Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning reality strikes

Joe,

--- In crazy_music@y..., jpehrson@r... wrote:
> My publisher is *not at all* interested in alternate tunings, or
> presenting electronic CDs with instruments, so if I want anything
> more published in the future it will have to remain in 12-tET...

Lest it go unstated, don't feel any need to answer if it impinges on
important life/career/business decisions, but I was just wondering:

Is it possible to have two publishers, esp. since your original pub
is not wanting to support the new direction? Could you maintain a
good relationship and work with another for the non-12 that would be
both willing and interested in the additional materials? Could your
pub be convinced that even sales of non-12, thus expanding your name,
reputation, etc., could be seen in their best interests?

I would hate to see your opportunities reduced because of (what
appears to be) short-sighted decision-making on the part of the publ.

Mostly rhetorical questions, to be sure, but there may be other
composers, now or coming up, that will have to settle similar issues.

Cheers,
Jon

🔗jpehrson@...

--- In crazy_music@y..., "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:

/crazy_music/topicId_301.html#302

> Joe,
>
> --- In crazy_music@y..., jpehrson@r... wrote:
> > My publisher is *not at all* interested in alternate tunings, or
> > presenting electronic CDs with instruments, so if I want anything
> > more published in the future it will have to remain in 12-tET...
>
> Lest it go unstated, don't feel any need to answer if it impinges
on important life/career/business decisions, but I was just wondering:
>
> Is it possible to have two publishers, esp. since your original pub
> is not wanting to support the new direction? Could you maintain a
> good relationship and work with another for the non-12 that would
be both willing and interested in the additional materials? Could
your pub be convinced that even sales of non-12, thus expanding your
name, reputation, etc., could be seen in their best interests?
>
> I would hate to see your opportunities reduced because of (what
> appears to be) short-sighted decision-making on the part of the
publ.
>
> Mostly rhetorical questions, to be sure, but there may be other
> composers, now or coming up, that will have to settle similar
issues.
>
> Cheers,
> Jon

Thanks, Jon, for your commentary...

Well, this whole issue is really not quite as "simplistic" as I've
presented it.

SEESAW *does* handle a few xenharmonic works of mine... but in some
cases it was not a good choice on my part.

For instance, I was all set to be included on David
Doty's "compilation cassette #2." A lot of people have that, or used
to...

And, basically, the publisher did not like the terms of the agreement
with Doty. Essentially he wanted "mechanical rights" and Doty
couldn't afford to give them.

Since the publisher considered this "unprofessional" he would not
allow the piece, which was a solo horn piece in just intonation
published by him, be included on the cassette.

I did my best to try to persuade him that all of this was
an "educational effort" but to no avail. It was one of the only
really serious arguments we have had...

So, in that case, there was something other than his bias against
xenhamonicism working there...

HOWEVER, curiously enough, some of the few xenharmonic pieces he has
been handling have been some of the *most* successful. From a
certain perspective, I guess this is not so surprising, since they
are a bit more "original.."

For example, my piece published by him for two horns in just
intonation was the FIRST of my pieces to be included as a CIRCULATING
score in the New York Public Library...

Well, I had nothing to do with it. Somebody saw the published music,
found it interesting, and included it as a circulating item in the
library...

Maybe I can try to take that kind of "angle" if I work with him to
try to publish more xenharmonic works.

Since the fellow is a bit old fashioned (although he is entirely
crazy to publish ONLY contemporary American works in the first place)
he is not at all interested in electronics but, as he say it, only
music that "'real' performers can play on a music stand."

For that reason, it will bother him that I have an electronic "music
minus one" CD that comes with my newest xenharmonic works...

ADDITIONALLY, the fact that it is a CD presents problems, since he
lumps it all together with the thought of generally selling CDs (he
does thinking like this...). Well, apparently several composers have
been after him to sell their CDs as well as printed music, especially
in this non-print day and age, so the whole idea of me having a CD
is "opening a real can of worms" for him, so to speak.

I think your suggestion of having a "different publisher" is a good
one... Although the SECOND publisher that I have, composer Meyer
Kupferman's SOUNDSPELLS Productions, is, believe it or not, even MORE
regressive than Raoul Ronson's SEESAW! In fact, he has been
rejecting some of my pieces, so I'm a little pissed off about it, so
I wouldn't DARE submit anything, er, "peculiar" to him, when he won't
even take all of the "regular" stuff...

So, basically, it comes down to what a lot of composers are doing,
SELF PUBLICATION... However, I haven't yet thought about getting a
second ASCAP PUBLISHER license, etc... which some composers are
doing... It's something to think about.

