Whole World of Music: A Henry Cowell Symposium / Edition 1

by David Nicholls

Overview

It is impossible to contain Henry Cowell within the boundaries of the consistencies of forms, styles, ensembles, and genres of Western art music. John Cage once described Cowell as the open sesame for new music in America. Of the thousand or so works catalogued by William Lichtenwanger, the majority are formally innovative single movement vocal or instrumental pieces, although there are 20 symphonies, five string quartets, and 8 suites of various kinds. Cowell was also innovative in his use of instruments from different cultures (jalatarang, dragonmouths, Japanese wind glasses, the shakuhachi flute) and in this book, Lou Harrison writes of Cowell's adventurous promotion of automobile junkyards for the finding of new sounds. In addition, Cowell was a tireless advocate of new music in the West, and Musics from other cultures worldwide, as a teacher, lecturer, publisher, and performer. He founded New Music Quarterly in 1927, wrote the influential book Ne In this major book of articles

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789057550034
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/23/1998
Series:	Contemporary Music Studies
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David Nicholls trained as an actor before making the switch to writing. He is the author of two previous novels—Starter For Ten and The Understudy. He has also written many screenplays for film and television, including the feature film adaptation of Starter For Ten. He lives in London. 


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Henry Cowell, David Nicholls; Part 1 Music; Chapter 2 "Worlds of Ideas", Steven Johnson; Chapter 3 The Hymns and Fuguing Tunes, Wayne D. Shirley; Part 2 Two Personal Views; Chapter 4 Henry Cowell, Composer of Music, William Lichtenwanger; Chapter 5 Learning from Henry, Lou Harrison; Part 3 Words; Chapter 6 Subversive Prophet, Kyle Gann;

Editorial Reviews

I have never deliberately concerned myself with developing a distinctive "personal" style, but only with the excitement and pleasure of writing music as beautifully, as warmly, and as interestingly as I can.

Henry Cowell

"I have never deliberately concerned myself with developing a distinctive "personal" style, but only with the excitement and pleasure of writing music as beautifully, as warmly, and as interestingly as I can." -- Henry Cowell

From the Publisher