Harry Partch
Born: 24 June 1901, Oakland (USA)
Died: 3 September 1974 (USA)
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Music
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Biography
Original American composer Harry Partch was influenced by no one nor any musical genre or tradition. A Newsweek citation states: "Harry Partch is an American visionary and stubborn individualist... He has built his own musical world out of microtones, hobo speech, elastic octaves and percussion instruments made from hubcaps and nuclear cloud chambers. His music is also influenced by "African polyrhythms, ancient Greek modes, bits of Babylonia and the American diesel engine all gathered into a richly erotic, primitive, fresh and stirring drama of sound".
Harry Partch describes his creativity as: "I have never been involved with the development of modern or avant-garde music. I have always been a loner. There is nothing like my work in the modern world that I know of". His instruments, all constructed and sculpted by him from scraps and objects found near Sausalito, California are probably now stored at the Whitney Museum in New York City.
Two albums were made by Columbia 30 years ago. One is a recording of the "Delusion of the Fury" on 2 LPs. The other is called "The World of Harry Partch", consisting of "Daphne of the Dunes", "Barstow", Eight Hitchhiker Inscriptions from a Highway Railing at Barstow (California); and "Castor and Pollux", a Dance for Twin Rhythms of Gemini from Plectra & Percussion Dances. These are played by Danlee Mitchell and his thirteen member ensemble, all trained by Partch. No conventional orchestra can play these pieces because they cannot be played on traditional instruments. The last time these works were played was probably about 25 years ago.
The names of the instruments, all pictured and described in a beautiful booklet accompanying both albums are: Cloud chamber bowls,bass marimba, Kithara, Spoils of War, Zymo-XYL, Boo (Bamboo Marimba),Chromelodeon, Diamond Marimba, Mazda Marimba, Gourd Tree, Cone Gong, Eucal Blossom, Quadrangularis Reversum, and Harmonic Canon. Hand instruments consist of: Bolivian double flute, Ugumbo (a Zulu instrument), Waving drum, Rotating drum, Belly drum, and Bamboo and Eucalyptus Claves.
I do not know if these Columbia LPs have been transferred to Sony CDs.
Search: Harry Partch
from: Innova Recordings
from: Innova Recordings
from: Innova Recordings
Concerts
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Events
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