Harry Partch: The Bewitched microtonal experimental 2lp

$

51

Harry Partch: The Bewitched - A dance-satire (1955 for ensemble of unique instruments)



CRI SD 304 USA 1973 2LP Vinyl: vg+, ex
Cover: vg (ring wear, stamps, stickers) Complete recording of this intense epic "satyr-play" microtonal work performed by the University of Illinois Musical Ensemble, divided into parts with insane names like 'Visions Fill the Eyes of a Defeated Basketball Team in the Shower Room' and 'Exercises in Harmony and Counterpoint are Tried in a Court of Ancient Ritual'. In the words of the composer, "The Bewitched is in the tradition of world-wide ritual theatre... It is an essay toward a miraculous abeyance of civilized rigidity, in the feeling that the modern spirit might thereby find some ancient and magical sense of rebirth..." Performers include Danlee Mitchell on diamond marimba, percussionist-composer Jack McKenzie on surrogate kithara and gongs, and John Garvey conducting. The Partch instruments marimba eroica, spoils of war, cloud-chamber bowls, harmonic canon, and chromelodeon are featured, and some more traditional classical instruments also make appearances (piccolo, bass clarinet, cello, and the Japanese koto).

From the late 1930s onward, after living as a transient hobo, Partch developed instruments based on his own revolutionary tuning theories (considered the first in the field since Pythagoras). He composed in isolation within the musical universe he created, but he blazed the same trails as Alois Haba, Julian Carrillo, Ivan Wyschnegradsky, and Charles Ives, drew from percussive eastern music such as gamelan, American folk, Native American, and African music, Hebrew and Christian hymns, and "lumber yards and junk shops," and would become influential to experimental and microtonal composers like John Cage, Steve Reich, Lou Harrison, La Monte Young, Ben Johnston, Easley Blackwood, Glenn Branca, Alvin Lucier, Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley, John Eaton, James Tenney, Rhys Chatham, Tony Conrad, Henk Badings, and others from the avant garde; his instruments relate to the 'Structures Sonores' of Bernard and Francois Baschet and Jacques Lasry and the sound sculptures and homemade instruments of Harry Bertoia, Max Neuhaus, Z'ev, Donald Knaack, Paul Panhuysen, Bill Fontana, Mario Bertoncini, Bruce Nauman, Robert Rutman, etc. Check out my other auctions this week for more Partch, avant garde/experimental, early electronic/electroacoustic, free jazz/improv, 20th century classical, microtonal, audiophile, prog/psych, modern poetry, and artist records. Shipping - US shipping is 4.20 for 1-2 single records by Media Mail, then 0.50 for each additional (Priority Mail, other expedited shipping options, and insurance are all available on request). International shipping for 1 12" lp to Western Europe/UK/Scandinavia is 8.00 surface or 13.00 air; to Japan/Taiwan/Australia is 8.00 surface or 14.50 air; to Canada by air is 7.00; other international destinations vary. 7" and 10" records will cost less; heavy box sets will cost more. Combine multiple items to save on shipping. Note: I can now offer international buyers the super-cheap M-Bag bulk mail rate for orders of 8 or more lps; to most destinations this starts at 21.50 for surface mail or 33.50 for air for up to 17 lps, a huge per-record savings over standard rates for smaller parcels! Feel free to email with any shipping questions. Payment - I prefer Paypal (which allows for fastest possible shipment) and also accept money order (from US financial institutions only, including BidPay, US Postal, certified US bank check, etc., international bidders please take note!). If you are paying by Paypal and have won multiple items, please use a single Paypal payment. I will send an invoice email to all winners shortly after my auctions close, and another email after payment has been received to confirm item shipment. Packing - I pack professionally and with the utmost care drawn from years of experience trading vinyl internationally. I use new record mailers from Cameron Packaging (which I have determined are the best and most protective) reinforced with cardboard inserts and bubble wrap padding. All records are shipped with poly plastic sleeves. All packages are completely sealed with strong packing tape covering all openings. If you'd like your package done any differently, just let me know. Feel free to email me if you have any questions (need more info, want more pictures, etc.); you can use the 'ask seller a question' link above. My condition rating scale is -G+/-VG+/-EX+/-NM/M (only sealed records are M). Satisfaction guaranteed; if you have any problems with your order please contact me directly. Check out Ebay[track], my free realtime ebay auction tracker (currently in beta), which can refresh multiple auction statuses every second, alert you when bids are placed and when auctions end, let you place bids, and more. It's a useful tool for bidders, snipers, sellers, watchers... This item description is (c)opyright 2007 keymap records; please contact keymap records for permission before reproducing any text.