Partch/Motorola Scalatron

On Fri, 18 Dec 1998, Kraig Grady wrote:

> It is my understanding that when Partch was offered use of the Motorola
> Scalatron He refused
> --
> Kraig Grady
> North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
> http://www.anaphoria.com
>

>From what I remember learning, the Motorola Scalatron tone was designed
specifically to have a tone that is distinctive to all others.
Partch was not the only one to refuse using it. And I
have had it played on the AFMM concerts several times (music of Joel
Mandelbaum, Linda Arditto, Henk Badings). It sure holds its pitch, but
the sound is not especially pleasing.

In 1950, the idea of radically changing the timbre of a keyboard (Partch's
first, main instrument was the piano, according to the Gilmore bio) would
be radical in itself. So, a synthesizer was not yet imagineable. A
generalized keyboard for an organ with a chosen electronic tone quality
was a specific dream of Partch's since his earliest microtonal thinkings.
Ten years after his death (1984) a time capsule left with Bertha Kneisley
turned up the original multi-colored keyboard plan devised by
far-thinking Harry Partch.

Considering that Partch was fascinated with micing the Kithara, as well
as electrifying his guitars, an electric keyboard both accurate and
beautiful was right on the money.

The chromelodeon: could hold pitch, unacceptale musicality, unable to
sound clean in fast passage, difficult to move, temperamental at best...


Johnny Reinhard
Director
American Festival of Microtonal Music
reinhard@idt.net