Recording Review

Lou Harrison: Complete Harpsichord Works. Music for Tack Piano and Fortepiano in Historic and Experimental Tunings. A Sonata for Harpsichord. Village Music. Six Sonatas for Cembalo. Incidental Music for Corneille's "Cinna." A Summerfield Set. Earlier Works for Solo Keyboard (Triphony, A Twelve-tone Morning After to Amuse Henry, Largo Ostinato). Linda Burman- Hall, solo keyboards (French double harpsichord, Spanish single harpsichord, fortepiano, tack piano). Liner notes by Lou Harrison, Linda Burman- Hall, and William Slye. 2002. New Albion Records NA117CD.

Lou Harrison (1917-2003) was well known for his intercultural and experimentalist explorations into unconventional media, from the Javanese gamelan to the American percussion orchestra he pioneered with John Cage. Even so, his prolific and long career left plenty of room for the keyboard, and it is heartening to be able to hear these often-overlooked works on several new CDs, but especially this one by Linda Burman-Hall on New Albion Records. Harrison's keyboard works are especially significant in those instances in which he has used them to explore his other well-known preoccupation—alternatives to twelve-tone equal temperament.