Michael Harrison - Revelation: Music in Pure Intonation (full album)

[@michaelharrison1114]

Section Titles and Timing 1. 00:00 Revealing the Tones 2. 04:26 Night Vigil I 3. 07:04 Revealing the Commas 4. 12:33 Tone Cloud I 5. 20:47 Homage to La Monte 6. 26:26 Tone Cloud II 7. 35:13 Night Vigil II 8. 38:22 Vision in the Desert 9. 41:44 Carillon 10. 48:18 Tone Cloud III 11. 53:35 Finale 12. 59:00 Tone Cloud IV

[@primeraconsultamedicasanfa8451]

You are very generous

[@command49.1game6]

Commas, I wouldn't realy name them that way. They are just complex intervals that just so happen to have very similar melodic pitch. They still have a completely different function.

[@fredrickpritchardpiano4103]

This composition is a PROFOUND statement of the value of Just Intonation, especially to modern ears, which are now accustomed to discord, recognizing the expressive merit of even the most dissonant chords and intervals.

[@GabrielsEpicLifeofGoals]

The flat 7 notes are always the most amazing!

[@sbingham1979]

Michael this work is beautiful; you have given to the world your true musical gifts. I am proud to say that I attended jr. high and high school with you; your gentle ways back then have come to incredibly rich fruition. I salute you!

[@koftu]

Finally, music that lets me understand why certain scales in my Webster's New International Dictionary of Music are ascribed various characteristics (e.g. "cheery" or "triumphant"). Not gonna lie, some of those chords are pretty wolfish, but it let's you hear the actual nature of music is not as immutable and vanilla as standard 12-limit EDO would have you believe...

[@jordan3636]

Hey this is cool, but we don't always have to define other tuned or microtonally tuned music in the context of western 12 tone music. Obviously that works for a lot of kinds of music, but this music is cool too and they can both exist. Just 12edo instruments are a lot more common and easy for multiple people to pick up the same tuned instruments and make music/have a good time.

[@GabrielsEpicLifeofGoals]

I want to start looking at music as more than just 12 notes and also more like ratios that explain why music makes you feel that way.

[@koftu]

@@GabrielsEpicLifeofGoals check out just intonation (Harry Partch was a modern proponent)

[@GabrielsEpicLifeofGoals]

@@koftu thanks, i'll look into it!

[@davekika6203]

I remember looking for music in Pure Intonation when I was studying music composition and I couldn't find a thing. Thank you for uploading this, I really wanted to hear music like this for years but just remember about it. It is jus beautiful.

[@aramaxii4568]

You should look at Ben Johnston's string quartets as well! They are fantastic.

[@oliverfiedler8502]

Thanks @misotanni for the starttimes of the parts and the tuning ratios maybe it is a little bit easier to understand them this way: F-C-G-D-A-E-B(H) are all pure fifth with the ratio 2:3 (701,955ct) F-Eb C-Bb G-F# D-C# A-G# are all pure seventh with the ratio 4:7 (968.826ct) => Eb-Bb-F#-C#-G# are all pure fifth with the ratio 2:3 (701,955ct) if you like to try this tuning with a synthesizer etc here are the whole ct C = 2 C# = -125 the sound of the C# is 27ct lower than the sound of the C !!! D = 6 D# = -31 the pure 7th (to F) the "Blue Note" is 31ct lower than the (12equal) D# E = 10 F = 0 F# = -127 same for the other black keys F#/G# lower than F/G G = 4 G# = -123 harrison calls this "celestial comma" with the ratio 63:64 (27,264ct)* A = 8 A# = -29 the pure 7th (to C) the "Blue Note" is 31ct lower than the (12equal) A# B = 12 on the 12note keyboard C# = Db D# = Eb F# = Gb G# = Ab A# = Bb etc maybe you can not tune a tone of your device with more or less than +/-100ct in this case you have to swap for example C = -25 C# = -98 F = -27 F# = -100 G = -23 G# = -96 but keep in mind: now not all white keys are pure 5th anymore now not all black keys are pure 5th anymore F#-C#-G#-D-A-E-B is the chain of pure 5th Eb-Bb-F-C-G the other chain of pure 5th C#-Bb F#-Eb G#-F A-G D-C are now pure 7th Many Thanks to Michael Harrison for (t)his (celestial comma) wonderful music *63:64 is also called Septimal Archytas' or Leipziger comma (Wikipedia)

[@telequacker-9529]

That part around 20:20 is THE BUSINESS, mane. A total bop, bro.

