I've not heard much of Harry Partch's music, but for the last two months, I've been downloading Innova tracks from eMusic. I don't have any particular intellectual interest in tuning, instrument building, or even mixed media. And yet to my surprise, I am enchanted and in some weird kind of way, I also think Partch's music can sound beautiful.
Dr. Dick has a post from last month, The Beautiful Is Difficult. It's more from the point of view of the composer. But as a listener, unlike with say the string quartets of Carter, I have just "clicked" with Partch's music i.e. no effort required. I retain the right to change my mind...
robert gable: aworks partch great depression/ww ii era. partch: del.icio.us wikipedia google news yahoo music singingfish alex ross. yankee doodle fantasy: allmusic. innova recordings. 1944
Dig in. Partch's music is fantastic. A fact that is often left unstated when taking in the equal beauty of the instruments, just intonation, coporeal aesthetic and theory of "monophony" along with the forceful personality of this idiosyncratic figure.
My own intellecutal curiosity in tuning theory came well after being sonically broad-sided by _Delusion of the Fury_ at an impressionable age.
Posted by: Devin Hurd | August 06, 2005 at 09:10 PM
I understand what you are saying. A friend sent me a string quartet and I didn't know he wrote it. It is enchanting. I have been a fan since listening to the Columbia LP in the music library in college.
One of my local colleagues played for Partch years ago in the ensemble in California. I hope to do a personality profile of him soon.
Posted by: Davei | August 09, 2005 at 05:24 PM