Harry Partch

The Profile

Harry Partch (1901–1974) was an American composer, music theorist, and instrument builder who created a 43-tone just intonation system and built bespoke instruments to perform his works.

Pioneer of a 43-tone just intonation tuning; built custom instruments and fused speech, theater, and dance; author of Genesis of a Music; drew on hobo life in works such as U.S. Highball; created landmark stage pieces including Delusion of the Fury and The Bewitched.

A passionate deep-dive into Harry Partch’s microtonal world: a 43-tone tuning, hand-built instruments, and a body of work spanning dance-dramas, theater, and recordings. The review celebrates his hobo-influenced sound theater, his defiance of academic norms, and recommends starting with The Harry Partch Collection (Volume One).