such a beautiful piece! it's one of so many (earlier) modernist pieces where dissonance is not exaggeratedly negative connotated, but is something joyful, startling, strong; or mysterious, even gentle and lyric. not how people today tend to hear it, as the dull horror-film cliché.

All this wonderful astounding music out there that I never listened to but now have an opportunity.

I hari good fortune to hear Cowell's Madras symphony live when it was performed in Madras I presume for the first time. I was captivated by his music. Here was a man who beautifully combined romantic with modern atonal and dissonant music.

I wish more of Cowell's works were available on-line and played live at Symphony concerts. They are so rich in both classical and modern musical elements and extremely listenable.

Thank you very much for this goldmine of Cowell's works, I would never hear this ethereal music otherwise..spliffin' good imagery too

1. Andantino 00:00 2. Allegro ~ 4:15 3. Lento ~ 7:38 4. Presto ~ 10:55 5. Adagio ~ 14:19 6. Vivace ~ 17:44 7. Andante ~ 19:19

Fine performance by Louisville orchestra and amazing sound from 1954!

Underrated composer

Symphony No. 11 (1953) “Seven Rituals of Music.” About the Symphony, Cowell has written: “There are Seven Rituals of Music in the life of man from birth to death. The Symphony opens gently (Andantino), with music for a child asleep. Before the movement, ends there is a moment’s premonition of grief in the music that will later close the Symphony with a lament. The second is a busy movement (Allegro) with percussion; this is music for the ritual of work, and there is a prophetic hint of war. The third movement (Lento) is a song for the ritual of love, with the premonition of magic. The fourth movement (Presto) is music for the ritual of dance and play, with some reminiscence of the music for work. The fifth (Adagio) is for the ritual of magic and the mystical imagination, with some remembrance of the music for the magic of love. The sixth (Vivace) is for the ritual dance that prepares for war and includes man’s work. The introduction to the last movement (Andante) is a fugal exposition of the themes of the preceding six movements; it leads into the music of the ritual of death, which begins as a lament and grows in intensity until the Symphony comes to an end.”

Thanks for this. Henry Cowell and Lou Harrison are to America what Ivor Gurney and Gustav Holst are to England.

Thank you for this. I get so bored and frustrated sometimes with the ultra-conservative, repetitive programming on the classical station(s).

AMAZING!!!!!!

wow this is good

Thank you. I get so tired of banana thieving rats that live in the walls. This really scares them away - at least temporarily.

Is he the composer of The Banshee?

Huh no