Harry Partch

{{circa|1952}} Harry Partch (June 24, 1901 – September 3, 1974) was an American composer, music theorist, and creator of unique musical instruments. He composed using scales of unequal intervals in just intonation, and was one of the first 20th-century composers in the West to work systematically with microtonal scales, alongside Lou Harrison. He built his own instruments in these tunings on which to play his compositions, and described the method behind his theory and practice in his book ''Genesis of a Music'' (1947).

Partch composed with scales dividing the octave into 43 unequal tones derived from the natural harmonic series; these scales allowed for more tones of smaller intervals than in standard Western tuning, which uses twelve equal intervals to the octave. To play his music, Partch built many unique instruments, with such names as the Chromelodeon, the Quadrangularis Reversum, and the Zymo-Xyl. Partch described his music as "corporeal" (emphasizing its physical/visceral elements), and distinguished it from abstract music, which he perceived as the dominant trend in Western music since the time of J.S. Bach, whose seminal book of preludes and fugues called The Well-tempered Clavier (in German, Das wohltemperierte Klavier) is often cited as the pivot point beyond which older mean-tone and ancient just intonation tunings were abandoned (in the late-18th century) and the then-future of Western Classical (and popular) instruments were (and most are still) based, for exploitation of all 24 theoretical key signatures. Partch's earliest compositions were small-scale pieces to be intoned with simple folkloric-like string instrumental backing; his later works were large-scale (like a fusion of theater and music decidedly related to but quite apart from Wagnerian opera), they were integrated theater productions in which he expected each of the performers to sing, dance, speak, and play instruments in a "corporeal apotheosis". Ancient Greek theatre and Japanese Noh and kabuki heavily influenced Harry Partch's music theatre.

Encouraged by his mother, Partch learned several instruments at a young age. By fourteen, he was composing, and in particular took to setting dramatic situations. He dropped out of the University of Southern California's School of Music in 1922, dissatisfied with the quality of his teachers. He took to self-study in San Francisco's libraries, where he discovered Hermann von Helmholtz's ''Sensations of Tone'', which convinced him to devote himself to music based on scales tuned in just intonation. In 1930, he burned all his previous compositions in a rejection of the European concert tradition. Partch frequently moved around the US. Early in his career, he was a transient worker, and sometimes a hobo; later he depended on grants, university appointments, and record sales to support himself. In 1970, supporters created the Harry Partch Foundation to administer Partch's music and instruments. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 20 results of 52 for search 'Partch, Harry, 1901-1974', query time: 0.13s Refine Results
  1. 1

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 3. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : New World Records, 2005
    Other Authors: “…Partch, Harry, 1901-1974…”
    Format: Audio


  2. 2

    Enclosure five : on an ancient Greek theme by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    St. Paul, MN : Innova/American Composers Forum, 1998
    Other Authors: “…Partch, Harry, 1901-1974…”
    Format: Audio


  3. 3

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 3. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, N.Y. : CRI, 1997
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  4. 4

    17 lyrics of Li Po by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, N.Y. : Tzadik, 1995
    Format: Audio


  5. 5

    Bitter music : collected journals, essays, introductions, and librettos by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    Urbana : University of Illinois Press, 1991
    Format: Book


  6. 6

    Delusion of the fury : a ritual of dream and delusion by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    Wien : Wergo, 2022
    Other Authors: “…Partch, Harry, 1901-1974…”
    Format: Audio


  7. 7

    U.S. highball [a musical account of Slim's transcontinental hobo trip (1943)] by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York : Nonesuch, 2003
    Format: Audio


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  9. 9

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 3 by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : New World Records, 2005
    Other Authors: “…Partch, Harry, 1901-1974…”
    Format: Audio


  10. 10

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 2 by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : New World Records, 2004
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  11. 11

    Delusion of the fury : a ritual of dream and delusion by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    St. Paul, MN : Innova/American Composers Forum, 1997
    Other Authors:
    Format: Video


  12. 12

    Barstow : eight hitchhiker inscriptions from a highway railing at Barstow, California (1968 version) by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    Madison, Wis. : Published for the American Musicological Society by A-R Editions, 2000
    Format: Musical Score Book


  13. 13

    The bewitched by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : CRI, 1990
    Format: Audio


  14. 14

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 1. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, N.Y. : Recorded Anthology of American Music, Inc., 2004
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  15. 15

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 2. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : CRI, 1997
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  16. 16

    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 4. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : CRI, 1997
    Format: Audio


  17. 17

    Plectra and percussion dances by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New Rochelle, NY : Bridge Records, 2014
    Other Authors: “…Partch, Harry, 1901-1974…”
    Format: CD Audio


  18. 18

    The world of Harry Partch. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  19. 19

    Delusion of the fury : [a ritual of dream and delusion] by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    St. Paul, Minn. : Innova Recordings : American Composers Forum, 1999
    Format: Audio


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    The Harry Partch collection. Volume 2. by Partch, Harry, 1901-1974

    New York, NY : New World Records, 2004
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio