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By Tom McGeary, Noah Lenstra, Elizabeth Surles and Scott Schwartz
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Collection Overview
Title: Harry Partch Estate Archive, 1918-1991
ID: 12/5/45
Primary Creator: Partch, Harry (1901-1974)
Extent: 6.5 cubic feet
Arrangement: Organized into four series: 1.) Writings. 2.) Personal Papers. 3.) Music Score Manuscripts. Whenever possible an identification of the format of the music for each title (i.e., full score, condensed score, piano score, and parts) has been noted with the following corresponding abbreviations: FS, CS, PS, P. 4.) Films, Tapes, Photographs. Each series, except for 3, is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Date Acquired: 04/01/2008. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Films, Instrumental music, Manuscripts, Music Composition, Photographs
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of Harry Partch's personal papers, musical scores, films, tapes and photographs documenting his career as a composer, writer, and producer. Of special note are the scrapbooks in series 2 that contain newspaper and magazine articles about Partch and his music.
See also record series 35/3/68.
Biographical Note
Born in Oakland, CA in 1901, Harry Partch was an American composer, theorist, instrument designer and performer. He is best known for the work he did with just temperment: developing a 43 tone octave scale, writing pieces to showcase it, and building instruments upon which it could be played. His musical knowledge was largely self-taught and his interest in intonation emerged out of microtonal experimentation conducted on string instruments. Many of his thoughts on the matter are outlined in his 1947 treatise, Genesis of a Music.
By the early 1950s, he had established the Gate 5 Ensemble and record label and begun a musical partnership with fellow composer Ben Johnston that would take him to the University of Illinois in 1956, where Johnston was then teaching. While at Illinois, Partch premiered his large stage work, The Bewitched, as part of the Festival of Contemporary Arts and also composed and had performed the stage works Revelation in the Courthouse Park and Water! Water! He returned to California in 1962 where he completed his last project, the text and music for a film, The Dreamer that Remains before his death in 1974.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Accruals:
First donation came in December 29, 1992 directly from Danlee Mitchell. Second accrual in April 2008 came from Mitchell as well.
Use Restrictions:
All usage permissions for materials from the Partch Estate archives that fall outside of U.S. fair use statutes must be approved in writing by Danlee Mitchell, executor of the Partch Estate. (August 4, 2017)
Acquisition Source:
Danlee Mitchell, Harry Partch Foundation, San Diego
Acquisition Method:
Donation
Related Materials:
Jaen Cutler Theatrical Films, Audio Recordings and Papers, Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Kenneth Gaburo Papers, University of Illinois Archives
2005 Harry Partch Guide to the Collection, Music and Performing Arts Library.�?� This collection finding aid's content has been updated and included in the Harry Partch Archive and Music Library Harry Partch Collection.
Photographic Subject File 39/2/20, Col 3-5.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Writings],
[
Series 2: Personal Papers],
[
Series 3: Music Score Manuscripts],
[Series 4: Films, Tapes, Photographs],
[
All]
- Series 4: Films, Tapes, Photographs
- Sub-Series 1: 16-mm films
- Box 17
- Reel 1: Rotate the Body, undated
- Reel labeled: # 4501, Creative Films, Rotate the Body, Ans Print, 7" reel
- Reel 2: Music Studio, Harry Partch, undated
- Reel labeled: Music Studio - Harry Partch, print no. 8, Creative Films, eighth print, 10 1/2" reel
- Reel 3: Windsong, undated
- Reel labeled: Windsong, For Harry, With love, Madeline, Madeline Tourtelot print 1, 10 1/2" reel
- Reel 4: U.S. Highball, undated
- Reel labeled: U.S. Highball, Creative Films, 2719 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois, print #1, 12" reel; Note by Tom McGeary: first copy of Madeline Tourtelot original
- Reel 5: The Music of Harry Partch, September 1974
- Reel labeled: KPBS Television 15, FM Radio 89.5, Sand Diego, Electroprint optical track, new print, 12" reel. Note by Danlee Mitchell: "This film was copied from a mag stripe original and is slightly fast. The voices sound high; if machine is adjustable, slow down to make voices lower and more natural."
- Sub-Series 2: Photographs
- These folders contain groups of photographs, slides, or negatives, grouped by production, place, or photographer.
- Box 9: Photographs
- Folder 22: "Delusion of the Fury", 1969
- Photographs of UCLA production
- Folder 23: "Dreamer that Remains", 1972
- Photographs taken at time of filming "Dreamer that Remains"
- Folder 24: Gualala, CA, ca. 1948-1951
- Folder 25: Instruments (I), ca. 1966-1973
- 35-mm slides taken by Danlee Mitchell, San Diego, studio
- Folder 26: Instruments (II), 1969
- B&W negatives, July-October 1969
- Folder 27: Photographs, undated
- Unsorted photos, B&W, color, some identified
- Folder 28: "Water! Water!", 1962
- Photographs of University of Illinois production
- Folder 29: WTTW-TV (Chicago), 1957
- Photographs during taping of TV program
- Sub-Series 3: 1/4 inch reel-to-reel tapes
- Box 19
- Reel 1: Peter Yates lecture, undated
- Labeled: Peter Yates KPFK Lecture, no. 1, 7" reel, 2 of 2
- Reel 2: UCLA lecture, May 1966
- Lecture recital by Partch at UCLA, reel labeled: (1) demonstration of instruments, (2) lecture, 7 1/2 "
- Reel 3: Partch lecture on Bewitched, March 1957
- Lecture by Partch about The Bewitched, 7" reel (Danlee Mitchell's copy)
- Reel 4: Partch Hawaii Lecture, July 1971
- Lecture by Partch at the University of Hawaii, July 9, 1971, 1 of 2
- Reel 5: University of Hawaii lecture, 1971
- Lecture by Partch at the University of Hawaii, July 9 (two 7-inch reels)
- Reel 6: Harry Partch Talks, undated
- Three lectures, 7" reel (Danlee Mitchell's copy): "Plectra and Percussion Dances," KPFA; "Oedipus," KPFA; Bewitched, WNYC
- Reel 7: "Revelation" rehearsal, 1960
- Reel labeled: Partch, first rehearsal of "Revelation," 7" reel, Note by Tom McGeary: tape of first rehearsal at the University of Illinois, conducted by John Garvey
- Reel 8: Partch Memorial meeting, September 1977
- Harry Partch Memorial meeting, at Lou Harrison's mother's home, Redwood City. Those present include Betty Freeman, Danlee Mitchell, Jack Larson, Steve Pouliot, 7" reel
- Reel 9: Paul Simons sings Bewitched, May 1979
- Paul Simons singing Witch parts from Bewitched, May 27, 1979, 5" reel
- Box 10
- Reel 1: The Letter, film track, 1972
- Adaptation of "The Letter" for "Dreamer that Remains," film, summer 1972, 7" reel (Danlee Mitchell's copy)
- Reel 2: Peter Yates interview, June 1960
- Harry Partch interviewed by Peter Yates, June 9, 1960, 7" reel
- Reel 3: Gene Paul interview, 1970
- Harry Partch instrument interview with Gene Paul, Encinitas, CA, May 30, 1970, 7" reel, duplicate copy (with enclosed content notes by Philip Blackburn)
- Reel 4: Peter Yates lecture, undated
- Lecture by Peter Yates, The American Experimental Tradition, (KPFK radio talk?) 7" reel, 1 of 2
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Writings],
[
Series 2: Personal Papers],
[
Series 3: Music Score Manuscripts],
[Series 4: Films, Tapes, Photographs],
[
All]
Holdings