Harry Partch

Harry Partch (1901–1974) was an American composer, instrument builder and theorist who developed a 43-tone scale and handcrafted unique instruments to perform his music. He authored Genesis of a Music (1949) and created numerous music-theatre works.

Born 1901, died 1974. Developed a 43-tone scale described in Genesis of a Music (1949). Built custom instruments and composed theatrical works including Delusion of the Fury and The Bewitched. Recordings have appeared on CRI and New World Records catalogs.

Harry Partch was an American composer-inventor who developed a 43-tone scale and built custom instruments to realize it. Reviews emphasize his music-theatre works (e.g., Delusion of the Fury), nomadic biography influences, and the physical, percussive timbres of his instruments. DeBaser's coverage recommends starting with the boxed collections of his recordings.

For:Listeners of experimental and microtonal music; composers, instrument builders, and students of 20th-century avant-garde music.