Lou Harrison's Double Concerto for Violin and Cello with Javanese Gamelan was composed in 1981-1982 upon the request of Kenneth Goldsmith of the Mirecourt Trio after the completion of Scenes from Cavafy.
As the name implies it is scored for two traditional European classical stringed instruments and a Javanese percussion ensemble, gamelan, consisting of metallaphones, gongs, and drums. Harrison mostly has the string duo play heterophonic unison passages and the gamelan proceeds more or less traditionally. It consists of three movements:
- Grandly, but moderate
- Stampede
- Allegro moderato
"Stampede" is the English translation of one of Harrison's favored forms, estampie, and the movement, in estampie form, in contrast the outer movements uses a eight-note mode for variety and is also in an untraditional triple meter.
It has been recorded by the Mirecourt Trio in the Mills College Art Gallery. Goldsmith described it as, "Like playing Tchaikowsky inside Big Ben."
- (1990) Music and Arts: CD-635.