[@F3rn4nd0S1lv4]

It made me smile and come know the name of what was playing randomically in a "microtonal" search running Oh boy. I knew no thing. Ohh man.

[@weis.victor]

After 10+ years, I still keep coming back to this piece in awe.

[@sanjeeva311076]

Ironic that the picture represents the golden ratio which is the most dissonant interval possible despite being aesthetically pleasing!

[@vegahimsa3057]

Isn't it Fibonacci? 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 Depends how you use it. It might make a nice overtone series or as a kind of n-limit tuning. 1/1 3/2 5/3 8/5 13/8 21/13 ... 2/1 Immagonna give em a go.

[@sanjeeva311076]

@@vegahimsa3057 good idea, go for it! I meant the interval 1/1.618.... which is the most irrational number possible. Rationality seems to lead to consonance, the best example being the octave 1/2. The more irrational, the more dissonant, there's an example on KZbin somewhere of the golden ratio interval and it sounds awful. The lower Fibonacci numbers will give more consonant intervals, but the higher you go, the more they will begin to approximate the golden ratio thus becoming more dissonant (probably once you get to 13/8 and above). The upper limit of consonance seems to be 7/4 or the "blue seventh" as used in barbershop, and even that is a bit harsh to some ears. Perhaps Fibonacci/golden ratio will have a place in tempo/rhythm/phrasing, but I'm not sure how to make it work, I'm not a great mathematician and I'm an even worse musician!

[@vegahimsa3057]

@@sanjeeva311076 right. I calculate the frequency ratio 1.618 as 833 ¢ = 1200 x log2(1.618) or 2/7 of a semi tone between m6 and M7. But (to be pedantic) we always get further from tonic harmony with additional stacked intervals. The first, second, third overtones, IMO are like the first few seeds in the image, or the first few intervals of Fibonacci. The 12th overtone, or 12th stacked Pythagorean fifth, starts introducing noticable errors (the syntonic comma 81/80 of an octave to be exact). The 60th overtone, 60th seed, or 60th stacked fifth starts blurring error beyond full tones. Just intonation sounds like absolute crap too when crowded like the seeds. Even twelve seeds or twelve notes don't work together well, except from a single root note (or single central seed).

[@thomasthornton5478]

The golden ratio is not at all the most dissonant possible interval.

[@sanjeeva311076]

@@thomasthornton5478 what is then? wolf fifth? consonance and rationality are related. the golden ratio is defined by its irrationality. try listening to it, there's a video somewhere on youtube

[@boogaturk8363]

Feels liberating somehow.

[@grantfrederickson9778]

This is incredible. I've enjoyed Ben Johnston's work on the Microtonal piano, and this is, pardon the pun, a Revelation. I love some of Indian classical feel. As someone who dabbles with altered temperaments, it is a blessing to hear a master at work!

[@grantfrederickson9778]

Further note - parts of it sound like Raga Malkuans-- although I may be off.

[@omnificatorg4426]

Those "Tone clouds" are wonderful, they immerse you in a huge ocean of new musical sensations.

[@synthetic_paul]

Absolutely gorgeous, I’m amazed

[@KurtKaarl]

This is actually amazing

[@CV-qy5qi]

A great composition and tuning!

[@danielthomas5634]

Beautiful, thank you for this

[@samusbros66]

I've been looking for microtones and found this, truly amazed, find an interesting taste for this type of music, specially with the tunning that the composer offers, great work and music.

[@JonWallis123]

You might also like kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaGrhHZumryKgpo

[@michaelharrison1114]

Awesome, thank you!

