Lou Harrison
With Vivian Perlis
Aptos, CA.
March 24, 1970
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side a pp. 1-19
First meeting with Ives--making first contact with Ives--childhood background (education, family)--acquaintance and study with Cowell--beginning of own study in composition--first letter to Ives--Ives sends his music to Harrison--first performance of Ives sonata (specifically, Emerson and Concord) and reaction to--other new performances by various artists--moves to New York City--work with Lester Horton and Melissa Blake Lewitzky--introduced to Peter Yates and wife Frances--Frances Mullen plays entire Concord--return to own composing and work on Ives's manuscripts--partnership with Masselos--work on Ives's manuscripts--study with Schoenberg--influence of Cowell.
Side b pp. 19-36
Preliminary until p. 3--meeting with Radiana Pazmor--concerts for the New Music Society--Ives and opera--working with Masselos--"excavating" Ives's manuscripts--concert with Masselos and Franz Kline at Black Mountain--Wolpe--stay at Black Mountain--publishing own music--work with Cage--composing DoubleMusic--percussion instruments‑Varèse--Cowell's influence with percussion--acquaintance with Varèse--Olive Cowell--Sunday afternoon concerts with the Cowells--teaching at UCLA--work in the dance department--Chinese theatre.
Side c pp. 36-53
Involvement in Chinese theatre and music at any early age--early record manufacturing--early experience with Indian music--culmination of early influences on his art--suffering in New York--exclusivity vs. inclusivity--working for the Trib--meeting with Minna Lederman and John Cage--meeting with Virgil Thomson--Carl Ruggles and his music--comparison of Ives and Ruggles--meeting Ruggles and wife--introducing Ruggles and Thomson--finishing the "War March"---Ives's reactions to Harrison's editing--Harrison's spiritual vision of Ives--invitation to Ives's for luncheon--going to the luncheon.
Side d pp. 53-74
Continuation of luncheon with Ives--performance of the Third Symphony--with the New York Little Symphony--Bernard Herrmann's complaints about that performance--Harrison's article on Mahler and Ives--"think" pieces for Minna Lederman--copying parts for Third Symphony--conflict with the New York Little Symphony--an acetate of this performance--the success of the Third Symphony--Ives's pleasure at the news of success--the Pulitzer Prize--Ives' gives half the prize to Harrison to help him in his music--Ives's recommendation prize of Harrison to the National Institute of Arts and Letters--work on the Second Sonata and other works--Harrison's breakdown--other artists performing the Third Symphony--the tack piano--Harrison's interest in instruments--collaboration with Bill Colvig--Harrison working on his puppet opera.
Lou Harrison
with Vincent Plush
Aptos, California
May 16, 1983
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side f pp. 1‑ 24
Childhood memories in Portland, Oregon and California‑‑first piano and dancing lessons‑‑first experiments in making instruments‑‑first compositions‑‑the Depression‑‑Otis Carrington and singing‑‑study with Howard Cooper‑‑6 Cembalo Sonatas‑‑Gregorian chant training‑‑Chinese opera‑‑ Henry Cowell‑‑New Music Edition‑‑incidental music to Peter Pan.
Side g: pp. 24‑46
New Music Resources by Henry Cowell‑‑quarter tones‑‑Cowell's writings as introduction to Ives' music‑‑Ives' Emerson Sonata‑‑Ives' Third Symphony‑‑on faculty at Mills 1936‑‘39‑‑list of works 1936‑‘40--The Trojan Women performed by San Francisco Symphony, Pierre Monteux conductor‑‑job as record clerk‑‑ Schoenberg concert by New Music Society‑‑first published works‑‑list of works‑‑protest music‑ Concerto no. 1 for Flute and Percussion‑‑Esperanto‑‑Three Sonatas for Piano-‑interval controls‑‑ Mass‑‑first meeting with John Cage‑‑list of works from early 1940s‑‑Fugue‑‑Double Music—Labyrinth-‑prepared piano 1940‑41‑‑Schoenberg's teaching in seminar.
Side h: pp. 46‑68
Meeting Aaron Copland‑‑living in New York writing reviews‑‑Paul Bowles' method of "field composition"‑‑first encounter with Virgil Thomson in New York‑‑Thomson's influence‑‑Gertrude Stein‑‑Peggy Glanville‑-Hicks‑‑completing Ives' scores They are There; First Piano Sonata‑‑conducting Ives' Third Symphony‑‑At the Tomb of Charles Ives‑‑editor of New Music Quarterly‑‑Marriage at the Eiffel Tower‑‑mayor LaGuardia‑Carl Ruggles' Evocations‑‑Praises for Michael the Archangel‑‑ Alleluia‑‑Schoenbergiana‑-String Suites‑‑Simfony in Free Style ‑meeting Harry Partch‑‑interest in early European music‑‑grant from American Academy of Arts and Letters‑‑breakdown in New York‑ ‑Reed College and works written at this time‑‑tack piano‑‑works from 1949 in New York‑‑Black Mountain College, 1951‑‑Guggenheim awards‑‑Rapunzel‑‑Political Primer.
