KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Speaking of Music: Lou Harrison & Bill Colvig, 2 of 2

Analog Audio

Event Type

Interview and Music

Origin

KPFA

Identifier

SOM.1989.02.16.B

Program Series

Speaking of Music

Program Length

117 min

Part

2 of 2

Dates

| broadcast
| 1989-02-16 | created

Description

Recorded on February 16, 1989 as part of the San Francisco Exploratorium’s Speaking of Music series, Charles Amirkhanian talks with one of America's most distinguished composers, Lou Harrison, whose use of gamelan instruments and interest in world music helped bring an appreciation of Pacific and Asian music to the United States. William Colvig collaborated with Harrison for many years, building original and gamelan-inspired instruments. The program begins with Eric Marin's film documenting Harrison & Colvig, and continues with excerpts from Harrison's “Piano Concerto” (featuring Keith Jarrett) and "Suite for Violin, Piano and Small Orchestra." The second part of the program includes a demonstration of original instruments by Harrison & Colvig.

Genres

Unconventional instruments
New music

Musical Selections

Suite for Violin and American Gamelan [excerpt] (1974) / Lou Harrison and Richard Dee

Performers

David Abel, violin (Suite)
John Bergamo, conductor (Suite)

Subjects

Unconventional instruments
New music
Musical instrument makers
Gamelan
Gamelan music
Suites (Violin with gamelan)

Related places

San Francisco (Calif.) (was recorded at)
Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)

Related Entities

Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003
Amirkhanian, Charles
Colvig, William, 1917-2000
Abel, David, 1935-
Bergamo, John
Dee, Richard