[@anthropometor1894]

I'm new to this music. 'familiar with avant guard such as John Cage and Harry Partch tho. I find this is very easy on the ear and enjoyed it completely. Thanks for posting this, and the notes as well!

[@jakubbaran28]

Do you know "The Well- tuned piano" by La Monte Young? That's pretty awesome. Also try "The Harp of New Albion" by Terry Riley.

[@eemanueloviedo2045]

Excelentisimo !

[@LemKuuja]

yo bro this weed do be hittin kinda different doe 😳😳😳😳

[@OninDynamics]

bruh

[@NummyGD]

LemKuuja?! I tink I recognize dat boi... how u get here? 😳😳😳😳

[@mikoformiko]

this is lovely. many thanks! i especially like the pure 7:4 which is impossible to mimic in 12-tone....

[@GabrielsEpicLifeofGoals]

Yes, that's always the best

[@malamute8257]

@@GabrielsEpicLifeofGoals I'm a guitarist just now discovering that access to those "sweeter" sevenths via bending is why I gravitated toward the instrument (and love barbershop quartets so much)

[@maureenmcmahon201]

This is so great!! It does as another person here said remind a bit of Keith Jarrett but I find this better than Jarrett. The Pure Intonation got me hooked! Fantastic!

[@michaelharrison1114]

Great to hear. Jarrett was and remains a huge inspiration for me. I had the good fortune to meet him on four separate occassions and I vividly remember each conversation!

[@malcolmbeckett9802]

Just clicked on this and glad I did, I've been listening to chilli gonzalez playing piano and enjoy it so much, this is another great way to learn about what music can be

[@michaelharrison1114]

Thanks for listening

[@dustybear0606]

Wow. This is beautiful. Been listening to Robert Blake lately and explained the mathematics of precise temperament and I am on awe. Beautifully done

[@johnpcomposer]

freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.

[@aubreyhale]

Happened to hear you perform today at the Menil while looking at art. Just incredible and such a happy, accidental discovery.

[@mauriciorocha4038]

Wonderful!

[@epiphoney]

For great just intonation rock and roll, check out Hansford Rowe's Steel Blue on Bandcamp (with Jon Catler on guitar). KZbin deletes direct links. Hansford also has some tunes in just intonation on Soundcloud. Robert Rich's ambient but more active Neurogenesis and Filaments on Bandcamp are also in just intonation. Also Chicken by Willie McBlind is a good bluesy electric guitar JI instrumental. Canonballer is another one.

[@chalked3]

love

[@Scizyr]

Thanks Mr. Harrison. This is sparking ideas in my mind like nothing else I've heard. There definitely is something to be discovered here, I can feel it, even if this piece in particular isn't it. I can see a pathway opening.

[@miguelsoutomusic]

Somehow reminds me of La Monte Young's The well-tuned piano.

[@charlesbaker7625]

Harrison studied with LaMonte Young

[@birthdaydinosaur]

theres a heavy use of harmonic sevenths and fifths, just like la monte young

[@dj7ply]

Harrison was Young's tuning assistant! From an interview I heard with Young, it sounds like Harrison was the person he could trust most with tuning his piano.

[@egapnala65]

Reminds me of some of Hovhaness' piano music in mood.

[@Lambss]

Alien music is finally here. Time to evolve.

[@RaineR3313]

hell ,this dude is next level

[@TheJazzMemoir]

Harrison, this is very beautiful. I am truly awed!!! I jave a Kawai baby grand and would love to tune it in just intonation. Any suggestions?

[@waynepayne864]

fire

[@gregm9976]

if it sounds "off" to you its because you've trained your ears to hear equal temperament.

[@gregm9976]

that's because it really is off.....its crazy because we grew up doing all this stuff that is the opposite of what is supposed to be done.....Idk if you studied past civilizations but as time goes by humans are diluting due to slow self destruction I really don't believe we are meant to come and go like that....lets say all of the harmful things wasn't here. certain foods, meds etc do you really think the average human life expectancy would be anywhere close to 100 years old and younger? I don't I think the human body, and mind/spirit connection is stronger beyond belief than people think it is.

