Next week the new music group Newband (http://www.newband.org/) is presenting Harry Partch's Delusion of the Fury (1965-66), which some think is his masterpiece. (I don't think I've ever heard it.) It's being presented at the Japan Society (http://www.japansociety.org/events/event_detail.cfm?id_event=688485533&id_performance=1409877303), and is the first time it has been staged since 1969.
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.)
Anyway, other fans of Partch, and favorite recordings? (I know there aren't that many.)
--Bruce
Quote from: Brian EnoIf there is a lasting message from experimental music, it's this: music is something your mind does.
Brilliant!
Possibly from the same recording (can't remember it) I've tried Castor and Pollux and Ring around the moon from the Plectra and percussion dances set and Eleven Instrusions. I found it to be one more late 20th century excursion into an interesting but inherently limited new sonic realm, another case of rummaging through the charred remains of Western music. Is there much differentiation between his works?!
Quote from: Sean on November 28, 2007, 08:14:05 AM
. . . another case of rummaging through the charred remains of Western music.
Ah, yes. Welcome back (again),
Sean!
I find his works very stimulating and, far from having an "interesting but inherently limited sonic realm," Partch opened up new sonic realms, by inventing new instruments and deploying new scales to use with them. But if you feel it's "rummaging through the charred remains of Western music" I doubt there's much I can say to persuade you otherwise.
--Bruce
A bit OT this but comparing quotes, I recorded Glass's Heroes symphony off the radio last night, with its reworkings of Eno's melodies...
I'm surprised to see that the Harry Partch thread never really took off...
Anyway, here is Delusions of Fury on Youtube...
(How the devil do you embed vids here?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6buNHKzS-Nc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6buNHKzS-Nc)
Here you go. (Note that you have to change the pixel sizes.)
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,2663.0.html
--Bruce
Quote from: Ugh! on October 21, 2008, 10:13:53 AM
I'm surprised to see that the Harry Partch thread never really took off...
Anyway, here is Delusions of Fury on Youtube...
(How the devil do you embed vids here?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6buNHKzS-Nc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6buNHKzS-Nc)
Funny you post this now- yesterday was my first time listening to this work, and it was those videos. I was so stunned how amazing it sounded from beginning to end, I was speechless. Masterpiece is an understatement.
Which instrument is that which enters at about 1:50 in the second video? He puts that out there every now and then, and i have to say, what a melancholy sound! :o (yet completely unlike what I've heard before) The entrance at about 7:50 is unbelievable- is it just me? ???
I mean, seriously, when I listen to that section i get chills..... and to think that it's from all these instruments is even more amazing.
Mainly, it's pretty rhythmic throughout, but there really is a wide range of emotion going on- takes music drama in a whole different direction, and it'd be nice to hear about other composers following in his footsteps.
(btw, that ending to the first video, too- :o !!!)
an old link to play hi instruments:
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html
Someone here posted this link a long time ago. It's still fun (and relevant to this thread, too!)
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html#
Quote from: G$ on October 21, 2008, 03:03:53 PM
Which instrument is that which enters at about 1:50 in the second video? He puts that out there every now and then, and i have to say, what a melancholy sound! :o (yet completely unlike what I've heard before) The entrance at about 7:50 is unbelievable- is it just me? ???
Well there are three simultaneous instruments that enter at both around 1:50 AND 7:50 in the second video. I suspect you are referring to the strings, which I believe must be the Cry chord, although he had made close to 30 instruments for Delusions....
And I totally agree, a remarkable modern masterpiece which sounds more timeless and out of place than anything else....
It might be the Crychord, but I'm not sure. I played the instrument on that page, but I'm still not sure.
It makes the notes G G# A G# A G# G (which is left hanging), over what sounds like a bass of E, which is a late-Romanticism-type line, actually.
Quote from: Szykniej on October 21, 2008, 03:20:42 PM
Someone here posted this link a long time ago. It's still fun (and relevant to this thread, too!)
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html#
I believe I posted that! 0:)
Yes,
Partch has his moments!
CD Baby has a
Partch CD, along with other microtonalists: I recommend this one, especially because of the
Julian Carrillo work.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/pitchrecs3
Just a thumbs up for Partch, the true musical maverick. I'm a huge fan of Barstow & U.S. Highball, which basically expands on the concept of the former, and many of his short pieces are such a delight to listen to as well.
