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Donald Macleod traces the final years for Lou Harrison and his partner William Colvig.

Lou Silver Harrison was an American, multi-faceted composer who died in 2003. In his music he explored a synthesis of Asian and Western influences, just intonation, and writing for percussion ensemble. He also involved himself in the arts as a performer, dancer, instrument maker, critic, puppeteer, poet, painter and much more. Harrison’s interest in Asian cultures began when he was very young, and remained a significant influence on his work for the rest of his life. He enjoyed working with Gamelan percussion and instruments from Korea or China. With his partner William Colvig, Harrison also made his own instruments including an American Gamelan, for which he composed multiple works. Harrison took lessons with Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, and also collaborated with John Cage in exploring the possibilities of percussion ensembles. His career as a composer developed in the world of dance and theatre, supplementing his income as a critic and, later, as a teacher.

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

Pipa Concerto
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

Produced by Luke Whitlock