Partchian Periodicity

New Subject heading going out...

From Paul, in TD 465.6:

>I'm certainly not putting any more importance on Partch's 43-tone scale than
>Wilson did.

Hey pal, that doesn't absolve you!

> But Partch did stop at 43 when he wrote Genesis, and if you
>reduce the 43 to 41 the same way Wilson did, I've shown that this choice is
>a periodicity block. By now I've shown that many, many important JI scales
>are periodicity blocks.

Which only makes it obvious that it is possible to both extend and evaluate
more fully someone else's explorations in a 'new' area. I don't know that
Partch had any forays into periodicity blocks, or would have had need to.
My point is that the system worked well enough for him to not only develop
an entire body of work (that continues to inspire), but kick-start an
interest that continues to this day, on this list and elsewhere.

Twice you've used the phrase "I've shown". To influence my little life, it
would have to go further to "I've written/composed, and here it is to
listen to." Then it would have value. However, to others, I *know* that all
of these calculations are of value, just not for me (at this time).

>Jon, all JI scales involve a sort-of-arbitrary decision of where to stop.
>What I've shown is

There it is again...

>The guy with the garden hose is one of the best microtonal composers I've
>ever heard, Randy Winchester. Have you heard his music? Anyway, very funny,
>so what's your point?

No I haven't, but will seek out the resources on your recommendation (also,
if there are cd's, mp3's, etc. I'll be happy to listen...).

The point? Ivory-tower spread-sheet-isms are fine for a lot of people, and
ground-breaking research is ever more important as the future dawns. It is
quite hilarious though, IMHO, when it is demonstrated by random hosings.
Show us magnum opuses (opii?) based entirely on periodicity-block
constructs! World-changing artworks in minimal pain fabrics!

People blowing party favors in some ET? A large break giveth us...

And to all, a good night.
Jon
`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`
Jonathan M. Szanto : Corporeal Meadows - Harry Partch, online.
jszanto@adnc.com : http://www.corporeal.com/
`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`

Jon Szanto wrote,

>The point? Ivory-tower spread-sheet-isms are fine for a lot of people, and
>ground-breaking research is ever more important as the future dawns. It is
>quite hilarious though, IMHO, when it is demonstrated by random hosings.

I don't see why my goofy experimental music gig has to "demonstrate"
anything. I like (and like to play) a full range of emotion in music,
ranging from austere serenity to chaotic insanity. Listen to my piece on the
Tuning Punks site for a more serious "demonstration", in that case, how the
steps of 22-tET can take on a convincing harmonic logic.

In TD 466.9 Paul Erlich wrote:

>I don't see why my goofy experimental music gig has to "demonstrate"
>anything. I like (and like to play) a full range of emotion in music,
>ranging from austere serenity to chaotic insanity.

Agreed absolutely: chaos and insanity are highly approved of. I just also
thought I remembered that you were playing 22tet gtr/kbd in that example
and thought something was not clear to me. Turns out I wasn't missing anything.

> Listen to my piece on the
>Tuning Punks site for a more serious "demonstration", in that case, how the
>steps of 22-tET can take on a convincing harmonic logic.

I have. I guess it just deepens my belief that in spite of empirical
evidence, screenfuls of matices, blind listening tests, or historical
documentation (or refutation), it is all still a matter of ...

... personal taste.

Everything that everyone is doing here is a matter of taste. I've listened
to every one of the Tuning Punks clips, and like all the other music I've
ever heard, it is a spectrum from the wonderful to the hum-drum to the Esc
key. As is usually the case, the tools never make or break the task, merely
make it easier to craft an angel or polish a turd.

Maybe that is why this list is so difficult at times, so infuriating, and
(at the same time) so difficult for me to leave: because it isn't just
about music, or it isn't just about tunings, or one single area of *any*
thing. It is about the interconnectedness of all of it; some make the
synergy happen, some work in one side area exclusively.

To those crafting the paints, sharpening the chisels, calculating the
comma-shifts, continue.

To those painting the canvases, sculpting the stone, turning the tunings
into tunes, continue.

To those doing both, yessssssss.

See you in 00.
Jon