Henry Eichheim

Full biography Henry Eichheim

Henry Eichheim (1870-1942) was an American composer and violinist who was known for his exploration of exotic and non-Western musical traditions, especially those of Japan. He was one of the first American composers to incorporate non-Western elements into his work , and was particularly interested in the music of the Javanese gamelan.

Eichheim's interest in non-Western music was inspired by his travels in Asia. He spent several years in Japan, where he studied traditional Japanese music and theater. He also travelled to Java, where he became fascinated with the gamelan, a traditional Indonesian ensemble consisting of percussion and other instruments. Eichheim introduced the gamelan to American audiences and even incorporated it into some of his own compositions.

Eichheim's music reflects his interest in non-Western traditions and often incorporates elements of Japanese or Javanese music. Some of his most well-known works include "Siamese Sketch," which was inspired by his travels in Asia, and "Japanese Suite," which features traditional Japanese instruments like the koto and shamisen.

Despite his contributions to American music, Eichheim is not as well-known as some of his contemporaries. However, his work played an important role in the development of American musical modernism, and his interest in non-Western music helped pave the way for future generations of composers to explore new musical traditions.