source file: mills2.txt Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 14:36:53 -0700 Subject: Partch, Johnston, Kronos From: Brian Belet I saw Ben's performance of 'Barstow' with Kronos a year ago at Santa Cruz, California. While driving Ben from the San Francisco airport to the concert I asked him about the whole project (and I continued the conversation in depth while visiting Ben at his home last September). So: here's HIS take on this. Ben has long championed the integrity of Partch, including Partch's initial statements regarding the use of his instruments, etc., etc. Ben has been using the string quartet as a modern microtonal ensemble for a long time (he has just finished his 10th quartet); in many ways this ensemble has been Ben's personal 'invention' in much the same way that Partch's instruments are. Ben worked with Partch on the orginal 'Barstow', including performing in the ensemble. Ben reports that Partch was NOT always in tune (singing), and certainly his instruments are not 100% in tune with his theory. OK: so much for the sacredness of Partch's original instrumentation, etc. Partch was a complex individual with more than a few moments of radical statements. His insistence on using only his own instruments may be one of these (my own thoughts....not necessarily Ben's). At any rate, Partch stated this longbefore Ben establish the SQ as his own proportionally tuned ensemble. Ben's transcriptions of 'Barstow' for SQ & voice is excellent. He consulted all of Partch's versions (sketches, etc., etc.), and called upon his experience working directly with Partch on this project. Ben's voice is just right for the performance now (he even looks the part!). The result is both true to Partch and to Ben. It is simultaneously a compliment to a former teacher/mentor and a strong statement from one our most important living composers. It 'works' theoretically (I've studied Ben's score in comparison to Partch's) and aurally. The current transcription IS NOT offered as a replacement for Partch's original work; rather it is a unique offering from his one student who qualified (technically and aesthetically and personally) to handle such a project. (Sure, I could do it on paper, but it would not be 'right' for me to do it. I see it as clearly another matter for Ben to do it.) -- Brian Belet Received: from eartha.mills.edu [144.91.3.20] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Mon, 29 Jul 1996 18:24 +0100 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id JAA27444; Mon, 29 Jul 1996 09:24:20 -0700 Date: Mon, 29 Jul 1996 09:24:20 -0700 Message-Id: <64960729161946/0005695065PK3EM@MCIMAIL.COM> Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu