Composing a World is the definitive work on Lou Harrison, the prolific
California composer often cited as one of America's most original and
influential figures. The product of extensive research, including
seventy-five interviews with the composer and those associated with him
over half a century, Composing a World includes chapters on music and
dance, intonation and tuning, instrument building, music criticism,
Harrison's political activism, homosexuality, Asian influences, and
final years.
This edition features an updated catalog of works reflecting
compositions completed after 1997. It also includes an annotated work
list detailing more than 300 compositions and a CD featuring over
seventy-four minutes of illustrative Harrison compositions, including
several unique and previously unrecorded works.
A compelling and deeply human portrait, Composing a World offers an
indispensable study of a beloved musical pioneer.