Harry Partch (1901-1974)

[7/4]

Cold Blue's catalog looks very nice, there are many recordings of postminimalism composers' works. I only have that compilation, Whittington and Garland (thank you.)

I thought that Partch is kind of isolated, one and only type of composer, but when I was searching for just intonation composers, I often found the mention of Partch. In Cold Blue Two liner notes, Tenney wrote about an interesting relationship with Partch: Tenney wrote about Song 'n' Dance for Harry Partch, "Perhaps in this work I can finally repay my considerable debt to Harry Partch, without incurring his wrath. As his student/assistant, for several months in 1959, our relationship was somewhat problematic—mainly, I believe, because I was unwilling to become the devoted disciple that he needed—and surely deserved (if anyone deserves such a thing). But now, many years later, I have to admit that I learned everything I know about just/microtonal tuning theory from Partch and/or his book, Genesis of a Music."

For years, JI was my thing...so I've read Genesis of a Music a bit, I've known some Partch people. I took a composition workshop with Dean Drummond once and I was the only one who showed up. There was a lot of snow in our area that Winter, I was on a mission. Between the Partch book and David Doty's Just Intonation Primer, I learned enough to make progress on my own.

[7/4]

I have to look it up (and I will later), but I think I remember reading that John Cage gave Lou Harrison a copy of Genesis and this was his introduction to microtonality.

[Dax]

I have to look it up (and I will later), but I think I remember reading that John Cage gave Lou Harrison a copy of Genesis and this was his introduction to microtonality.

It was Virgil Thomson.

Delusion of the fury is being performed at the Edinburgh Festival at the end of August.

http://www.eif.co.uk/2014/delusionofthefury

[Cato]

I understand that a new generation of students and younger performers built replicas or refurbished Partch's microtonal instruments: Montclair University in New Jersey (sometimes pronounced Nyoo Joisey     )  where you can take courses in Microtonal Music Composition.

See:

http://www.newband.org/institute.htm

https://music.washington.edu/news/2012/11/02/newband-brings-harry-partch-instruments-uw-nov-6-8

[Karl Henning]

(sometimes pronounced Noo Joisey     )

Emended  0:)

[7/4]

I understand that a new generation of students and younger performers built replicas or refurbished Partch's microtonal instruments: Montclair University in New Jersey (sometimes pronounced Nyoo Joisey     )  where you can take courses in Microtonal Music Composition.

See:

http://www.newband.org/institute.htm

https://music.washington.edu/news/2012/11/02/newband-brings-harry-partch-instruments-uw-nov-6-8

Dean Drummond died last year, I heard they're looking for a new home for the instruments.

I don't know the latest, I'll ask some questions.

[torut]

For years, JI was my thing...so I've read Genesis of a Music a bit, I've known some Partch people. I took a composition workshop with Dean Drummond once and I was the only one who showed up. There was a lot of snow in our area that Winter, I was on a mission. Between the Partch book and David Doty's Just Intonation Primer, I learned enough to make progress on my own.

That is fantastic. How can I listen to your music?

I saw many referring to the book Genesis of A Music.  I am going to purchase it.

[Cato]

Emended  0:)

Heh-heh!  Our Science teacher (from New Jersey) bristles every time I mention the "Joisey" pronunciation: "Only the idiots on the shore talk like that!"   0:)

She has been in Ohio long enough now that any curiosities have been sanded away! 

More on Harry Partch and Dean Drummond:

http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/incredible-time-to-live-and-die-remembering-dean-drummond/

and

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/arts/music/dean-drummond-composer-and-musician-dies-at-64.html?_r=0

[7/4]

Heh-heh!  Our Science teacher (from New Jersey) bristles every time I mention the "Joisey" pronunciation: "Only the idiots on the shore talk like that!"   0:)

Actually...people from Newark and Jersey City (and Staten Island and NYC area) have the accent. That's where the people at the shore are from.

I don't have much because my Dad was from North Carolina, Mom is from Berlin and I grew up in North Brunswick out in the suburbs. Once I met Robert Fripp and he knew exactly where I was from.

