The works on this album, collectively known as 'The Wayward,' were initially composed in the early 1940s after Partch received a Guggenheim Fellowship, and were rewritten many times, most substantially in 1955.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Partch found musical inspiration in the voices of those he encountered during his travels, meticulously notating their nuances and inflections.
Recording & Production
This new recording is the first time all five works of 'The Wayward' are gathered in one place, as previous plans for LP releases were altered due to track lengths.
Cultural Impact
The 1946 percussionless recording of U.S. Highball was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2004 for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.
Compositional Technique
For over a decade, Partch had been developing a new musical system with scales of at least 29 notes to the octave, and he created instruments to play them.
Composer Biography
Harry Partch, the composer, experienced a period of wandering and living in 'hobo jungles' across the Western United States from 1935 to 1941, following a European sojourn.
Instruments
The album features unique instruments designed and built by Harry Partch, such as the Chromelodeon, Diamond Marimba, Boo (a bamboo marimba), and Surrogate Kithara.
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