2011-03-25

Lou Harrison, graphically & poetically / grafike & poezie

Joys & Perplexities: Selected Poems of Lou Harrison. Winston-Salem, NC: The Jargon Society, 1992. xx, 123, [2] pp. (Jargon; 110) Book design by Lou Harrison and Carter Scholz; interior decorations by Lou Harrison; typography by Carter Scholz; jacket design by Jonathan Williams. After-quotes by Lou Harrison, John Cage, Virgil Thompson. Back cover biographical entry by Ned Rorem.

This beautifully designed and illustrated poetry collection retailed for $20. I found it in an unclassified bargain bin in Strand Books in New York City for $1. From the back matter: here's some background on the book:
With Lou Harrison as its source, it's not at all surprising that there would be a confluence of publishers. The University Library at the University of California, Santa Cruz, its special Collections, which house the Lou Harrison Archive, and the Cabrillo Music Festival, Lou a major force in its founding thirty years ago, join in inspired collaboration with the Jargon Society to publish this book of Lou's poetry.

— Rita Bottoms, Special Collections, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz

The text of this book is set in Pluma Book. "Pluma" is Esperanto for "of the pen," and the alphabet possesses a complete set of Esperanto characters. The title page and cover are set in Pluma Book and Uncial Commoncase. Both fonts are used for the first time in this book. They are based on drawings by Lou Harrison, and were rendered for the Computer by Carter Scholz.
Here is another sample of the typeface, found on the web:


The poems are in English with Esperanto translations of two poems at the end:

Nova Odo ("New Ode", tr. Bruce Kennedy)

La Kvar Patronoj de la Palestro ("The Four Patrons of the Palaestra")

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