However, I also don't like SELLING things myself. It's a turn off.

Most probably, I will just distribute the newer xenharmonic things
myself free of charge to people who are interested and who will
perform them.

After all, I have *enough* of my "standard 12-tET" music that is
being SOLD...

And, at the moment, it is true, as Dan Stearns suggests, that I am
*very* interested in all this...

In fact, I'm not even sure what I would do in 12-tET right at this
point.

I really can't think of anything...

_______ _______ ______
Joseph Pehrson

🔗Jon Szanto <JSZANTO@...>

🔗monz <joemonz@...>

> From: Jon Szanto <JSZANTO@...>
> To: <crazy_music@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 7:01 PM
> Subject: [crazy_music] Re: reality strikes
>
>
> Joe,
>
> --- In crazy_music@y..., jpehrson@r... wrote:
> > My publisher is *not at all* interested in alternate tunings, or
> > presenting electronic CDs with instruments, so if I want anything
> > more published in the future it will have to remain in 12-tET...
>
> Lest it go unstated, don't feel any need to answer if it impinges on
> important life/career/business decisions, but I was just wondering:
>
> Is it possible to have two publishers, esp. since your original pub
> is not wanting to support the new direction? Could you maintain a
> good relationship and work with another for the non-12 that would be
> both willing and interested in the additional materials? Could your
> pub be convinced that even sales of non-12, thus expanding your name,
> reputation, etc., could be seen in their best interests?

Wow, Joe... *that* really sucks!

Just thought I'd offer some hopefully helpful info, if you do
decide to try to find a xenharmonic-friendly publisher:

Smith Publications, in Baltimore AFAIK, publishes all of Ben Johnston's
stuff. I'm sure they'd be *happy* to accept your alt-tuned pieces.
I haven't looked, but I do believe they have a website.

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

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

🔗jpehrson@...

--- In crazy_music@y..., "monz" <joemonz@y...> wrote:

/crazy_music/topicId_301.html#307

> >
> > Joe,
> >
> > --- In crazy_music@y..., jpehrson@r... wrote:
> > > My publisher is *not at all* interested in alternate tunings,
or
> > > presenting electronic CDs with instruments, so if I want
anything
> > > more published in the future it will have to remain in 12-tET...
> >
> > Lest it go unstated, don't feel any need to answer if it impinges
on
> > important life/career/business decisions, but I was just
wondering:
> >
> > Is it possible to have two publishers, esp. since your original
pub
> > is not wanting to support the new direction? Could you maintain a
> > good relationship and work with another for the non-12 that would
be
> > both willing and interested in the additional materials? Could
your
> > pub be convinced that even sales of non-12, thus expanding your
name,
> > reputation, etc., could be seen in their best interests?
>
>
>
> Wow, Joe... *that* really sucks!
>
> Just thought I'd offer some hopefully helpful info, if you do
> decide to try to find a xenharmonic-friendly publisher:
>
> Smith Publications, in Baltimore AFAIK, publishes all of Ben
Johnston's
> stuff. I'm sure they'd be *happy* to accept your alt-tuned pieces.
> I haven't looked, but I do believe they have a website.
>
>

Thanks, Monz... I did notice that, and I think I have their address
somewhere. I guess the question is whether they took on Ben
Johnston *AFTER* he became a pretty big name or because they are
sincerely interested in xenharmonics... I would, cynically, presume
the former! However, it certainly is worth a try.

Thanks for the tip!

best,

Joe

_________ _______ _________
Joseph Pehrson

🔗monz <joemonz@...>

🔗jpehrson@...

--- In crazy_music@y..., "monz" <joemonz@y...> wrote:

/crazy_music/topicId_301.html#320
>
> >
> >
> > Thanks, Monz... I did notice that, and I think I have their
address
> > somewhere. I guess the question is whether they took on Ben
> > Johnston *AFTER* he became a pretty big name or because they are
> > sincerely interested in xenharmonics... I would, cynically,
presume
> > the former! However, it certainly is worth a try.
>
>
> I have their catalog as of a few years ago, and I remember
> (I think) seeing Tenney's as well as a few other xenharmonic
> names in there.
>

Hmmm.. Well, that's cool. By the way, Monz... I BELIEVE I have
their address at home, but I am not certain.

Could you please forward that to me privately or here on the Web.
Maybe on this forum would be best, in case some other people might
like to look at their catalogue.

They certainly appear pretty adventurous... wonder if it's "composer
run" like, I believe "Frog Peak" and some others are (I think...)

Thanks!

Joep

_______ ______ ______
Joseph Pehrson