During the early40s, as a result of his exploration of the band medium, Harris conceived of an orchestra comprised of a core of woodwinds and brass with the strings forming a melodic function. Although a few compositions, such as the Ode to Friendship and the Fantasy for Piano and "Pops" Orchestra, and portions of other pieces (e.g., the middle section of II. of Symphony No. 5), reflect this approach, he never carried it out fully (some of his last works, though, such as the Bicentennial Symphony 1976, do reveal a strong kinship with the above instrumental amalgamation).
On at least one occasion, Harris acknowledged the influence of the organ on the development of his style, not only through his youthful studies with Douglas and Demorest but also by means of the elements of the French tradition passed on by Farwell (who had studied with Felix Alexandre Guilmant) and Boulanger (who worked with Louis Vierne). Although this influence is difficult to document with precision (he was never comfortable actually writing for the organ), it is possible to observe elements of it in the areas of harmony and orchestration, e.g., in the overtone foundation of his harmonic style, in his tendency to play discrete instrumental choirs off against one another (suggesting the alternation between manuals with different stop settings on the organ), and in the wind scoring (particularly in the various blends of single- and double-reeds) of his band compositions.
In addition to his use of folk tunes (both in arrangements and as thematic material), specifically nationalist traits in Harris's music can also be recognized in his employment of popular dance rhythms and some of the surface features of swing music and jazz. In fact, during the mid30s, he planned an American Symphony for Tommy Dorsey's band and in 1944 wrote a piano concerto (Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra) for Johana to perform with Paul Whiteman's orchestra. Americanist features also result from his partiality toward such figures as Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln (he felt a special kinship with the latter because of the shared circumstances of their birth and early years).
