Harry Partch: 30 Years of Lyrical and Dramatic Music

A selection of songs by Harry Partch utilizing unconventional instruments and unusual musical scales. “Windsong” is an excerpt from the soundtrack for the film of the same name. It is a modern rendering of the ancient myth of Daphne and Apollo. The music is a collage of sounds, ten instruments, many of which were home made, are used, with Partch playing nearly all the parts. For the studies on Greek scales Partch uses the five tone scale of Olympos and the seven tone enharmonic scale. The mazda marimba used in “Bless This Home”, was made by a student in Industrial Design at the University of Illinois. It consisted of 24 light globes of varying sizes, with the insides removed, and was played with light, soft mallets. (from KPFA Folio)