The publisher of Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin and Percussion, which received its premiere performance on today’s date in 1961 at New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall, states with refreshing honesty that it is “not one of Harrison's most frequently performed works” and that “the highly rhythmic violin line is pleasantly contrasted by the exceptionally varied percussion ensemble.”

Now, by an “exceptionally varied” percussion ensemble, they mean in addition to more conventional percussion instruments, Harrison asks for tin cans, suspended brake drums, flowerpots, plumber’s pipes, wind chimes, and spring coils.

Not surprisingly, it is sometimes difficult to assemble the specific “heavy metal” called for in the score. For a 1965 performance, Harrison was forced to spend several hours, as he put it, "chasing down pipe lengths and flower pots in hardware stores."

But there is a method in the madness. Harrison was trying to imitate the sounds of the tuned bronze gongs of the traditional Indonesian gamelan orchestra by using distinctly American “found” materials. In performance, the set-up seems startling or downright humorous at first sight, but at first sound, it rather works. In fact, one suspects Harrison wants the audience to chuckle at first, but end up charmed.