[torut]

I first heard Partch's Castor and Pollux decades ago on a 1969 Columbia LP called The World of Harry Partch (below), and later other works, most of which were performed by Newband, now the curator of Partch's unusual instruments.  (They are now based at Montclair State University in New Jersey.)

I was looking for this album some time ago, and didn't notice that it was reissued recently, although it seems download only. (Has it ever been released on CD?) The quality of sound is good. The last half demonstrate his original instruments.

[milk]

I was looking for this album some time ago, and didn't notice that it was reissued recently, although it seems download only. (Has it ever been released on CD?) The quality of sound is good. The last half demonstrate his original instruments.

I just got this one.

[torut]

I just got this one.

Did you buy it at Amazon? Is the digital booklet good? I purchased it at emusic and regretted it because there is no booklet.

[milk]

Did you buy it at Amazon? Is the digital booklet good? I purchased it at emusic and regretted it because there is no booklet.

I downloaded it from itunes and it did come with a booklet. I haven't read it yet.

[Ken B]

I have listened to The Delusion of the Fury twice now. I really liked it, except for a few sung bits. I would have recommended it to Nate before his recent descent into Darmstadtism, Stockhausenism, and Boulezianism. (Sad to to see the young go astray.)
Thanks to milk for calling my attention to it.

[milk]

I have listened to The Delusion of the Fury twice now. I really liked it, except for a few sung bits. I would have recommended it to Nate before his recent descent into Darmstadtism, Stockhausenism, and Boulezianism. (Sad to to see the young go astray.)
Thanks to milk for calling my attention to it.

Pretty much every time I listen to Partch I'm amazed (although sometimes singing annoys me also). I'm so glad that this one guy devoted his life to making this strange music. I don't understand all the concepts behind it but who cares. The result is pretty grand. Sometimes I can't believe my ears!

[Karl Henning]

Pretty much every time I listen to Partch I'm amazed (although sometimes singing annoys me also).

Yes.  And I don't like that a vocal performance scuttles a piece . . . .

[milk]

Yes.  And I don't like that a vocal performance scuttles a piece . . . .

It's tough sometimes. I like the beat sensibility (although some of it came way before I guess). Or maybe Partch reminds me of John Waters...kind of music for miscreants. It's optimistic to my ears (even while being murky-sounding). But then more often with Partch I just want to get down with the music and be done with the narratives. The instruments and non-vocal musical world are so interesting so I've made playlists that skip over the heavily narrated bits. I can hear it's a whole world of his creation. I'm drawn to this kind of obsessiveness. I tend to like artists like that, ones who create a singular world and obsess on it. I suppose there's not more of it because it's so hard to do, creating, building and writing for the instruments.   

[torut]

I also prefer the instrumental works, but I suppose a vocal is an essential element in his music. I sometimes feel the vocals in Partch's music are amateurish (because the instrumental performers sing?) and out of tune (or in tune with just intonation?) but I recently start enjoying them. When I first heard Partch Collection Vol. 3 on CRI (now on New World), it was (and still is) shocking.

I enjoyed this Newband's album containing the music of Partch (Daphne Of The Dunes, also in The World of Harry Partch), James Pugliese, Dean Drummond, Mathew Rosenblum, and Thelonious Monk, all instrumental. I was particularly interested in Monk's Round Midnight, arranged by Drummond for cello and zoomoozophone, which turned out stunningly beautiful and strange.

[asin]B000000NYN[/asin]

[milk]

I also prefer the instrumental works, but I suppose a vocal is an essential element in his music. I sometimes feel the vocals in Partch's music are amateurish (because the instrumental performers sing?) and out of tune (or in tune with just intonation?) but I recently start enjoying them. When I first heard Partch Collection Vol. 3 on CRI (now on New World), it was (and still is) shocking.

I enjoyed this Newband's album containing the music of Partch (Daphne Of The Dunes, also in The World of Harry Partch), James Pugliese, Dean Drummond, Mathew Rosenblum, and Thelonious Monk, all instrumental. I was particularly interested in Monk's Round Midnight, arranged by Drummond for cello and zoomoozophone, which turned out stunningly beautiful and strange.

[asin]B000000NYN[/asin]

Thanks for this. I'm going to sample it.

[milk]

This website rocks! Playable Partch instruments!
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html#