Bitter music : collected journals, essays, introductions, and librettos / Harry Partch ; edited with an introduction by Thomas McGeary.

This book collects writings by one of the twentieth century's great musical iconoclasts. Rejecting the equal temperament and concert traditions that have dominated western music, Harry Partch adopted the pure intervals of just intonation and devised a 43-tone-to-the-octave scale, which in turn...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Partch, Harry, 1901-1974
Other Authors: McGeary, Thomas, 1948- (Editor)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Urbana : University of Illinois Press, ©1991.
Series:Music in American life.
Subjects:
Description
Summary:This book collects writings by one of the twentieth century's great musical iconoclasts. Rejecting the equal temperament and concert traditions that have dominated western music, Harry Partch adopted the pure intervals of just intonation and devised a 43-tone-to-the-octave scale, which in turn forced him into inventing numerous musical instruments. His compositions realize his ideal of a corporeal music that unites music, dance, and theater. Winner of the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award, this book includes two journals kept by Partch, one while wandering the West Coast during the Depression and the other as he hiked the rugged northern California coastline. It also includes Partch's essays on and discussions of his own compositions, as well as librettos and scenarios for six major narrative/dramatic works.
Physical Description:xxx, 487 pages : illustrations, portraits, music ; 24 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 465-479) and index.
ISBN:0252016602
9780252016608