Partch and the Chromelodeon

Somehow the "authenticity" issue is challenged once again with the following
by Harry Partch in the Enclosures series (p.120 from a letter by Partch to
Lucie and Larry Marshall).

December 23, 1949 -

"With the steam heat and thermostats of Madison I managed to keep the
Chromelodeon in pretty good tune 8 months of the year. Here, it is almost
heartbreaking. If I could tune it at one temperature then at least I could
profit by experience. But it takes seven days working about ten hours a day
(this time--and I actually hurried), so even that is impossible. Which
reinforces the need either for an electronic tone or a reed made out of some
alloy less susceptible to temperature changes than brass? Are you beginning
to see why I become so aggravated when anyone suggests that I devote my
lifetime to the parthenogenetical dropping of strange musical instruments?"

Elsewhere Partch describes the chromelodeon as "unmusical" and swears it off
for future compositions. Jon Szanto?

Johnny Reinhard

{Johnny R. wrote...}

>I will continue to put info up that has not been printed showing Partch's
>ambivalence with the chromelodeon.

What do you mean "not been printed"? Enclosure 3 has been out for about three years now, and your bringing that one sentence (which I read over 3 years ago) to light now only makes you a "Johnny-come-(somewhat)-lately". :-) Not to mention the fact that well-grounded analysis and philosophical stances aren't based on a small selection of scattered comments. I, for one, am still eagerly awaiting a finalized, collated and cohesive presentation on your explorations into Ives microtonal intentions. I was not convinced previously, but I ascribed that mostly to the piece-meal manner in which individual statements were parsed. In this case, my jury is still out...

>It appears that there are contradictions for Partch

This surely can't be a revelation (no pun intended) at this point, could it? He may be one of the very *most* contradictory (and complex) personalities I've read about. Then there was working with him, and knowing him -- quite an experience.

>Since the contrary material has not been properly presented, I plan to add >any more examples of negative chromelodeon feelings by Partch.

This only serves to make your work appear completely biased. What would *really* be of value would be to catalog every single instance, in every writing, correspondence, and speaking engagement, where Partch mentioned the Chromelodeon -- and let people then form their own opinions. Someday, explain by what you mean by "not properly presented"; the fact is that it has only been in the last 3+ years that the bulk of Partch's writings, and writings about him, have really been opening up the dualities and complexities of his work and his life. It is not straight-forward, it is not perfect. It is, however, rather fascinating.

And, if the historical nature of Partch's correspondences on this topic were of that much interest, Lauriston Marshall's letters have been in the special collection at University of Illinois for years, available for scholarly study.

Not to mention that you seem to *want* to read 'electronics' into the statements at each turn, but he states in your quote that _either_ an electronic tone _or_ a different substance for the reeds might have helped. I can't remember if Harry actually *did* switch the composition of the reeds at some juncture in his life or not. I'll try to find out.

>The more I read "Enclosure 3" by Partch, the more human, and understandable
>Partch the pioneer becomes. While I myself am an acoustic musician, it
>appears that Partch pioneered the concept of electronics, certainly
>amplification, for his music.

You need to do more reading, because "pioneered the concept of electronics" is a bit of a stretch. IMHO.

Today is hectic, but I've got some other thoughts about most of this, using the Chromelodeon as a jumping off point. I really have to update the website first, and mail out a couple of t-shirts, etc.

Complex. Indeed...

Bye kids,
Jon
`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`
Real Life: Orchestral Percussionist
Web Life: "Corporeal Meadows" - about Harry Partch
http://www.corporeal.com/