Seventeen Lyrics by Li Po (1930-33)

1.  The Long Departed Lover

2.  On the City Street

3.  An Encounter in the Field

4.  The Intruder

5.  On Ascending the Sin-Ping Tower

6.  In the Spring-time on the South Side of the Yangtze Kiang

7.  The Night of Sorrow

8.  On Hearing the Flute in the Yellow Crane House

9.  On Hearing the Flute at Lo-cheng One Spring Night

10. A Dream

11. On Seeing off Meng Hao-jan

12. On the Ship of Spice-wood

13. With a Man of Leisure

14. A Midnight Farewell

15. Before the Cask of Wine

16. By the Great Wall

17. I Am a Peach Tree

For Voice and Adapted Viola

Text by Li Po (Li Bai), translated by Shigeyoshi Obata

 

Two Psalms (1931-32, 1941, 1943)

The Lord Is My Shepherd

For Voice, Chromelodeon I, and Kithara I

Text from Psalm 23

By the Rivers of Babylon

For Voice, Adapted Viola, Chromelodeon I, and Kithara I

Text from Psalm 137

 

The Potion Scene (1931, 1955)

For Voice, two High Female Voices, Adapted Viola, Chromelodeon I, Kithara II, Bass Marimba, and Marimba Eroica

Text by Shakespeare

 

The Wayward (1941-43, 1955, 1958, 1968)

Texts by or collected by Harry Partch

1.  Barstow—Eight Hitchhiker Inscriptions from a Highway Railing at Barstow, California

For Objective Voice, Subjective Voice, Surrogate Kithara, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, and Boo

2.  San Francisco—A Setting of the Cries of Two Newsboys on a Foggy Night in the Twenties

For two Voices, Cello, Kithara II, Chromelodeon I

3.  The Letter—A Depression Message from a Hobo Friend

For Voice, Kithara II, Harmonic Canon II, Surrogate Kithara, Diamond Marimba, and Bass Marimba

4.  U.S. Highball—A Musical Account of a Transcontinental Hobo Trip

For Subjective Voice, Several Objective Voices, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Harmonic Canon II, Chromelodeon I, Bloboy, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, and Spoils of War

 

Yankee Doodle Fantasy (1944)

For Soprano, Tin Flutes, Tin Oboe, Flex-A-Tones, and Chromelodeon I

Text largely collected by Oscar Sonneck

 

Dark Brother (1942-43, 1949)

For Voice, Chromelodeon I, Adapted Viola, Kithara I, and Bass Marimba

Text by Thomas Wolfe

 

Two Settings from Joyce's Finnegan's Wake (1944)

1.  Isobel

2.  Annah the Allmaziful

For Soprano, Kithara I, and two Flutes

Text by James Joyce

 

"I'm very happy to be able to tell you

about this..." (1945)

For Soprano, Baritone, Kithara I, and Indian Drum

Text from a broadcast transcription by Warren Ward

Score nonextant 

 

Two Studies on Ancient Greek Scales (1946, 1949)

1.  Olympos' Pentatonic

2.  Archytas' Enharmonic

For Harmonic Canon II and Bass Marimba

 

Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)

1. & 2.  Two Studies on Ancient Greek Scales

For Harmonic Canon II and Bass Marimba

3.  The Rose

For Voice, Adapted Guitar II, and Diamond Marimba

Text by Ella Young

4.  The Crane

For Voice, Adapted Guitar II, and Diamond Marimba

Text by Ki no Tsurayuki, translated by Arthur Waley

5.  The Waterfall

For Voice, Adapted Guitar II, Diamond Marimba, and Cymbal

Text by Ella Young

6.  The Wind

For Voice, Harmonic Canon II, and Bass Marimba

Texts by Ella Young and Lao-Tse (Laozi)

7.  The Street

For Voice, Harmonic Canon II, and Bass Marimba

Text by Willard Motley

8.  Lover

For Voice, Soprano, Adapted Guitar I, Adapted Guitar II, Bass Marimba, and Cloud-Chamber Bowls

Text by George Leite

9.  Soldiers—War—Another War

For Voice, Adapted Guitar I, Harmonic Canon II, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, and Cloud-Chamber Bowls

Texts by Giuseppe Ungaretti, translated by William Fense Weaver

10. Vanity

For Voice, Adapted Guitar I, Adapted Guitar II, Adapted Guitar III

Note that the Adapted Guitar I referred to here is nonextant, and the Adapted Guitar III referred to here is now called Adapted Guitar I

Text by Giuseppe Ungaretti, translated by William Fense Weaver

11. Cloud-Chamber Music

For Voices, Adapted Viola, Adapted Guitar I, Kithara I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, and Deer-Hoof Rattle

Incorporates a Zuñi melody

 

Plectra and Percussion Dances (1949-52)

Castor and Pollux—A Dance for the Twin Rhythms of Gemini

For Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, and Cloud-Chamber Bowls

Ring Around the Moon—A Dance Fantasm for Here and Now

For Baritone, Adapted Guitar I, Adapted Guitar II, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, and Cymbal

Texts by Harry Partch

Even Wild Horses—Dance Music for an Absent Drama

For Baritone, Adapted Viola, Adapted Guitar I, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, Japanese Temple Bell, and Cymbal

Texts by Arthur Rimbaud

 

