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Hey ho,

[from John F. Sprague]
>Although the audience reception was excellent, the group was apparently
>unprepared to do an encore.

Too bad. I know they are doing "Daphne of the Dunes" out here, so they
could have played a snippet, and any Partch ensemble worth it's sauce can
whip out the two tutti sections of "Castor and Pollux" on a moments notice
-- though bear in mind that different pieces require different tunings on
the Canons, and sometimes there aren't enough spare instruments to have all
the different bridge settings in place.

>I hadn't been planning to go there for it until I read about the photo
exhibit
>opening the day before (my birthday). Maybe there will be scalpers
outside with
>tickets to sell!

Believe me, I would if I didn't want to go myself!

>How many people does the hall hold?

No idea.

>Actually, it will probably be the same concert.

Three Partch pieces: Daphne of the Dunes, San Francisco Newsboy Cries, and
Ring Around the Moon (and the same 2 Drummond pieces)

>I'd guess this music takes a lot of rehearsal time.

No need to guess: it does take more time than some music, but it depends on
the program. This one is not ridiculously challenging, at least on the
Partch pieces. Dean's aren't too bad, judging by listening.

>In talking to Dean Drummond after the concert, I expressed my astonsihment
that
>he would have put music by Partch and Cage on the same CD, as Partch's
opinion
>of the latter was summed up in one word, "precious". I think that really
sums
>it up neatly.

The only pairing of Partch/Cage came a few years after Harry died, the New
World record that others mentioned. Harry would have killed someone if he
saw that, and it was Ben Johnston that did it. Ben, who now transcribes
Partch for string quartets, brought together Partch and Alwin Nikolais in
what charitably must be called one of the worst collaborative ideas in the
history of mankind, and...well, don't get me started! Suffice to say that
Harry was cordial to Cage but did not respect him as a composer/artist, and
would have refused a pairing on disc.

>Harry lived and worked mostly in California, where what he did was perhaps
>considered closer to normal and average.

No, they thought he was pretty outside out here too, but better to be weird
in CA than in parts East -- Partch belongs to the West.

**********

Speaking of the West, things are getting positively weird with activity in
SF. Yes, the concert has sold out, but don't forget that the instruments
are on display for a couple of days, and I have heard (though haven't
confirmed) that Dean will do a brief demo on Friday. Current info as I have
it is at:

<http://www.corporeal.com/nb_news.html>

Also, in conjuction with the "HARRY PARTCH: I Was A Bum Once Myself" photo
exhibit, we are apparently going to have t-shirts commemorating the event,
and the book of background info on the photos themselves, originally
intended as just a few copies to be perused while there, may be duplicated
in enough copies to allow purchase for a nominal fee. All is in flux, as it
is happening fairly last minute --- but with great spirit and craziness,
just as Harry would have wanted.

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

I don't really anticipate flying out there, but I'd be grateful and happy to reimburse including shipping and handling if someone would pick up one of the T-shirts (medium, if available, or large if not) and a booklet for me. No, I wouldn't trade these for my copy of the first edition of "Genesis", even though I didn't have the presence of mind to take it along and have it autographed when I met with Harry in the summer of 1960 in Champaign. He also had one word to describe Nickolais: "idiot". It was something about not being able to count in 5/4 time or perhaps a slightly more difficult rhythm. As for the Mazda marimba, it was the idea of one of his students and Harry thought it would be too fragile.

>>> "Jonathan M. Szanto" <jszanto@adnc.com> 09/18 3:56 AM >>>
From: "Jonathan M. Szanto" <jszanto@adnc.com>