source file: mills2.txt Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 01:38:01 -0700 Subject: Mr. McLaren, Mr. Partch and Me From: "Jonathan M. Szanto" To all of you on the tuning list: In digest 778, Mr. Brian McLaren wrote: > In the British Harry Partch Society right now there's a debate > raging about just how "authentic" recordings of Harry Partch's > music should be. That's of some interest to this forum, because > members of this forum are directly affected. And that was just the beginning. I was a member of the Harry Partch Ensemble from 1971 to 1987, and worked with Harry for the last few years of his life. I have played and performed on nearly all of the Partch instrument, and have performed the majority of the Partch repertoire. It was, and remains, a distinct privilege and joy; it is also a responsiblity I feel towards Harry. You could say, as Mr. McLaren did, that I am directly affected. I will be posting to this mailing list some responses and opinions regarding the present and future possibilities for the exposure and performance of the music and works of Harry Partch. I state here at the outset: my expertise is in his instruments, his works and his temperament - I am *not* an expert in the rather daunting field of intonations (all of them, in all the flavors I have seen represented here). I wanted that out up front. I do, however, have considerable interest in the discussions of the other issues, and I believe I have the 'background' to offer another (hopefully) informed view of the proceedings. I will strive, as I have seen a number of others do (quite admirably) to maintain a high degree of civility and clearly state opinions as such, and not confuse them with facts. I won't mince words. I won't make personal attacks. I will strive for a clear signal at all times. I have been encouraged by a couple of the members privately that my thoughts would be welcome in this forum, and it is in this light that I look forward to adding to the corpus of knowledge herein contained. I don't know how quick my first post will be, but there *are* some issues that need to be addressed in a rather timely fashion; I will endeavor to get it together pronto. In advance of that, and at any time, I welcome correspondence from any of you, if I may be of help. And just so that I have it straight, this is all about music, isn't it? Yours in harmony, Jon Received: from eartha.mills.edu [144.91.3.20] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Wed, 17 Jul 1996 14:10 +0100 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id FAA00357; Wed, 17 Jul 1996 05:10:22 -0700 Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 05:10:22 -0700 Message-Id: Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu