Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning Q: Partch influence?

Hola todos!

I am privileged to have 2 hours of community radio time to fill on
Partch's birthday. und I'd rather not ignore this date. My problem
is that I already did the obvious (the instrumental pieces by Partch
I happen to have) and the arguably related (Ben Johnston's 2nd
Quartet and Amazing Grace) long ago.

I can always play one of these again; I also have some operas and
could play excerpts from them, but I like the idea of presenting
something along the lines of a Partch discipleship/influence. And
this is where I hope some of you can help me.

One thing is suggestions of composers or specific pieces. But then I
should have asked half a year ago: probably I won't be able to get
any of those.

The other thing is a list of music I have here:

Larry Polanski
James Tenney
Manfred Stahnke
Hal Wilner's Mingus project
and maybe even Pauline Oliveros

In some cases I know of a Partch connection (never in any detailed
way), in others it's just plain microtonal, so there might be
something... I welcome anything you can offer in anecdotes,
analyses, en- or discouragement...

Klaus

🔗Ed Borasky <znmeb@aracnet.com>

--- In tuning@y..., klaus schmirler <KSchmir@z...> wrote:
Well, I count myself among those influenced by Partch, although I
don't have anything you could play at the moment (I'm working on a
piece using the Partch scale even as we speak). I was an
undergraduate at the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) from
1959 - 1962, and I there discovered four composers who sparked my
interest in electronic and computer music. Two, Lejaren Hiller and
Harry Partch, were actually in residence there at the time. I was
privileged to see a performance of "Revelation in the Courthouse
Park". The other two are Alwin Nikolais, a frequent visitor with his
dance troupe, and Iannis Xenakis, who with Hiller founded algorithmic
composition in the 1950s and 1960s.

BTW, my incoming e-mail is down ... my ISP screwed up and they're
trying to pin the blame on Network Solutions. So I have no idea when
you'll be able to have a conversation with me in that medium again :-
(. But I'll give you the addresses anyway.
--
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, Chief Scientist, Borasky Research
http://www.borasky-research.net http://www.aracnet.com/~znmeb
mailto:znmeb@borasky-research.com mailto:znmeb@aracnet.com

If there's nothing to astrology, how come so many famous men were
born on holidays?

🔗monz <joemonz@yahoo.com>

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: klaus schmirler <KSchmir@z.zgs.de>
> To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 6:40 PM
> Subject: [tuning] Q: Partch influence?

Hi Klaus,

Partch was definitely a huge influence on me,
especially during 1983-92.

That influence shows up a whole lot more in my
theory than in my music.

Here are some pieces of mine that *do* (IMO) show
Partch's influence in my harmonic language (in
chronological order):

_Theme from "Invisible Haircut"_
http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/haircut/haircut.htm
http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/haircut/inv-excp.mid
mp3 at: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/72/the_tuning_punks.html

_3 Plus 4_
mp3 at: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/72/the_tuning_punks.html
MIDI: http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/3plus4/3plus4ji.MID

_Kraigian_, mp3:
http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/worklist/kraigian.mp3

And the one with overall the most dramatic influence from Partch
(in presentation as well as harmony) is _A Noiseless Patient Spider_:
http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/spider/spider.htm

Hmmm... this is interesting: even tho I state above that the heavy
influence of Partch on me was during the 1980s, most of the
resulting compositions didn't surface until the 1990s.

-monz
http://www.monz.org
"All roads lead to n^0"

_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

🔗Paul Erlich <paul@stretch-music.com>

If computer music (though often very emulatory of
acoustic music) is OK, check out Prent Rodgers'
music on the Web.

Also Erv Wilson was connected with Partch, so
anyone connected with Wilson (such as Kraig
Grady) would be a good candidate.

Oh, and of course Newband, how could anyone
forget them?

And Jon Catler was very influenced by Partch's
theories -- and for sheer musical enjoyment, you
simply _must_ check out the track "Hyperspace"
off the Catler Bros. _Crash Landing_.

There -- that should keep your plate full for some
time!

