Composer

:

Lou Harrison

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Suite

Compose Date

:

1972 - 2000

Average_duration

:

10:41

Lou Harrison's Suite No. 2 for guitar is a four-movement work composed in 1974. The piece was premiered by guitarist David Tanenbaum in 1975. The first movement, "Prelude," is a slow and contemplative piece that sets the tone for the rest of the suite. The second movement, "Stampede," is a lively and energetic piece that features fast and intricate fingerpicking. The third movement, "Threnody," is a mournful and melancholic piece that showcases the guitar's ability to convey emotion. The final movement, "Jig," is a lively and upbeat piece that brings the suite to a joyful conclusion. One of the most notable characteristics of Harrison's Suite No. 2 for guitar is its use of just intonation tuning. This tuning system, which is based on the natural harmonic series, allows for more pure and resonant intervals than the standard equal temperament tuning used in most Western music. Harrison was a proponent of just intonation and used it in many of his compositions. Another characteristic of the suite is its use of non-Western musical influences. Harrison was interested in the music of Asia and incorporated elements of Indian and Indonesian music into his compositions. This can be heard in the use of modal scales and rhythmic patterns in the suite. Overall, Lou Harrison's Suite No. 2 for guitar is a beautiful and unique work that showcases the guitar's versatility and the composer's innovative approach to music.

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