Editing Harry Partch (section)

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{{quote box|The age of specialization has given us an art of sound that denies sound, and a science of sound that denies art. The age of specialization has given us a music drama that denies drama, and a drama that—contrary to the practices of all other peoples of the world—denies music.|Partch, in ''Bitter Music'' (2000){{sfn|Partch|2000|p=179}}|width=30em}}

Partch rejected the Western concert music tradition, saying that the music of composers such as Beethoven "has only the feeblest roots" in [[Western culture]].{{sfn|Yang|2008|p=53}} His non-Western orientation was particularly pronounced—sometimes explicitly, as when he set to music the poetry of [[Li Bai]],{{sfn|Yang|2008|pp=53–54}} or when he combined two [[Noh]] dramas with one from [[Ethiopia]] in ''The Delusion of the Fury''.{{sfn|Yang|2008|p=56}}

Partch believed that [[20th-century classical music|Western music of the 20th century]] suffered from over-specialization. He objected to the theatre of the day, which he believed had divorced music and drama, and he strove to create complete, integrated theatre works, in which he expected each performer to sing, dance, play instruments, and take on speaking parts. Partch used the words "ritual" and "corporeal" to describe his theatre works—musicians and their instruments were not hidden in an [[orchestra pit]] or offstage, but were a visual part of the performance.{{sfn|Sheppard|2001|pp=180–181}}