Harrison's interest in Asian musics, particularly Korean court music, Cantonese opera, and the tuned percussion of Javanese gamelan, fueled an overriding interest in melody. When interviewed by William Duckworth for the 1995 anthology Talking Music, Harrison stated, "Fundamentally, I'm a melode; I write everything from the melody. Everything. No matter how big a symphonic thing it is, say, or gamelan, or whatever, it's a melody and all the rest is subsidiary to that."
Gamelan Pacifica director Jarrad Powell, who worked extensively with Harrison and has organized a two-night tribute honoring the late composer, recalls that "Lou chose to live outside the musical mainstream or establishment, both stylistically and geographically, living in the small coastal town of Aptos outside Santa Cruz. He was able to be both bohemian and utterly respectful of tradition at the same time. His hunger for knowledge was insatiable, and his range of expertise breathtaking. The miracle of our American precursors like Cage and Harrison is that they gave us this amazing freedom, they severed us from the tyranny of the European lineage, and provided the substance of a musical rebellion that was not frivolous, but was deeply felt, knowledgeable, and spirited." CHRISTOPHER DeLAURENTI
Gamelan Pacifica commemorates the life and music of Lou Harrison Fri-Sat Nov 21-22 at 8 pm (Kerry Hall at Cornish College of the Arts, 710 E Roy St, 325-6500), $6/$12.
