Lou Harrison

Lou Harrison (1917-2003) was the quintessential California composer, blending Western music with Pacific rim cultures, Asian, and other indigenous influences; investigating alternative tuning systems; and building an Indonesian gamelan out of spare parts. Friend to John Cage and Harry Partch and student of Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, Harrison permanently settled in Northern California after an attempt to make it in New York City failed in 1947. Harrison's enormous body of work is regarded as an important whole, rather than for its few repertory "hits" such as Harrison's Canticle No. 3 (1942). Harrison's work for percussion ensemble is considered central to the literature.