source file: mills2.txt
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 23:04:47 -0700

Subject: Darwinistic Tuning?

From: Gary Morrison <71670.2576@compuserve.com>

Neil H's comments about that Partch should receive no special treatment as a
composer, and that his instruments shouldn't be kept under glass, got me
thinking.  

   To that first thought, that Partch's music should receive no special
treatment, I think it's appropriate to add that it doesn't NEED special
treatment.  It has no problem standing on its own merits;  it's downright
excellent music (on the whole), by Jove!  

   In a similar vein, every once in a while I stop myself mid-sentence on
messages to this forum and notice that I use terms like "new tunings" or
"unusual tunings" instead of the term coined by my mentor (Ivor Darreg),
"xenharmonics".  I then think, "gee, am I subtly letting Ivor's legacy slip
away"?  

   Then I look at myself again and realize that I'm behind schedule with the
next XH Alliance Directory because I've been working with my own xenharmonic
music.  Is that another example of me letting Ivor's legacy slip away?  

   But then I read reports of Neil's and Johnny R's successful concerts, and
listen to new CDs, many by new faces on the block.  These are promising signs I
realize.  

   I invariably then a very simple conclusion from all this:  As long as I'm
cooperating with other explorers of these new-tuning resources, and otherwise
taking what seems to be the best course of action in exploring them, then what
more can I ask of myself?  Each of our efforts will stand for what they're
worth.  My music will be out there with Partch's, and Neil's, and Ivor's.  A lot
of people will like Partch's, others will gravitate toward Ivor's or Johnny
Reinhard's, and some will dislike all of it.  

   Is there really any need to promote the past greats religiously?  We need to
make sure that their music, and their personalities, stays available and known
of course.  No doubt about that.  But beyond negligently letting them be
forgotten, isn't it best just to let composers and their music, past and
present, stand for nothing more, nor nothing less, than what they are?  


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