BBC did a fine documentary on him called The Outsider (http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=054E532538B4050F).
I still have the CBS LPs of the Delusion - intoxicating stuff. I'd like to recommend Revelation in the Courthouse Park (after The Bacchae) - also on YouTube, but the later recording on Tomato is the one to get. Interesting comparison with Henze's Bassariden.
This looks amazing:
https://www.youtube.com/v/TKU0KBivZ7c
Some compositions related to Partch.
Marc Sabat -
November 15, 1935 - Leaving Santa Barbara (2007)
based on a sketch by Harry Partch
solo male Intoning Voice and Violin with spoken voice aside
[audio]http://www.marcsabat.org/audio/LSB.mp3[/audio]
Marc Sabat -
3 Chorales for Harry Partch (1993)
retuned violin and viola
[audio]http://www.marcsabat.org/audio/3Chorales.mp3[/audio]
James Tenney -
Mallets in the Air (2002)
QuoteMallets in the Air is a just-intonation piece featuring the Harry Partch-designed diamond marimba with string quartet. It is Tenney's arrangement of the second movement of his earlier work Song 'n' Dance for Harry Partch (1999), a piece for adapted viola, diamond marimba, strings, and percussion.
[asin]B009INAHXA[/asin]
This is a nice compilation of (mostly) 21st century American music.
Someday I want to own the entire Cold Blue catalog, i don't have that compilation. It looks interesting.
Dean Drummond died last year, he was director of NewBand. I heard they're looking for a new home for the Partch instruments (again)...I don't know any more.
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."
Quote from: torut on June 09, 2014, 07:50:46 PM
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.
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.
Quote from: 7/4 on June 09, 2014, 08:19:58 PM
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
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 (http://www.newband.org/institute.htm)
https://music.washington.edu/news/2012/11/02/newband-brings-harry-partch-instruments-uw-nov-6-8 (https://music.washington.edu/news/2012/11/02/newband-brings-harry-partch-instruments-uw-nov-6-8)
Quote from: Cato on June 10, 2014, 03:41:08 AM
(sometimes pronounced Noo Joisey ;) )
Emended 0:)
Quote from: Cato on June 10, 2014, 03:41:08 AM
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 (http://www.newband.org/institute.htm)
https://music.washington.edu/news/2012/11/02/newband-brings-harry-partch-instruments-uw-nov-6-8 (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.
Quote from: 7/4 on June 09, 2014, 08:18:10 PM
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.
Quote from: karlhenning on June 10, 2014, 04:05:31 AM
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/ (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 (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/arts/music/dean-drummond-composer-and-musician-dies-at-64.html?_r=0)
Quote from: Cato on June 10, 2014, 05:16:48 PM
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.
Quote from: Brewski on November 28, 2007, 08:01:57 AM
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.)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51sevxQrAaL._SL500_AA280_.jpg)
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.
Quote from: torut on June 18, 2014, 06:28:46 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51sevxQrAaL._SL500_AA280_.jpg)
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.
Quote from: milk on June 18, 2014, 10:09:07 PM
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.
Quote from: torut on June 18, 2014, 10:32:55 PM
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.
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.
Quote from: Ken B on June 21, 2014, 07:02:10 AM
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!
Quote from: milk on June 21, 2014, 04:35:22 PM
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 . . . .
Quote from: karlhenning on June 22, 2014, 02:19:07 PM
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.
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]
Quote from: torut on June 23, 2014, 09:55:38 PM
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.
This website rocks! Playable Partch instruments!
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html#
Quote from: milk on June 24, 2014, 01:14:42 AM
Thanks for this. I'm going to sample it.
I found various bits by them on Spotify.
They play Partch really well. But it seems Partch and Harrison are vastly more interesting than the other composers they play.
Has this already come up? Did I find this here? I think I didn't. Well, this is a really cool website where you can play Partch's instruments with your computer keyboard:
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html#
Quote from: milk on July 17, 2014, 01:47:01 PM
Has this already come up? Did I find this here? I think I didn't. Well, this is a really cool website where you can play Partch's instruments with your computer keyboard:
http://musicmavericks.publicradio.org/features/feature_partch.html#
Sigh. Does not work on my ipad. Cool that there is such a site though.
Quote from: Ken B on July 17, 2014, 01:58:57 PM
Sigh. Does not work on my ipad. Cool that there is such a site though.