🔗John F. Sprague <jsprague@dhcr.state.ny.us>

I'm not sure where you are, but the more recent of the two Newband CD's is usually in stock at the J&R classical section here in lower Manhattan, and probably in any "record" store with a divider for Partch recordings in a classical section. Both CD's have pieces by other composers played on Partch's instruments and/or Drummond's similar metal diamond marimba arrangement Zoomoozophone (I forget the exact spelling) which uses 35 of the 43 tone scale, as I recall. I believe the earlier CD is available only from Drummond, if he still has any left. It could be overnighted to you in the time remaining. His email address includes the word spyral but I don't have it all handy. (There are few posts from him to the list.) But you can probably reach him through the Montclair State University phone number listed in connection with this Sunday's concerts and "instrument petting zoo" open house: (973) 655-5112.
Apart from music influenced by Partch, there are quite a few composers and compositions listed in his "Genesis of a Music" which he "approved of" (even if they did not necessarily influence him), such as the songs of Hugo Wolf (probably including his opera, "Der Corregidor"), "Socrate" by Eric Satie, Debussy's "Martyrdom of St. Sebastian" and "Pelleas and Melisande". It is quite remarkable that Harry had some familiarity with such a diversity of compositions before recordings of many of these works had been made, virtually before the start of the LP era (referring to the first edition of "Genesis". Even the Hugo Wolf Society 78's were a limited edition.)
>>> KSchmir@z.zgs.de 06/14/01 09:40PM >>>
Hola todos!

One thing is suggestions of composers or specific pieces. But then I
should have asked half a year ago: probably I won't be able to get
any of those.

The other thing is a list of music I have here:

Larry Polanski
James Tenney
Manfred Stahnke
Hal Wilner's Mingus project
and maybe even Pauline Oliveros

Klaus

You do not need web access to participate. You may subscribe through
email. Send an empty email to one of these addresses:
tuning-subscribe@yahoogroups.com - join the tuning group.
tuning-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com - unsubscribe from the tuning group.
tuning-nomail@yahoogroups.com - put your email message delivery on hold for the tuning group.
tuning-digest@yahoogroups.com - change your subscription to daily digest mode.
tuning-normal@yahoogroups.com - change your subscription to individual emails.
tuning-help@yahoogroups.com - receive general help information.

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

🔗David Beardsley <davidbeardsley@biink.com>

🔗jpehrson@rcn.com

🔗JoJoBuBu@aol.com

>The other thing is a list of music I have here:

> Larry Polanski
> James Tenney
> Manfred Stahnke
> Hal Wilner's Mingus project
> and maybe even Pauline Oliveros

> In some cases I know of a Partch connection (never in >any detailed
>way), in others it's just plain microtonal, so there >might be
>something... I welcome anything you can offer in >anecdotes,
>analyses, en- or discouragement...

>Klaus

You probably already know this but Manfred Stahnke studied with Ligeti and Ben Johnston. James Tenney was at the University of Illinois and worked with Partch to a certain extent(to the best of my knowledge - someone else can probably clarify that connection better however).

Also Ben Johnston has a CD of all of his recorded string quartets available now (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9). I just finished digitally remastering them a few months ago. You can get it from him as its not published. So theres a few more things to play if you want...

Hopefully thats a small amount of help.

Andy

🔗jpehrson@rcn.com

--- In tuning@y..., JoJoBuBu@a... wrote:

/tuning/topicId_25124.html#25394

> Also Ben Johnston has a CD of all of his recorded string quartets
available now (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9). I just finished digitally
remastering them a few months ago. You can get it from him as its not
published. So theres a few more things to play if you want...
>
> Hopefully thats a small amount of help.
>
> Andy

Hello Andy!

I would like to purchase this CD. Could you please send me the
information, either on the list or privately?

Thanks!

