Harry Partch

American composers have long struggled against the momentum of the Western European classical tradition and the prestige it has held in America's cultural life. "I did not want to have any stricture at all, I wanted to be completely free." So spoke Harry Partch, describing not only his own path, but also that of two other influential American composers: Lou Harrison and Terry Riley. They were attracted to musical ideas and sounds outside of the surrounding classical mainstream. Together they offer a deeper understanding of what those alternatives are and how they have affected American culture.

A documentary about avant-garde composer Harry Partch.

The ancient Greek legend of Daphne and Apollo, transported to Lake Michigan.

Documentary about pre-Columbian art whose aesthetic and utilitarian values are intimately related to its myths and history.

KEBS/KPBS-TV (San Diego) documentary about Harry Partch.

A short film with soundtrack by Harry Partch: a ballet for gymnasts.

The CBS LP of "Delusion of the Fury" came with a bonus album of Harry Partch introducing his instruments. Unavailable for years, this short film features this talk along with a slideshow of the instruments.

Partch takes the viewer on a tour of his Chicago home, and plays his microtonal instruments. Includes his demonstration of how the soundtrack for Windsong was made. "Music Studio" is about Partch and the many instruments he invented for the performance of his music. This is, without a doubt, the best way to begin the process of getting to know Partch, his theory of dividing the octave into 43 parts, the sounds of the instruments (and the pitches of his tuning system), and all the physical issues intimately connected with performing on those instruments. (Stephen Smoliar, The Rehearsal Studio)

Conjoined fables are told, one Japanese, the other African, a ghost story colliding with farcical folklore.

If you ever wondered how a simple recipe for rose petal jam could turn into a hobo dance and a diatribe about music critics, you are in for a treat.

A 1981 staged production of Harry Partch's hitch-hiker piece, Barstow.

The Dreamer That Remains is a documentary produced by Betty Freeman and directed by Stephen Pouliot in 1972. Here is the director’s original cut along with his commentary. If you’ve never seen Partch or his instruments before, this is the place to start.

Harry Partch and his ensemble perform a dramatized account of riding the rails during the Depression on a transcontinental hobo trip from California to Chicago.

A daring fusion of current (circa 1960) pop idolatry with parallel (only a little more sinister) scenes of Ancient Greece. Based on the 'Bacchae of Euripides'.

A 2006 choreographed performance of Harry Partch's "Castor and Pollux".