Editing Henry Cowell (section)

===Reception===
{{blockquote|
Henry Cowell's music covers a wider range in both expression and technique than that of any other living composer. His experiments begun three decades ago in rhythm, in harmony, and in instrumental sonorities were considered then by many to be wild. Today they are the Bible of the young and still, to the conservatives, "advanced."... No other composer of our time has produced a body of works so radical and so normal, so penetrating and so comprehensive. Add to this massive production his long and influential career as a pedagogue, and Henry Cowell's achievement becomes impressive indeed. There is no other quite like it. To be both fecund and right is given to few.<ref>Thomson, p. 167</ref>—[[Virgil Thomson]], 1953{{refn|The most recent standard collection of Virgil Thomson's writings, edited by [[Richard Kostelanetz]] and published in 2002, identifies Thomson's statement as undated. The statement is excerpted at length in the liner notes to the Smithsonian Folkways CD ''Henry Cowell: Piano Music'' issued in 1993. There the quote is dated 1953, but no source is provided. Given that (a) many of the dates listed for Cowell's piano pieces in the Folkways liner notes are incorrect (see Hicks (2002), p. 80, for more on that topic) and (b) Thomson refers to "experiments begun three decades ago," a date earlier than 1953 is plausible.|group=n}}}}

Cowell remains a somewhat obscure figure in the history of both American music and experimental music more broadly. In his time, opinions of his music and performances were incredibly mixed. Some reviewers and music critics of the time called him a "creative genius", who played "fantastically well",<ref>Trans. JS. Undated, probably 11/23.</ref> while others referred to his compositions as "lawless, without a trace of [[counterpoint]]," and the "peak of [[atonality|atonal]] thought" ⁠— the latter of which Cowell [[sarcasm|sarcastically]] used as a promotion in a following tour.<ref>Sachs, p. 117</ref>

Some of the more matter-of-fact viewpoints were offered by critics such as Evelyn Wells of ''[[The San Francisco Call|The San Francisco Call and Post]]'', "Cowell's compositions are like the better order of paintings, one must stand far back, at respectful distances, before order results from chaos, and the colorful motes of sound resolve into one theme."<ref>Wells, Evelyn, "Cowell's Concert Proves Another Sensation." ''San Francisco Call and Post''</ref> The intent of the international press was more to emphasize his unconventional and violent performance tendencies, with headlines like those from ''[[The Daily Mail]]'': "Piano Played with Elbow. Fingers too Limited for Mr. Cowell. Result Like a Nursery in Rebellion." and ''[[The Daily Express]]'': "Elbow Pianist. A Wonderful Test for the Instrument."<ref>Sachs, p. 120</ref>

He was considered a highly respected educator and promoter of classical music in America during the ''New Music'' period of his life. In November 2009, a two-day event celebrating Cowell's music was held in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] near his birthplace, Menlo Park, by [[Other Minds (organization)|Other Minds]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archives.otherminds.org/index.php/Detail/occurrences/230|title=Henry Cowell: The Whole World of Music|website=Other Minds Archives|access-date=February 15, 2024}}</ref>