Bitter Music: Collected Journals, Essays, Introductions, and Librettos (Music in American Life) - Hardcover

Partch, Harry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0252016602 ISBN 13: 9780252016608

Publisher: University of Illinois Press, 1991

Synopsis

Now in paper for the first time, "Bitter Music" is a generous volume of writings by one of the twentieth century's great musical iconoclasts. Rejecting the equal temperament and concert traditions that have dominated western music, Harry Partch adopted the pure intervals of just intonation and devised a 43-tone-to-the-octave scale, which in turn forced him into inventing numerous musical instruments. His compositions realize his ideal of a corporeal music that unites music, dance, and theater. Winner of the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award, "Bitter Music" includes two journals kept by Partch, one while wandering the West Coast during the Depression and the other while hiking the rugged northern California coastline. It also includes essays and discussions by Partch of his own compositions, as well as librettos and scenarios for six major narrative/dramatic compositions.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Illinois Press
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0252016602
• ISBN 13: 9780252016608
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 487