House in Bali

Colin McPhee, James Murdoch

Book cover for House in Bali
Book cover for House in Bali

House in Bali

House in Bali

Colin McPhee, James Murdoch

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Description

As a young American composer, Colin McPhee quite by accident heard some recordings of Balinese gamelan music. Changed forever by this experience, he "wanted to hear every Gamelan in the countryside." This book recounts the details of his stay in Bali just before World War II. It presents an amusing and sympathetic look at Balinese society and a rare look at the importance of music in Balinese life.

About the Author

Colin McPhee (1900-1964) was an influential composer, musicologist, and writer. Although he was born in Canada, McPhee lived in Bali for nearly a decade and was widely admired for making Balinese gamelan music accessible to an international audience. His original composition Tabuh-Tabuhan: Toccata for Orchestra is still celebrated for its successful combination of Balinese and Western musical styles. In the later years of his life, he also served as a Professor of Ethnomusicology at UCLA.

James Murdoch (1930-2010) was an Australian pianist, composer, and musicologist. In addition to writing original music like the ballet La Espera, he was an active arts administrator, serving as a member of the International Society for Contemporary Music and as National Director of the Australian Music Centre. He spent the last 20 years of his life living in Bali.

Critical Reviews

"It remains one of the most penetrating and illuminating books on the island's elusive, alluring culture." --National Geographic

Publishing Information

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Pub date: 2022-10-11
Length: 288 pages

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