Harry Partch: A Biography
Harry Partch (1901-74) was one of this country's most iconoclastic, visionary, and courageous composers, and it is a measure of his controversial status in the world of American arts and letters that it has taken nearly a quarter-century for a detailed, well-researched biography to be written. Gilmore, a British lecturer in music, has done an outstanding job in piecing together the scanty documentary evidence of Partch's life and conducted numerous interviews with friends and associates, resulting in a superbly written, captivating work. Partch's copious travels, hand-to-mouth existence during the Depression, tumultuous formal music education, and relentless pursuit of an alternative to traditional European art music are carefully and lovingly chronicled. Gilmore writes well for the lay reader; even the section on Partch's idiosyncratic approach to intonation is eminently readable. One might wish for a more generous collection of photographs, since Partch's battery of homemade instruments are stunning visual?as well as acoustic?creations. All in all, though, this is an outstanding achievement. Highly recommended for all collections.?Larry A. Lipkis, Moravian Coll., Bethlehem, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.