Yeah, I already tried that. Using my computer, I've been trying to "do something" with the sounds. It's pretty hard actually. Very cool site!
Quote from: milk on July 18, 2014, 04:26:57 PM
Yeah, I already tried that. Using my computer, I've been trying to "do something" with the sounds. It's pretty hard actually. Very cool site!
Partch is the latest of my "you must be joking" composers. My first wife really though I was joking about liking Glass back in the day. I get that reaction with a lot of music I like, Balinese gamelan and ketjak, Nyman, Thomson, and now Partch. I like the reaction! The odd thing is, I have a somewhat conservative aesthetic really, just an adventurous one. Partch is looking for new ways to be beautiful, not new ways to be ugly (Darmstadt). Fury is a gorgeous gorgeous piece of music.
Quote from: Ken B on July 18, 2014, 08:16:44 PM
Partch is the latest of my "you must be joking" composers. My first wife really though I was joking about liking Glass back in the day. I get that reaction with a lot of music I like, Balinese gamelan and ketjak, Nyman, Thomson, and now Partch. I like the reaction! The odd thing is, I have a somewhat conservative aesthetic really, just an adventurous one. Partch is looking for new ways to be beautiful, not new ways to be ugly (Darmstadt). Fury is a gorgeous gorgeous piece of music.
I haven't heard anything that really compares to Partch. A big part of it I suppose is that the instruments are his creation. It's a singular world. It's a marvel. Will anyone try to do anything like this? I like Ellen Fullman's music but it seems like basically one instrument and a little bit of a novelty - though very much worth checking out. But Partch creates a world of instruments and sound. Fury is spectacular. It's really inspired me. Soon I'm going to post some of the music I've created with his instrument files in my composer's thread - not that it compares. But it's a trip to see if/how the sounds offered on the website can be used. Anyway, I wonder if someone will try to do anything like this - by building instruments and an original sound world. I wonder if Partch gets his due.
I'm a great fan on the Delusion of the Fury disc as well and have reported on it in the listening thread on a couple of occasions. I also like the singing/chanting! It is in wonderfull sound as well.
Quote from: milk on July 20, 2014, 08:01:43 AM
I haven't heard anything that really compares to Partch. A big part of it I suppose is that the instruments are his creation. It's a singular world. It's a marvel. Will anyone try to do anything like this? I like Ellen Fullman's music but it seems like basically one instrument and a little bit of a novelty - though very much worth checking out. But Partch creates a world of instruments and sound. Fury is spectacular. It's really inspired me. Soon I'm going to post some of the music I've created with his instrument files in my composer's thread - not that it compares. But it's a trip to see if/how the sounds offered on the website can be used. Anyway, I wonder if someone will try to do anything like this - by building instruments and an original sound world. I wonder if Partch gets his due.
People try. I seen/heard a lot of people inspired by Partch.
Quote from: Ken B on July 18, 2014, 08:16:44 PM
Partch is the latest of my "you must be joking" composers. My first wife really though I was joking about liking Glass back in the day. I get that reaction with a lot of music I like, Balinese gamelan and ketjak, Nyman, Thomson, and now Partch. I like the reaction! The odd thing is, I have a somewhat conservative aesthetic really, just an adventurous one. Partch is looking for new ways to be beautiful, not new ways to be ugly (Darmstadt). Fury is a gorgeous gorgeous piece of music.
You 'n' me both, Brother! 0:)
Quote from: milk on July 20, 2014, 08:01:43 AM
I haven't heard anything that really compares to Partch. A big part of it I suppose is that the instruments are his creation. It's a singular world. It's a marvel. Will anyone try to do anything like this? ... Anyway, I wonder if someone will try to do anything like this - by building instruments and an original sound world.
When you get involved in microtonality, building your own instruments is one of the few options available, next to electronics.
One saw this in the early 1900's, with double-keyboard quarter-tone pianos and even quarter-tone clarinets with double bores:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_tone_clarinet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_tone_clarinet)
Quote from: milk on July 20, 2014, 08:01:43 AM
I wonder if Partch gets his due.
No, he does not! If he did, many more people would know his name and his works. It is heartening, however, to see that the music is still alive 40 + after his death years via a new generation.
