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HARRY PARTCH
The Harry Partch Collection Vol. 3
(New World Records)
Reviewed by Sherman Wick
Harry Partch (1901-1974) was a self-taught musician of truly unique musical vision. In a world of imitators, he created a body of work that was ahead, behind and not of its times. Most listeners tend to have extreme reactions to his music: either they enjoy its unabashed creativity or they dislike it for being puerile and untalented loony bin music from outer space. As a fan of the musical odd and innovative, I fall into the former category, but if the reader happens to be in the latter: read no further. Partch's music encompassed avant-garde and experimental 20th century classical as well as serving as an important pioneer in microtonal and world fusion music.
The record is part three in the most recent anthology of the composer's work. It focuses on recordings from 1958-1972. "The Dreamer That Remains - A Study In Loving" was Partch's last composition (1972). It was recorded as a score for a documentary on the composer directed by Stephen Pouliot. It makes extensive use of clattering acoustic percussive instruments such as marimba and several instruments invented by the composer. The music could easily be called proto-industrial except it is lacks any loud rock feel to it. The music is accompanied by a sung text. Partch referred to this work as operas: a precursor of New Narrative Operas. The composer is the lead vocalist on this recorded and tells a piquant tale of his youth in Arizona, its post office, loitering and homosexuality. "Rotate the Body in All Its Planes: Ballad For Gymnasts" is another large ensemble piece written for, you guessed it - gymnasts - to perform along with and features a soprano vocal solo by Freda Pierce. "Water! Water! An Intermission With Prologues And Epilogues" is his most epic piece with almost 38-minutes excerpted. The sprawling piece is divided into numerous parts. The song is similar to others on this record with sung lyrics and percussive instrumentation. Unfortunately, it lacks focus. But that is the nature of experimental music, it can be enormously innovative or a failure. For the most part, this record is a breath of musically adventurous fresh air. Partch was a musical genius that over twenty years after his death still sounds iconoclastic today.
[Pick this up at www.towerrecords.com.]
© 2005 - Sherman Wick