Concerto for Violin and Percussion Orchestra (Harrison)

Lou Harrison

General Info

Year: 1959
Duration: c. 20:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: PetersCF
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Movements

Movement 1: Allegro maestoso
Movement 2: Largo: Cantabile
Movement 3: Allegro vigoroso, poco presto

Instrumentation

Solo

Violin

Ensemble

Player I: Metal pipes(6)
Player II: Auto brake drums(6)
Player III: Coffee cans(6), maracas, suspended cymbals(2), clock coil chimes(2)
Player IV: Gongs(3), tam tam, metal wash tubs 2)
Player V: Bass drum, contrabass viol, snare drum

Program Notes

This work, though it is more immediately a romantic one and was noticeably inspired by the Berg Violin Concerto, nonetheless finds its solid groundwork and foundation in world music. It is among many of my compositions which follow the pattern of having a single melodic part accompanied (or enhanced) by rhythmic percussion, whether with or without additional drone. The model is, of course, world-wide. This is the standard usage in India, in Islam, in Sinitic folk (if not in the cultivated) music of Africa - and where not else?

The use of a modern European instrument as soloist, the mixture of "junk" instruments with standard ones in the percussion section, and the employment of romantic concerto form constitute the only novelties, from the world point of view. Quite full sketches of this Koncherto (the international language approved by UNESCO ) were made in 1940. In 1959 my friend Anahid Ajemin offered to premiere a completed version and I succeeded in readying it for her concert of that year. Subsequently the work has had multiple performances by Eudice Shapiro. For those who share my how-to-do-it interests, allow me to explain the most interesting feature of the solo part. From the beginning to the end of the composition, the violin plays only three melodic intervals: the minor second, the major third, and the major sixth - even the beginnings of phrases are connected to their predecessors by one of these intervals. From any tone, then, the compositional choice was one out of six possible ones. This method of "interval controls" I first conceived in the middle 1930s and have used in many works. It is, of course, a good way, other than Schoenberg's "12-tone System" with which to compose predominantly chromatic music.

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

A Tribute to Charon (Passage throught Darkness/Counterdance in Spring) - Percussion Trio
Ariadne - Solo Percussion and Flute acc.
Beverly's Troubadour Piece - Percussion and Harp
Bomba (Harrison) - Percussion Quintet
Canticle No. 1 - Percussion Quintet
Canticle No. 3 - Percussion Quartet; Ocarina; Guitar (6 Players)
Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra - Percussion Octet; Organ, Piano
Concerto for Violin and Percussion Orchestra - Percussion Quintet, Violin
Double Fanfare - Percussion Ensemble 12 - Harrison/Cirone
Double Music - Percussion Quartet - Cage/Harrison
Fifth Simfony - Percussion Quartet
First Concerto - Percussion Duo and Flute
Fugue - Percussion Quartet
In Praise of Johnny Appleseed (for Dance and Percussion) - Percussion Trio; Flute; Dancer
Labyrinth No. 3 - Percussion Ensemble (11)
Orpheus - for the Singer to the Dance - Percussion Ensemble (15); Solo Voice; Chorus
Serenade - Percussion; Guitar
Simfony No. 13 - Percussion Quartet
Suite - Percussion Quintet
Suite No. 1 - Percussion; Guitar
The Drums of Orpheus - from the ballet "Orpheus"
The Song of Queztecoatl - Percussion Quartet