Quote from: Cato on July 20, 2014, 10:29:47 AM
You 'n' me both, Brother! 0:)
When you get involved in microtonality, building your own instruments is one of the few options available, next to electronics.
One saw this in the early 1900's, with double-keyboard quarter-tone pianos and even quarter-tone clarinets with double bores:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_tone_clarinet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_tone_clarinet)
No, he does not! If he did, many more people would know his name and his works. It is heartening, however, to see that the music is still alive 40 + after his death years via a new generation.
Partch gets blame. Most microtonal music is of the "12 tones is not enough for my Fibonacci numbers centaphonic music" variety. He'd be better served by a new description, just intonation or something like that.
Quote from: Ken B on July 20, 2014, 02:28:09 PM
Partch gets blame. Most microtonal music is of the "12 tones is not enough for my Fibonacci numbers centaphonic music" variety. He'd be better served by a new description, just intonation or something like that.
Or by saying nothing! I have always thought that part of the problem in getting people to accept xenharmonic music is an initial bias against anything outside our 12 tones.
To return to Harry Partch, the early years, who obviously had a melodic gift:
https://www.youtube.com/v/HSToApF6eN0
Quote from: Ken B on July 20, 2014, 02:28:09 PM
Partch gets blame. Most microtonal music is of the "12 tones is not enough for my Fibonacci numbers centaphonic music" variety. He'd be better served by a new description, just intonation or something like that.
The term "microtonality" has too wide meaning. Any tuning systems that are different from 12 equal temperamant are called microtonal, whether it is based on natural consonance of tones or equally divided tones that are intrinsically dissonant. That was the cause of my confusion about "microtonal" music.
Quote from: torut on July 20, 2014, 03:29:23 PM
The term "microtonality" has too wide meaning. Any tuning systems that are different from 12 equal temperamant are called microtonal, whether it is based on natural consonance of tones or equally divided tones that are intrinsically dissonant. That was the cause of my confusion about "microtonal" music.
"Xenharmonic" might therefore appeal to you as a more precise term.
Quote from: Cato on July 20, 2014, 03:35:59 PM
"Xenharmonic"
What is sound of one hand clapping in B minor?
I came across this interesting video. I don't know if anyone has posted this yet:
https://www.youtube.com/v/CfbcEa5sSIs
Quote from: milk on July 29, 2014, 04:46:47 AM
I came across this interesting video. I don't know if anyone has posted this yet:
https://www.youtube.com/v/CfbcEa5sSIs
Young Partch? Very nice, thank you.
Regarding original instruments, Chas Smith may be inheriting the tradition of Partch.
"Chas Smith is a Los Angeles-based composer, performer, and instrument designer and builder who, in the spirit of Harry Partch, creates much of his music for his own exotic instruments." (Cold Blue)
(http://www.psychefolk.com/files/Chas_Smith_Mantis_web.jpg) (http://www.newmusicbox.org/40/images/chas_400x187.jpg)
This web site is interesting. (Fullman, Smith, the Aeolian harps, etc.)
Experimental Musical instrumentshttp://www.psychefolk.com/expmu.html (http://www.psychefolk.com/expmu.html)
Quote from: torut on July 30, 2014, 09:19:13 PM
Young Partch? Very nice, thank you.
Regarding original instruments, Chas Smith may be inheriting the tradition of Partch.
"Chas Smith is a Los Angeles-based composer, performer, and instrument designer and builder who, in the spirit of Harry Partch, creates much of his music for his own exotic instruments." (Cold Blue)
(http://www.psychefolk.com/files/Chas_Smith_Mantis_web.jpg) (http://www.newmusicbox.org/40/images/chas_400x187.jpg)
This web site is interesting. (Fullman, Smith, the Aeolian harps, etc.)
Experimental Musical instruments
http://www.psychefolk.com/expmu.html (http://www.psychefolk.com/expmu.html)
Wow! Thanks! Fascinating stuff there! Where to begin?
Quote from: milk on July 30, 2014, 10:42:41 PM
Wow! Thanks! Fascinating stuff there! Where to begin?
I like Smith's Scircura, but it is for pedal steel guitar, not for original instruments. The works for his own instruments are more experimental, sounding like ambient or sound art.
Aluminum Overcast is a nice album. (clip of a track from the album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avMhfUIfA5U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avMhfUIfA5U)) Note that it is not like Partch's music, which is more colorful, grand, and fun.
