Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning Partch Feedback to TD 186

hmmmmmmmmmm.

Joe:
>And I disagree with you, Jon, about the inclusion of _Bitter
>Music_.

No problem, but you'll probably disagree more: I actually don't like the
inclusion of Bitter Music on a more fundamental basis -- because Partch
didn't want it published! More on this kind of thinking in a moment. But if
I ever were to want to hear it, it would be on a dreadfullyoutoftune
bar-room piano, with Tom Waits singing/intoning.

>Also, IMO, the world would be a lesser place without
>_While My Heart Keeps Beating Time_ in it. There have
>been many days when that song rambles around in my mind
>for hours.

Sort of like hearing a 50hz tone where none exists? :)

Next up, Brian Caaaaarrrrlllllssssoooonnn (I love baseball):

>If you don't want someone else to play music you have composed, you should
>not have composed it in the first place.

Sorry, that's just a bit too weird to believe -- composing music and
performing it are two completely separate issues.

>If you don't want to listen to it, don't listen to it.

It might not be the composer not wanting to listen to it, but rather
knowing that others somewhere else might be hearing a totally distorted
'version' of his creative work.

>Who has the authority to say what was and was not the intention of
>the composer?

What about the composer? If Partch had wanted to increase the performance
possibilities during his lifetime he *himself* could have certainly
arranged pieces for string quartet; however, it is Ben Johnston's chosen
vessel of performance, not Partch's -- he did *not* like string quartets.
He wrote *one*, early in life, and burned it a short time later (along with
other works). The only other time he came close was about 12 measures for
string trio in "Water! Water!", used in the most sarcastic and bitter way
to parody an elected public official.

Besides, with the smallest amount of research one can find out that
Partch's works were much more than 'pieces of music' -- they were corporeal
works to be done in a manner as far from the European concert hall as
possible.

Talk about the writing on the wall...

>It's ultimately speculation, even if you have strong evidence for your
position.

True, we wouldn't want to be swayed by volumes of writing by the composer
himself. How in the world could *he* have known what was best for his
creative output? Brian, I don't mean to be sarcastic or glib, but there
haven't been many artists that have written on these very aspects of
performance as Partch did. It's all there for anyone to check out, in
"Genesis of a Music", in his writings documented in various publications,
etc. Definitive? Hell no...he's *dead*. Fairly clear how the chips should
fall? IMHO, yup.

>Wasn't it Rachmaninoff who said Horowitz played his music better than he
>could himself? I'd like to hear Beethoven played with wax paper on a comb

These three people have nothing to do with the topic at hand...

Dear Eduardo:

Thanks for Didier's address...

And, finally, Maestro Rosati:

>Since there exist recordings of Barstow under Partch's direction, I do not
>see why some feel threatened by others who may feel moved to "experiment" or
>"play" with the music to see what they can come up with.

Threatened is a bit strong, but it is true that with the dilution of the
original vision you have a high possibility of the original intent being
lost. If it were just some university groups mucking around I doubt notice
would be taken. What *has* caused�concern (well, at least for me) is that
it is Kronos, juggernaut of "new and improved" music -- is there a composer
they *won't* play? (It sort of reminds me of "American Gladiators" of new
music).

KQ are so adept at glitzy marketing, especially in this 25th year of their
playing, that it would be possible for the real deal to get swept under the
carpet, which would be a great loss of a unique voice of this century. For
people who have worked so hard to champion some composers, it is hard to
see why they couldn't steer clear this time -- unless you know their real
reason: in their words, they simply couldn't imagine *not* being involved
in the music of Harry Partch.

In spite of the fact that he certainly imagined it *without* them.

>I don't think its necessary to gird yourself and go on a crusade over things
>like this.

Yes, you and many close family and friends.

>It smacks of that same ole' "One True Faith" mentality that
>usually moves me to opine "get a life, buddy".

I have an unusually active life, thanks; this is just one aspect of it. I
always planned on a twist of Thoreau -- I plan on leading a life of "noisy
desperation"!

Lastly, to any who might want to hear some damn original Partch, someone
sent me the following tonight, currently on auction at eBay:

Title of item: Harry Partch "World of Harry Partch" CBS lp
Seller: baronelmo@hotmail.com
Starts: 05/15/99, 20:45:09 PDT
Ends: 05/22/99, 20:45:09 PDT
Price: Starts at $15.00
To bid on the item, go to:
<http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=104826721>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enough; I've got rehearsal tomorrow, with lot's of 12tet notes to face.
Pray for me...

Cheers,
Jon
..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....
Jonathan M. Szanto : Corporeal Meadows - Harry Partch, online.
jszanto@adnc.com : http://www.corporeal.com/
..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....

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