Oedipus—A Music-Dance-Drama (1951, 1952-54, 1967)

Bass - Oedipus

Tenor-Baritone - Chorus Spokesman

Bass - Tiresias and the Herdsman

Low Soprano - Jocasta

Six Sopranos - Chorus

For the above cast and Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Adapted Viola, Cello, String Bass, Adapted Guitar I, Adapted Guitar II, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Chromelodeon I, Chromelodeon II, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Gourd Tree, and Cone Gongs

Text by Harry Partch, based on the play by Sophocles

 

Two Settings from Lewis Carroll (1954)

1.  The Mock Turtle Song

For Voice, Surrogate Kithara, and Spoils of War

Text by Lewis Carroll

2.  O Frabjous Day!

For Voice, Harmonic Canon II, and Bass Marimba

Text by Lewis Carroll

 

Ulysses at the Edge (1955)

For Voice, Alto Saxophone or Trumpet, Baritone Saxophone, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Boo, and Cloud-Chamber Bowls

Text by Harry Partch

 

The Bewitched—A Ballet Satire (1955)

Soprano - The Witch

Chorus of Instrumentalists

For the above cast and Clarinet, Adapted Viola, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, and Spoils of War

​

The Bewitched—A Dance Satire (1955)

Soprano - The Witch

Chorus of Instrumentalists

For the above cast and Piccolo, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Cello, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Koto, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, and Gong

 

Windsong (1958)

For a film by Madeline Tourtelot

For Adapted Viola, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, and Spoils of War

Later rewritten as Daphne of the Dunes

 

Revelation in the Courthouse Park—After The Bacchae of Euripides (1960)

Baritone - Dion and Dionysus

Tenor-Baritone - Sonny and Pentheus

Soprano - Mom and Agave

Contralto - Korypheus

Chorus of Eight Women

Chorus of Four Men

Cadmus

Tiresias

The Herdsman

The Guard

Marching Band - two Piccolos, three Trumpets, two Trombones, Tuba, Snare Drum, and Bass Drum

Two Guitarists

Four Twirlers and Majorettes

Eight Clog Dancers

Four Tumblers

For the above cast and Adapted Viola, String Bass, Adapted Guitar I, Adapted Guitar II, Harmonic Canon I, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara I, Kithara II, Crychord, Chromelodeon I, Chromelodeon II, Bloboy, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, Cone Gongs, and Drone Devils

Text by Harry Partch, based on the play by Euripides

 

Rotate the Body in All Its Planes (1961)

For an exhibition of gymnasts

For Chorus, two Piccolos, three Trumpets, two Trombones, Tuba, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, String Bass, Adapted Guitar I, Harmonic Canon II, Crychord, Chromelodeon I, Chromelodeon II, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, and Spoils of War

Text by Harry Partch

 

Bless this Home (1961)

For Voice, Oboe, Adapted Viola, Kithara I, Harmonic Canon II, and Mazda Marimba

Text by Vincenzo Prockelo

 

Water!  Water!—An Intermission with Prologues and Epilogues (1961)

An unfinished work

For a large cast and Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, two Violins, Viola, Cello, String Bass, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Chromelodeon II, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Spoils of War, Jazz Percussion, and Jazz Ensemble

Text by Harry Partch

 

And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell in Petaluma

(1963-66)

For Adapted Guitar II, Harmonic Canon I, Harmonic Canon II, Harmonic Canon III, Kithara I, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Koto, Crychord, Chromelodeon I, Chromelodeon II, Bloboy, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, Mazda Marimba, Zymo-Xyl, Gourd Tree, Cone Gongs, Drone Devils, and Gubagubi

 

Delusion of the Fury—A Ritual of Dream and

Delusion (1965-66)

For Adapted Guitar I, Adapted Guitar II, Harmonic Canon I, Harmonic Canon II, Harmonic Canon III, Kithara I, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Koto, Crychord, Chromelodeon I, Chromelodeon II, Bloboy, Diamond Marimba, Quadrangularis Reversum, Bass Marimba, Marimba Eroica, Boo, Eucal Blossom, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, Mazda Marimba, Zymo-Xyl, Gourd Tree, Cone Gongs, Ugumbo, Bolivian Double Flute, Fiji Rhythm Boat, two Waving Drums, Rotating Drum, two Belly Drums, Gourd Drum, six sets of Bamboo Claves, four sets of Eucal Claves, Thumb Piano, Drone Devils, Gubagubi, Mama Cry Horn, and Bass Drum

 

Daphne of the Dunes (1967)

A dance work that is a rewriting of Windsong

For Adapted Viola, Harmonic Canon II, Kithara II, Surrogate Kithara, Chromelodeon I, Diamond Marimba, Bass Marimba, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Spoils of War, Gourd Tree, and Cone Gongs

 

The Dreamer That Remains—A Study in Loving (1972)

For a film by Stephen Pouliot

For Narrating Voice, Singing Voice, Chorus, Adapted Viola, Adapted Guitar I, Harmonic Canon I, New Harmonic Canon I, Harmonic Canon III, New Kithara I, Chromelodeon II, Quadrangularis Reversum, Boo II, Eucal Blossom, Mbira Bass Dyad, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, Gourd Tree, and two Ektaras

Text by Harry Partch