Harry Partch – how Heiner Goebbels bought Delusion of the Fury to Edinburgh
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/aug/29/harry-partch-delusion-of-the-fury-heiner-goebbels-edinburgh (http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/aug/29/harry-partch-delusion-of-the-fury-heiner-goebbels-edinburgh)
https://www.youtube.com/v/TKU0KBivZ7c
It is fantastic that there is a new performance of Delusion of the Fury, although I cannot see it. I have only listened to the recording and not watched a stage yet.
Quote from: torut on September 04, 2014, 10:12:49 PM
Harry Partch – how Heiner Goebbels bought Delusion of the Fury to Edinburgh
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/aug/29/harry-partch-delusion-of-the-fury-heiner-goebbels-edinburgh (http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/aug/29/harry-partch-delusion-of-the-fury-heiner-goebbels-edinburgh)
https://www.youtube.com/v/TKU0KBivZ7c
It is fantastic that there is a new performance of Delusion of the Fury, although I cannot see it. I have only listened to the recording and not watched a stage yet.
I would give a lot to see this.
You could check out the composer's original vision.
Harry Partch: Enclosure 7 (http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Partch-Enclosure-7/dp/B000G1R556/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1410092571&sr=1-1&keywords=Delusion+of+the+Fury)
(http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn38/microtonaldave/51wETZvLbzL_zps920123ad.jpg)
Quote from: 7/4 on September 07, 2014, 04:26:16 AM
You could check out the composer's original vision.
Harry Partch: Enclosure 7 (http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Partch-Enclosure-7/dp/B000G1R556/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1410092571&sr=1-1&keywords=Delusion+of+the+Fury)
I ordered it at Amazon but it was "Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks." I hope it will arrive. Many items of Enclosure series are already out of print ...
I didn't know that. I have all on VHS and haven't seem them in years.
There's a new Partch album announced:
Plectra and Percussion Dances
An Evening of Dance Theater
• 1-8) Castor & Pollux (14:58) A Dance for the Twin Rhythms of Gemini
• 9-12) Ring Around the Moon (9:20) A Dance Fantasm for Here and Now
• 13-20) Even Wild Horses (24:03) Dance Music for an Absent Drama
This new recording marks the first complete performance of Harry Partch's major cycle in three parts, Plectra and Percussion Dances. On the original 1953 recording, Castor & Pollux, was missing three movements, and the finale, Even Wild Horses, was missing its tenor saxophone part.
The virtuosi of Partch give us revelatory interpretations of these stunningly original scores. Also included is a 7 minute spoken introduction, given by the composer in 1953 on the occasion of the broadcast premiere of this work.
Bridge BRIDGE9532
http://www.mdt.co.uk/partch-harry-plectra-and-percussion-evening-of-dance-theater-bridge.html (http://www.mdt.co.uk/partch-harry-plectra-and-percussion-evening-of-dance-theater-bridge.html)
Quote from: The new erato on September 16, 2014, 11:01:15 PM
There's a new Partch album announced:
Plectra and Percussion Dances
An Evening of Dance Theater
• 1-8) Castor & Pollux (14:58) A Dance for the Twin Rhythms of Gemini
• 9-12) Ring Around the Moon (9:20) A Dance Fantasm for Here and Now
• 13-20) Even Wild Horses (24:03) Dance Music for an Absent Drama
This new recording marks the first complete performance of Harry Partch's major cycle in three parts, Plectra and Percussion Dances. On the original 1953 recording, Castor & Pollux, was missing three movements, and the finale, Even Wild Horses, was missing its tenor saxophone part.
The virtuosi of Partch give us revelatory interpretations of these stunningly original scores. Also included is a 7 minute spoken introduction, given by the composer in 1953 on the occasion of the broadcast premiere of this work.
Bridge BRIDGE9532
http://www.mdt.co.uk/partch-harry-plectra-and-percussion-evening-of-dance-theater-bridge.html (http://www.mdt.co.uk/partch-harry-plectra-and-percussion-evening-of-dance-theater-bridge.html)
Thanks for posting. This looks excellent! Can't wait!
I've become completely addicted to this
(https://www.music-bazaar.com/album-images/vol31/1132/1132967/2999483-292-292.jpg)
http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7012
It's early Partch, he made a recording with poor sound, this one seems more satisfying to me.