[@reetard3708]

It will just start to feel a little boring, don't worry, but I suffer from depression, maybe that's the reason.

[@michaeltilley8708]

Also, the inharmonicity of the piano makes it the farthest thing from an ideal rendering of just intonation I can imagine. The overtones will simply not line up. Design a different instrument if you're that hot for pure integers, IMO.

[@reetard3708]

Great point, a version of this w/ synths might be more realistic, instead of creating an instrument specified for having no inharmonic partials. Although if the inharmonic partials have the same ratio to the fundamental on any note played on the piano, I will accept this as just.

No that's because it's actually off lol. More off than equal temperament on average. Only better for specific chords.

[@UpanddownQ]

Sounds like middleage cathedral bell’s ringing

[@TheTsev]

yes!

[@Chris-xb7gm]

Believe it or not, all European music was pure intonation before 14th century

[@diegosatori5718]

Mmm interesting but how do we know that?

[@ClowdyHowdy]

@@diegosatori5718 the development of equal temperament was a documented process. we didn't have widespread adoption of equal temperament (the tuning standard now) until around that time. There were dabblings of equal temperament in china before that by mathmeticians but didn't spread widely until about the same time as it did in europe. The wiki page on equal temperament is actually very useful for getting a crash course.

[@danielzheng2242]

@@ClowdyHowdy wait was it pure intonation or a combination of the two? its like saying the violin is one over the other when in reality we adjust (imprecisely) like we know how 4ths and 5ths and octaves resonate, but 11/12 is a ratio you cant perform unless its returned or you're Jacob Collier

[@RingOfRae]

yep... then the schizophrenia begun and we got capitalism! time to bring the goods from the past.....

[@eddyc4603]

I have a theory that the (Western, anyhow) world is screwed in many ways because the music does not resonate with our biological tunings in harmonious ways, and it all goes south from there. Or, at the very least, that there are glaring gaps which aren't filled and leave some gaps within the soul. Which, of course, may be complete bollockchs. But all microtonal etc. does stuff to me and leaves me "satisfied" in ways than so-called regular does not, other than stimulating this or that in particular.

[@shaishav467]

This raag Yaman ❤

[@command49.1game6]

What is this was in 5-limit just intonation?

[@boomerhippie]

Reminds me of Keith Jarrett's Köln solo concert without the grunting and groaning.

[@brianrobinson7456]

Be careful, you can get lost in here

[@Syllogyzym]

Works for me.

[@bringupthesun8986]

haha

[@tomaa3522]

i dont think tuning a piano in different intervals would grasp the complexity of the harmonic series, it feels more dissonant

[@AEMachinas]

Charles Ives still did it the best. Trick is you need to have something to say/illustrate.

[@arastoomii4305]

3:2 method was discovered by Sumerians... pythagoras “learned” it from the easterners.

[@BATTIS94]

That doesn't surprise me. Given the history of greek philosophers "borrowing" from Sumerians, egyptians and babylonians.

[@timmeeyh6523]

I wish there was a equal temp version too.

[@noisenik]

Werkmeister Harmonies... blame Pythagoras, the quest for the Golden Liar (!) Orpheus left behind

[@noisenik]

The shade, the shadow, of Goodly Justice walks... oh, don't look back, lest you turn into Bob Dylan!

[@DuncanHarrist]

Wow, this guy really needs to tune his piano ; - )

[@Sunyatasattva]

Are these comments serious? Sometimes I can't tell.

[@calexito9448]

Duncan Harrist Just pure intonation... you serious?

[@salomonsalomon38]

aha hah lol

[@KootsD]

Notice the winking face. ;-)

[@ryantandy307]

Just intonation goes away as soon as you verge off the a diatonic set. So, seriously, we can be victims of our own intellects. If it sounds out of tune, it is! That's because he's verged off the diatonic set, and he is no longer just. Just is extremely narrow, thus temperance was invented to approximate across ALL sets at a single interface (the keyboard). The only orchestra that could reproduce just intonation across ALL sets would be and a large number harmonicas or such narrow-set instruments, tuned to a specific key only, any single one becoming engaged only when you've modulated into its justly-intoned wheelhouse (at first glance I'd say 96 harmonicas; 12 basic tones, each with its own set of 8 just intervals, and I'm not factoring in modality, each interval along the modality generating its own set of just tones, etc, the math is tedious for me at the mo...wait a second, it's infinite!). Bottom line, anyone who claims to be able verge off a narrow set and remain just will start to sound like my Boss chorus pedal dialed in to the "nausea" setting (see 16:00 on video). Listen guys, don't over intellectualize what is basically out of tune. Sounding cool while sensualizing philosophy is not the same as making a true statement.

