source file: mills2.txt Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 13:07:14 -0800 Subject: Re: Partch at SUNY Purchase From: "Adam B. Silverman" On Thu, 7 Mar 1996 John Pusey wrote: > > My understanding is that the rest of the Partch instruments are now residing at > Purchase College (part of SUNY) in Westchester County (New York) under the care > of Dean Drummond. Does anyone know if they accessible to the general public > for viewing? > On a recent visit to New York, I arranged to meet Dean at SUNY Purchase while school was not in session. He was very hospitable, and showed me around the instruments, pointing out the alterations and comparing the originals with some new copies made, namely a couple of harmonic canons and surrogate kitharas, and a "new" chromelodeon. They are indeed as beautiful as in the pictures, but show some age and wear. I was allowed to play a bit and also see two of Dean's fantastic instruments. Not all of the instruments are there, though. Quadrangularis Reversum and Eucal Blossom are in the Public Library in New York, as John wrote, but I'm not sure where the other copy of Kithara I is. Only one Boo is standing, and the bamboo pipes were replaced with resinated plastic by Chris Forrster (for good or for bad, depending on who you ask). The other Boo is disassembled, for lack of space. This might also be the reason for the Quad. Rev. being on display. The instruments are not "on display", but rather "in residence" at SUNY Purchase, where I assume Newband rehearses all the time. New pieces are also being written for Partch instruments in combination with others, including a great piece by Drummond for zoomoozophone, flute, harmonic canon,and perhaps a couple of others instruments (I forget). Newband has also asked Julia Wolfe (may favorite!) to write a piece which includes Partch instruments as well. He also commented that Newband will attempt to learn the entire Partch repertory and record each piece digitally for commercial release. -Adam Received: from eartha.mills.edu [144.91.3.20] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Fri, 8 Mar 1996 16:22 +0100 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id HAA08801; Fri, 8 Mar 1996 07:22:22 -0800 Date: Fri, 8 Mar 1996 07:22:22 -0800 Message-Id: <960308151739_71670.2576_HHB68-7@CompuServe.COM> Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu