Text by Eleni Ralli

The piece 43 in 43 was conceived way before its composition, when I first started my research on the American composer Harry Partch, his theoretical/tuning system and his instruments and was composed over a period of 3 years (2019-2021). It constitutes the artistic product of my research, which still goes on, and was composed in close collaboration with the members of Ensemble Musikfabrik and Thomas Meixner, who constructed in the name of the Ensemble replicas of Partch’s complete setup, and which is -until today, 2023- the only one existing overseas.
43 in 43, starting from Partch, contains my own aesthetic and a narration poetic in how far intonation systems, timbers, registers and in general characteristics of two different instruments (Harry Partch and Western musical instruments) can coexist and which are the parameters of their coexistence, as defined by me. The target was on the one hand to respect Harry Partch’s tradition, while on the other to create something own, unique and new, as it is impossible to escape Partch when using his instruments since the tuning system is built in them.
43 in 43, with duration of 43’, consists of a series of miniatures, which nevertheless do not cancel its holistic structure, as individuals events flow into each other, connect, reflect and overlap, creating an overall bow, giving space and time to this two different worlds, while also creating a new, which exists beyond them.
All that process, from the piece’s conception to its realization, would have been impossible without the collaboration, the reflections and the commitment each one of the performers put to accompany me on this unique research travel.
Helen, Carl, Christine, Marco, Hannah, Charlotte, Ulrich, Benjamin, Dirk, Florentin, Sara thank you!

More about Eleni Ralli’s research