[@SabreChris18]

It "feels" off but I don't hate it for some reason.

[@gregm9976]

its because you're used to equal temperament

[@envybartowski8519]

Tze future

[@klaasbil8459]

The just intonation character is only valid for one particular scale/key. If the music wanders away from that key, some of the intervals sound really out of tune to me. Maybe this is my western music background, being used to 12TET. Or maybe I don't understand the concept of pure intonation. But to me this is hard to appreciate.

[@letukomammon2261]

BHHAAA MEEEHHH.

[@lepistanuda]

dont wanna be an arse but i would rather just listen to the Harp of New Albion tbh

[@johnsmith-ch7fg]

That's a very good album (Rileys best and most mature work in fact) - I prefer it but this is worth a listen too imo

[@Kaiveran]

You prefer 5 to 7, just like some people prefer hot dogs to hamburgers - no biggie

[@croquetj]

Kaiveran Lugheidh Riley’s 5-limit tuning for HoNA was unusual, and Riding the Westerlies and Return of the Ancestors make heavy use of the 225/128 interval which turns out to be a convincing stand-in for 7/4.

[@Blue_ocean66]

Commissioner Michael Harrison signed off on my illegal termination. His disrespect will not be forgiven.

[@MrHamncheez]

This is weird.

[@richardnineteenfortyone7542]

This music is deviant and should be banned, lest it inspire unapproved thoughts in others! 🤥

[@luuispulido780]

Bro wtf tune your piano haha

[@garyandrewranford]

Okay, that is not music to my ears...

[@zmeykarenych]

the piano is not tuned this is not music, it's when you don't know what to play and play something wile thinking what to play

[@stephenweigel]

wrong

[@michaelharrison1114]

Simpler forms of just intonation will sound more consonant than equal temperament if the dissonant sounding byproducts or “commas” are avoided. If you want to hear this kind of “pure” consonance check out my new piece Kalim: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3_MiWiOrbFlmpI and most of my new album Seven Sacred Names: michaelharrison.bandcamp.com/album/seven-sacred-names. Part of the the beauty of just intonation is that it is an infinite system in which every whole number proportion corresponds to a different musical interval. They can be simple and consonant, like 3:2 (a perfect fifth) or 5:4 (a pure major third), or complex and dissonant like 64:63 (the Septimal comma, also the difference between the 63 and 64th harmonics). The more complex intervals can sound much more “microtonal” than the simpler ones. The reason Revelation may initially sound out of tune is that 3 pairs of adjacent notes in each octave (C and C#, F and F#, G and G#) are precisely tuned to 64:63. These commas are slightly different versions of the same note, approx. an 8th of a tone apart. At first they can sound really jarring, but once you get used to them, and especially when you hear it live, you can hear and experience how the acoustical pulses created by these notes shimmer and pulsate, creating their own rhythms (like a phase shifter). I explore the resulting melodic and harmonic relationships and often play in sync with the rhythmic pulses that are generated by the notes themselves. All of this can add another dimension to the music. A good example of this is the climax of Tone Cloud II starting around 31:14 (try listening with good headphones).

[@pedrova8058]

let me guess, don't you know gamelan music? Arab maqams? balkan choral/folk music? There's a whole world out there to listen, and it doesn't bite.

[@jasonbono6552]

Morally wrong.

[@lepistanuda]

hahahahahahahaha

[@waltonsimons12]

If this music is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

[@jasonbono6552]

@@waltonsimons12 morals aside, it is pretty great

[@Wind-nj5xz]

How?