Harris, Roy (Ellsworth) (
b Lincoln County, Nebraska, 1898;
d Santa Monica, Calif., 1979). Amer. composer. His 1st sym., cond. Koussevitzsky in Boston, 1934, earned him the reputation as America's leading symphonist, confirmed by 3rd sym. in 1939. Taught at many colls., incl. Juilliard Sch. (1932–40), Cornell Univ. (1940–2), and Univ. of Calif., Los Angeles, 1961–73. Composer-in-residence Calif. State Univ. 1973–9. His music is basically diatonic and consonant, its rugged rhythmic qualities and falling intervals, combined with a melodic flavour of hymn-tunes and folk-tunes, making him an Amer. counterpart of Janáček, without the Czech's genius. Prin. works:ORCH.: syms.: No.1 (
Symphony 1933) (1934), No.2 (1936), No.3 (1939), No.4 (
Folksong, with ch.) (1940), No.5 (1943), No.6 (
Gettysburg Address) (1944), No.7 (1952), No.8 (1962), No.9
(Polytonality) (1963), No.10 (
Abraham Lincoln), ch., brass, 2 amp. pf., perc. (1965), No.11 (1968); No.12 (
Père Marquette), ten. or spkr., orch. (1968–9, final vers. 1969); No.13 (but premièred as No.14!) (
Bicentennial), ch., orch. (1976);
American Portraits (1929);
When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1935);
Prelude and Fugue for str. (1936);
Farewell to Pioneers (1936);
Time Suite (1937);
Ode to Friendship (1944); conc. for 2 pf. (1946); accordion conc. (1946);
Kentucky Spring (1949); vn. conc. (1949–51); pf. conc. (1953);
Ode to Consonance (1957);
Elegy (1958);
Epilogue to Profiles in Courage: J.F.K. (1963–4);
Horn of Plenty (1964); conc., amp. pf., wind, perc. (1968).CHORAL:
Songs for Occupations (unacc.) (1934);
Symphony for Voices (unacc.) (1936);
Challenge 1940, bar., ch., orch. (1940);
Cantata, ch., org., brass (1943);
Mass, male ch., org. (1943);
Psalm 150 (1955);
Give me the splendid silent sun, bar., orch. (1959);
Canticle to the Sun, coloratura sop., chamber orch. (1961);
Jubilation, ch., brass, pf. (1964).CHAMBER MUSIC:
Songs for a Rainy Day for str. qt. (1925); str. qts. No.1 (1930), No.2 (1933), No.3 (1939); str. sextet (1932); pf. trio (1934); pf. quintet (1936); str. quintet (1940).PIANO: sonata (1929);
Little Suite (1938);
American Ballads (1942).
