harrison quote

Hi MMM's,
I was trying to find a quote from Lou Harrison the other day and
couldn't locate it. To give a rough paraphrase, "Don't think of
building instruments... Think of designing an orchestra." The idea
being to plan how the instruments sound together, and not just a
random collection of timbres and tunings. Can anyone help me out
with the quote and the source?
thanks
kp

Kris,

{you wrote...}
>Hi MMM's,
>I was trying to find a quote from Lou Harrison the other day...

I don't know that one, but I thought I'd share with the list this from Harrison's "Music Primer":

"Making an instrument is one of music's greatest joys. Indeed, to make an instrument is in some strong sense to summon the future. It is, as Robert Duncan has said of composing, "A volition. to seize from the air its forms". Almost no pleasure is to be compared with the first tones, tests, and perfections of an instrument one has just made. Nor are all instrument invented and over with, so to speak. The world is rich with models - but innumerable forms, tones, and powers await their summons from the mind and hand. Make an instrument - you will learn more in this way than you can imagine".

Lou, whatta a human...

Cheers,
Jon

Kris!
The idea is implied in his ITEM. Xenharmonikon 7&8. too long to quote

kpeck77 wrote:

> Hi MMM's,
> I was trying to find a quote from Lou Harrison the other day and
> couldn't locate it. To give a rough paraphrase, "Don't think of
> building instruments... Think of designing an orchestra." The idea
> being to plan how the instruments sound together, and not just a
> random collection of timbres and tunings. Can anyone help me out
> with the quote and the source?
> thanks
> kp
>
>
> [MMM info]-------------------------------------------------------
> More music files from MMM are at http://www.microtonal.org/music/
> -------------------------------------------------------[MMM info]
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria island
http://www.anaphoria.com

The Wandering Medicine Show
Wed. 8-9 KXLU 88.9 fm

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@a...> wrote:
> Kris!
> The idea is implied in his ITEM. Xenharmonikon 7&8. too long to
quote
>

Kraig!
Hmmm. I don't have that one. Oh well. I thought there was a nice
pithy quote that summed it up, but I can't remember where I would
have read it. I love that quote Jon posted though.
kp

I'll send a PDF in the next day or so! don't tell John Chalmers!!!
:-)

kpeck77 wrote:

> --- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@a...> wrote:
> > Kris!
> > The idea is implied in his ITEM. Xenharmonikon 7&8. too long to
> quote
> >
>
> Kraig!
> Hmmm. I don't have that one. Oh well. I thought there was a nice
> pithy quote that summed it up, but I can't remember where I would
> have read it. I love that quote Jon posted though.
> kp
>
>
> [MMM info]-------------------------------------------------------
> More music files from MMM are at http://www.microtonal.org/music/
> -------------------------------------------------------[MMM info]
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria island
http://www.anaphoria.com

The Wandering Medicine Show
Wed. 8-9 KXLU 88.9 fm

http://www.anaphoria.com/lou.gif
OK here is page 1 for all!
-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria island
http://www.anaphoria.com

The Wandering Medicine Show
Wed. 8-9 KXLU 88.9 fm

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@a...> wrote:
> I'll send a PDF in the next day or so! don't tell John Chalmers!!!
> :-)

My lips are sealed!

KG,

{you wrote...}
> http://www.anaphoria.com/lou.gif
>OK here is page 1 for all!

You are a sweet thing, you know...

Thanks for that - if there is anyone who hasn't encountered Lou's calligraphy, well, it is just another facet of his artful life...

Cheers,
Jon