Side i: pp. 68‑91
Political analysis‑‑Peace Pieces‑‑Four Strict Songs-‑firefighter in '56‑‑working in animal hospital in '57‑‑Concerto for Violin and Percussion Orchestra‑‑Rockefeller grant and travels to Asia‑ William Colvig‑‑Concerto in Slendro‑‑University of Hawaii‑‑Pacifika Rondo‑‑instrument building‑‑ gamelan in English‑speaking countries‑-Music Primer‑‑Heart Sutra and various works‑‑Organ Concerto‑‑Jeptha's Daughter-‑Carlos Chávez‑‑medieval rhythmic modes‑‑Young Caesar‑‑film writing‑‑Javanese gamelan
-‑Pak Chokro.
Side j: pp. 91‑105
Pak Chokro‑‑1973 at Mills College‑‑Milhaud‑‑gamelan at Mills‑‑New Zealand tour on Fullbright grant‑‑Third Symphony--String Quartet Set of 1979—Scenes from Cavafy--possibility of writing a piano concerto‑‑"retirement"—archives-‑comments on American music‑‑views of the East coast‑‑Pacifica vs. Atlantica‑Ives' influence on American music‑‑The Heavens and Earth‑‑American music's differences from European traditional music‑‑California's role in the experimental tradition.
AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES 38 o-r
Lou Harrison
with Vivian Perlis
New York City
March 22, l997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side o pp. 1-19
Attempting a definition of American music--The composer as craftsman--”West Coast vs. East Coast” music, different influences, different qualities--Geographical connections--Access to other musics--Influence on Harrison of popular American music--William Russell--Rudy Blesh and Shining Trumpets--Tack Piano--Uptown and downtown composers--New York, noise and silence--4’33” with Sign accompaniment--American Sign and Harrison’s experiences with it--Harrison’s way of composing--How a work begins--Concerto for P’ip’a--Order of compositional decisions--The most difficult, most joyful parts of composing--Compositional changes--Making a “kit” for the performers.”
Side p pp. 19-28
Pitched and rhythmic ‘kits’--Arriving at the final version of a piece--Fourth Symphony--Recognition--Commissions--Working with Notebooks--Influence of Cowell and Partch--Why Harrison is drawn to music of other cultures--His study of Buddism--Acceptance of homosexuality--How repression of this had affected his music--Young Caesar--Getaway house --Books and transcriptions from Korea--Hybrids--Building Gamelans--Mantle Hood--Dance--Lester Horton and other dancers--Strike--Work with Yo-Yo Ma.
Side q pp. 28- 58
The commissioned work for sangen--Considerations and problems: modes, other instruments, etc.--Use of estampie form--P’ip’a concerto with Wu Man--modes used--upcoming premiere--Bob McDuffy and the Suite For Violin With An American Gamelan --The birthday program: The First Piano Concerto, The Marriage of the Eiffel Tower Suite--Projects to be completed: Korean works, and the opera--Rapunzel, the first opera--Young Caesar--puppetry--The Red Gate Shadow Players--Copland’s puppet music--Concert of piano music with Michael Boriskin--Connection with the San Francisco symphony--Organ and percussion piece--La koro sutro--Oxygen tanks--Piano concerto with Keith Jarrett--Tuning used--Publishers--Forming your own house.
Side R pp. 58-68
The Ives Room in Harrison’s house--The collection of instruments there--Alan Hovhaness, Harrison’s connection with him--Terry Short--Leo Ornstein--Harrison’s interest in Mexico--His likes and dislikes in Western European music--First Suite For Strings--Evaluation of some composers as musicians and as people.
AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES 38 s-v
Lou Harrison
Dennis Russell Davies
With Vivian Perlis
MacDowell Colony
August 20, 2000
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side s pp. 1-19
Receiving the MacDowell colony medal--American gamelan movement--Bahasa Indonesia language--Fourth Symphony: Indonesian influences and pitch organization--Ives’ influence--revising the Third Symphony--revising after hearing his works performed--Symphony on G--more on revising--new musician-copyist--designing fonts--poetry writing stopped at this time--Book: Poems and Pieces--scientific interests--poem “The Path at West Holding”--Bill Colvig--wish to do woodblock illustrations--Carter Scholz; his story in Kafkamerica--Rhymes with Silver--Mark Morris--writing for Yo-Yo Ma--John Cage’s Suite of Dances--Joan Jeanrenaud--three movement sonata for harpsichord--Harrison opera in progress: Young Caesar.
Side t pp. 19-30
Story of Young Caesar--memorial service for Bill Colvig--Homage to Pacifica--Dennis Russell Davies--Leo Ornstein’s longevity--book on the history of Korean music--page with drawings of Korean figures: the Confucian birthday party--influence of Henry Cowell--teaching gamelan--Pak Cokro.
Side u pp. 30-52
Transmission of gamelan repertoire through oral tradition--description of gamelan repertoire--getaway house--meeting Dennis Russell Davies--performance of Symphony on G--Cabrillo Festival--staying at Lou Harrison’s; the instruments--Charles Ives; his Third Symphony--James Sinclair--Davies’ attraction to Harrison’s music--instrumentation--Grand Duo--orchestra’s appreciation of Harrison’s music--Harrison’s opera--Nixon in China--Expansion of ideas, feelings, abilities due to work with Davies--promoting Harrison’s music--Piano Concerto--Suite for Violin, Piano and Small Orchestra--Symphony on G--European orchestras and American contemporary music--Robert Beaser’s Choral Variations--P’i-p’a Concerto.
Side v pp. 52-59
D.R. Davies professional engagements--Cabrillo Festival--ACO--variety of styles in America--Terry Riley and Philip Glass--Glass’ The Light--Riley’s In C--Harrison’s opera--Bill T. Jones.