_________ ______ _______
Joseph Pehrson

🔗George Zelenz <ploo@mindspring.com>

Me TOO!

jpehrson@rcn.com wrote:

> --- In tuning@y..., JoJoBuBu@a... wrote:
>
> /tuning/topicId_25124.html#25394
>
> > Also Ben Johnston has a CD of all of his recorded string quartets
> available now (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9). I just finished digitally
> remastering them a few months ago. You can get it from him as its not
> published. So theres a few more things to play if you want...
> >
> > Hopefully thats a small amount of help.
> >
> > Andy
>
> Hello Andy!
>
> I would like to purchase this CD. Could you please send me the
> information, either on the list or privately?
>
> Thanks!
>
> _________ ______ _______
> Joseph Pehrson
>
> You do not need web access to participate. You may subscribe through
> email. Send an empty email to one of these addresses:
> tuning-subscribe@yahoogroups.com - join the tuning group.
> tuning-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com - unsubscribe from the tuning group.
> tuning-nomail@yahoogroups.com - put your email message delivery on hold for the tuning group.
> tuning-digest@yahoogroups.com - change your subscription to daily digest mode.
> tuning-normal@yahoogroups.com - change your subscription to individual emails.
> tuning-help@yahoogroups.com - receive general help information.
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

🔗Paul Erlich <paul@stretch-music.com>

🔗JoJoBuBu@aol.com

In a message dated 6/20/2001 11:02:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
paul@stretch-music.com writes:

> --- In tuning@y..., JoJoBuBu@a... wrote:
>
> > Also Ben Johnston has a CD of all of his recorded string quartets
> available now (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9). I just finished digitally
> remastering them a few months ago. You can get it from him as its not
> published. So theres a few more things to play if you want...
>
>

Heres a brief description of the ones I remember off the top of my head. If
you want all the specific details I could easily find out but I dont have
Ben's original master tapes handy to look and see what quartets did what...
If you want more specifics let me know and I'll look on all the old tapes in
a few days.

Everything has been totally digitally remastered. The first quartet came from
a tape made in the 60's. I dont remember the quartet that performed it. This
was a piece written while Ben was studying with John Cage in New York.

The 2-6th quartet also came from tapes but are more recent. The 4th quartet
is a different version then the one on the White Man Sleeps album. It is
done by the fine arts quartet, which is the group it was originally intended
for. Its also a live recording.
I dont remember off the top of my head which quartets recorded 2,3,5,6. I can
find out if you want to know.

The ninth quartet is not remastered. It comes from a commercial(?) recording
done by the stanford quartet and is on a CD. It is absolutely incredible if
you haven't heard that piece. Its tonal like the fourth, pretty much at
least, but it is extremely different than the fourth to say the least.

Sadly there are no recordings of the 7th, 8th, or 10th quartets ... or at
least not recordings that Ben or I know about.

It was cool doing this work, because remastering these tapes let me listen to
these recordings MANY MANY MANY times and so, therefore, I got extremely
familiar with the quartets. Plus its great music!

Cheers,

Andy

🔗JoJoBuBu@aol.com

🔗klaus schmirler <KSchmir@z.zgs.de>

JoJoBuBu@aol.com schrieb:

> You probably already know this but Manfred Stahnke studied with >Ligeti and Ben Johnston. James Tenney was at the University of >Illinois and worked with Partch to a certain extent(to the best of my >knowledge - someone else can probably clarify that connection better >however).

Hi Andy,

yes, I kind of knew nothing about Polansky and just a little about
Tenney - the fact that he wrote this book on new harmony where he
deals with pitched sounds in ways open to microtonality (well no; he
says it's the way to go). So he has a personal connection (which he
shares with Pauline Oliveros).

The "school" seems to be the people who spent some time with Ben
Johnston. Manfred Stahnke has pointed me to another German composer
who he considers "under the influence", but he (Hans Peter Reutter)
vehemently denies this. It seems they both are very interested in
non-octave scales, which is, of course, Ligeti's thing (and
Xenakis', and Bartok's...).

Unfortunately I have trouble accessing the tuning punks site (did it
once; doesn't want to come up again) and downloading takes forever.
I'm glad about all the hints I got, and I want to follow them all
eventually. Thanks to all who answered. I'll do my best to make
Kraig Grady and Prent Rodgers (so this is CSound... impressing)
famous :o)

klaus