Fugue for percussion

It is not easy to perceive the contrapuntal structure of Fugue by Lou Harrison (1917-2003). Composed in 1941, Fugue is scored for a quartet of percussionists utilizing various traditional and non-traditional instruments. The latter include a flexatone (similar to a musical saw), washtub, and metal coils. Harrison delved deeply into Javanese gamelan, but he was also trained in the latest European avant-garde. Fugue merges contrasting rhythms between various performers with a childlike interest in discovering new timbres. This style is wonderfully attractive, and its simple beauty arose from the context in which Harrison was working at the time. He and friend John Cage were often asked to write music to accompany modern dance productions. Practical limitations—pianos were often unavailable or took up too much room—and the role of choreography combined to suggest an all-percussion orchestra that could provide rhythmic foundation for the gestures of the dance itself.

(c) Jason Stell