty Conducted by Jean Ashworth Bartle * Observe 4 hours of Chorus rehearsal daily adjusting their ears and pitch than * Music Provided * Lecture/Discussion/Open Forum some conductors may expect. * Accommodation and Meals included * Recreation Accompanying forces in the just REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 12, 1992 intonation pieces wisely consist of Enrolment limited to 20 persons on a instruments that can accommodate "first come, first served" basis the tuning: strings, harps, trombones, REGISTRATION FEE .... $374.50 (Includes Goods & Services Tax) piano, reed organ, and a variety of (Canadian funds only) percussion instruments. The process For information and application form please contact the Chorus office: of "retuning" the ear to pure intervals 931 College Street, Toronto Ontario M6H JA1 - Tel: (416) 516-3722, of mathematical ratios may take some Fax: (416) 516-3724 time. The result, however, is a

May 1992 Page 27 conducted by Robert Whitney. Ashwin Batish of Batish the composer, unless otherwise noted. LOU 582. Records. Produced by Diana 4 Harrison suggests for these a set of "Jadeire" bowls, Fireking Ovenware, La Koro Sutro Moll for Hermes Beard Press, ubiquitous in hardware stores, from large to The Chorus and Chamber 1987. eggcup size, tuned to the piano. When not in Chorus of the University of Mass jor St. Cecilia's Day use during concert, these should be covered California at Berkeley, directed Gloria Musicae directed by with Saranwrap to avoid evaporation and so by , 1988. David L. Brunner. To be loss of pitch. They should be played with medium stout dowels. These are examples of New Albion, NA 015 C. released 1992. Harrison's "found instruments," items not Scenes from Cavajy usually associated with a percussion ensemble, David Rohrbaugh, members of Notes employed for their unique or effect. He the Santa Cruz Saint Cecilia has also incorporated garbage cans, flower 1 A tuning system favored by Harrison, pots, crystal glasses, washtubs, and brake Society and the gamelan "Si whereby pure intervals are tuned according to drums into his percussion ensembles. Betty." Manufactured by their mathematical ratios. Justly tuned fifths 5 Lou Harrison, Music Primer (New York: (3/2) are slightly larger than their even­ C. F. Peters Corporation, 1971), p. 10. Georgia State University tempered counterparts, 702 cents as opposed to B Ibid., pp. 10-11. School of Music 700 cents (100 cents equal to one even­ 7 A small, cylindrical oboe from Korea, tempered ). The same holds true for made of bamboo. Presents just minor thirds (6/5), 16 cents larger than S One of the earliest of many instruments the even-tempered minor thirds, and minor sixths Harrison has built or adapted, consisting of an (8/5), 14 cents larger. Justly tuned major thirds upright piano with thumb tacks or drawing 7th Annual (5/4) are smaller than even-tempered major pins driven into the hammers to create a thirds by 14 cents, as are major sixths (5/3) by metallic, percussive quality. 16 cents. Both large and small whole steps and 9 A wooden clapper from Korea, consisting large and small occur in just of six wooden slabs tied together at one end. intonation which are confounded in even­ 10 A vertical notched Chinese flute. tempered theory. A number of other intervals 11 Harrison, Music Primer, p. 28. are also peculiar to just intonation. I. Ibid., p. 29. 2 A stringed instrument, also mown as a 13 Ibid., p. 48. zither, consisting of a flat soundboard over 14 Alan Rich, Liner notes to Lou Harrison's which a number of strings are stretched. They Piano ( NW are plucked with the fingers or a plectrum. 366-2, 1988). 3 All quotations are from conversations with 15 Harrison, Music Primer, pp. 33-34._ Come for a week to the 1992 \c~~ltre Evergreen Music Conference "?~ Week 1. Tuesday, July 7 - Sunday, July 12 Rod Henley John Bertalot, Director of Music, Trinity Church in Princeton Tom Janssen Michael Farris, Chairman of the Organ Department, University of Illinois in Chuck Haley Champaign-Urbana John Haberlen The Very Reverend Charles Kiblinger, Dean of St. John's Cathedral in Denver Moose Smith Dr. Alec Wyton, Chairman of the Department of Church Music, Manhattan /ld~ School of Music in New York John Jacobson Donald Pearson, Organist-Choirmaster, St. John's Cathedral in Denver oned-d~ WlorkshQJ2. Satur a ,Tu y 18 - ~-:;,O Week 2. Tuesday, July 14 - Sunday, July 19 Presented by ;a(Lconard Music Co. The Very Reverend Charles Kiblinger, Dean of St. John's Cathedral in Denver A Fantastic Week James Litton, Director of Music, St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, Direc­ for Students and Directors tor of the American Boy Choir in Princeton Thomas Murray, Yale University Organist in New Haven July 12-17, 1992 Dr. Alec Wyton, Chairman of the Department of Church Music, Manhattan School of Music in New York Three Staff Development Units Donald Pearson, Organist-Choirmaster, St. John's Cathedral in Denver (SDUs) Registration before June 1: $370.00 for each week For more information contact: Division of Continuing Education Registration after June 1: $385.00 for each week Georgia State University Music Packet Fee: $25.00 P.O. Box 4044 Atlanta, Georgia 30302-4044 For More Information Call: The Evergreen Conference Center (303) 674-3525 )j 404/651-3456 or Don Pearson (303) 831-7115 Or Write: The Evergreen Music Conference, P.O. Box 366, Evergreen, CO 80439

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