Lou Harrison, Main Bersama-Sama

Lou Harrison, Main Bersama-Sama (Playing Together) 1978, Gamelan Sekar Kembar, with French horn soloist, Scott L. Hartman. For this recording, he set the valves of his instrument into a special pattern which produces the tuning of the gamelan. The Gamelan Sekar Kembar (Paired Flowers, or Matched Melodies) is a bronze Gamelan Degung imported from Bandung, West Java (Sunda) where it was made.

The visual art includes some Balinese works, with Ubud painters, Balinese Masks - Tumpek Landep, I Nyoman Meja (b. 1952), Acrylic on canvas, and
Legong Dance, Ida Bagus Made, tempera on canvas.
Young artist paintings, The snake tree, I Wayan Pugur, Gouache on paper, and Bali Life, I Gerebig, Oil on canvas, the Batuan painting, The Wheel of Life, I Ketut Murtika (b. 1952), Gouache on canvas.

And now my personal note. For any of us, fortunate to be able to attend any Lou Harrison composition seminar, it was clear from the beginning his profound admiration for the sheer beauty of sound in oriental music. Specifically, he valued the "untempered" scales based on the natural harmonic overtone series as opposed to the "tempered" scales prevalent in western music. He envisioned "just intonation" intervals as universal to all mankind not only on a musical level but as part of a deeper philosophical value. As a teacher, his enthusiasm inspired us all, to think anew, open-up, internalize, and explore, explore, explore..., new ways, unknown directions.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Lou Harrison
• Main Bersama-Sama
• Gamelan Sekar Kembar
• French horn soloist
• Scott L. Hartman.

[tidawilson]

I really love this, I can't even begin to describe how beautiful this is, a beauty transcends. I'm Indonesian, and I am ashamed of myself. And on behalf of my whole generation, I'm sorry to not at least appreciate this kind of music more than we already did with popular music. Thank you Lou Harrison, thank you.

[mangott]

@tidawilson Thank you so much for watching. I'm so glad you enjoyed this piece and I appreciate your taking the time to express how you feel about the music and your appreciation for the beauty of this piece..

[TiaEdwina]

So beautiful. I can listen to it over and over. And I love the art work! Thanks so much!!

[mangott]

@TiaEdwina Thanks so much for watching. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[humanoidismalakian]

I studied some balinese for a while and hated it, but this piece totally changed my outlook on gamelan!

[mangott]

@humanoidismalakian Thanks so much for listening and for your comment. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

[tidawilson]

@MuseDuCafe Oh, thank you very much. Will definitely check it out. Are they available online?

[MuseDuCafe]

@tidawilson You may want to investigate the CD "Golden Rain." David Lewiston traveled with a field recorder, and taped various Gamelon ensembles throughout your land, including one very rousing village 'performance' of the Ketjak - Ramayana Monkey Chant. Some of it is on youtube. I found most of it truly beautiful. Best regards.

[Lakeetris]

its beautiful~

[bmljenny]

Thank you so much Scott for chiming in here! This is one of my absolute favorite pieces of music and I love the imagery of Lou playing like a swaying palm tree. I only ever got to see him live once.