I've heard Indonesian gamelan music on numerous recordings over the years, but never had the chance to hear one live before Saturday night in Kitchener, where Toronto's Evergreen Club Gamelan played a program of works by contemporary composers that make use of the battery of metallic bowls, rods and gongs. John Cage was represented with a pair of cerebral, almost dissonant pieces; Canadian composer Gordon Monahan presented a world premiere that incorporated prepared piano. But, the western composer most closely identified with the gamelan was Lou Harrison, whose lyrical, hypnotic music resonated throughout the sanctuary of St. John the Evangelist Church. Most memorable was the piece with which Evergreen closed the program, "Ibu Trish," which Harrison wrote for them as a sketch in 1989. Apparently, the sketch was so limited that they didn't perform it in concert until four years later, after Harrison personally showed them how to play it.
After the ringing, clamorous piece ended, I snuck up to the stage and spotted a copy of of the sheet music. Printed on a single page, it had Harrison's signature and date at the bottom, along with the following inscription: "Dear Andrew, This should prove no problem, I think. All best from Lou." (More pics below.)