Lou Harrison, Gending Alexander

Dublin Core

Title

Lou Harrison, Gending Alexander

Subject

Gamelan
Percussion
Musical notation

Description

American composer Lou Harrison's Gending Alexander, a work for Javanese gamelan ensemble, was first performed April 22-24, 1981 at the University of Delaware. Below is the score for the piece, written in kepathian notion - though traditionally, gamelan compositions are passed down orally.

Geolocation: The Indonesian island of Java, the gamelan tradition of which greatly inspired Harrison and his work (as did the related tradition of the nearby island of Bali).

Creator

Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003

Source

Lou Harrison. Gending Alexander = Pel.. Barang.
Music manuscripts, sketches, poetry, and drawings, 1945-1991. Ms. Coll. 132.

Date

Premiered in 1981; acquired in 2010

Relation

"Gending Alexander," performed by Gamelan Si Betty on a 1992 recording (YouTube)

Format

Holograph score

Files

Collection

Classical Music

Citation

Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003, “Lou Harrison, Gending Alexander,” Treasures of the Loeb Music Library, accessed August 8, 2026, https://treasures.harvardmusiclib.share.library.harvard.edu/items/show/8.