Musical Outsiders: An American Legacy

1994 / 58 min. / color
Directed by Michael Blackwood

Narrated by the composers

Consultant: Dennis Russell Davies

Harry Partch, Lou Harrison, and Terry Riley

American composers have long struggled against the momentum of the Western European classical tradition and the prestige it has held in America’s cultural life. Featuring Harry Partch, Lou Harrison and Terry Riley, Musical Outsiders: An American Legacy addresses the freedom desired by the musicians and their efforts to gain recognition and opportunities while existing outside of the mainstream. When asked about his creative process, Terry Riley offered the following thought, “There’s always an endless frontier in music, because we’re dealing here with a person’s soul, you’re dealing with something that’s very basic, it’s a spiritual element.” (Terry Riley). Together the featured artists offer a deeper understanding of their alternative musical pursuits and how they have affected American culture.

Directed by
Michael Blackwood

Cast
Werner Bartschi
William Colvig
Dean Drummond
Betty Freeman
David Harrington
Lou Harrison
Danlee Mitchell
Pran Nath
Tom O’Horgan
Harry Partch (archive footage)
Terry Riley
Adolf Wolfli

Produced by
Michael Blackwood … producer
José Montes-Baquer … executive producer

Cinematography by
Mead Hunt

Film Editing by
Julie Sloane

Sound Department
Peter V. Meiselmann … sound recordist
Dieter Meyer … sound recordist
John Murphy … sound recordist
Joe Romano … sound recordist
Maddy Shirazi … sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Juliette DiGiovanni … assistant camera
Liz Dory … assistant camera (as Elizabeth Dory)
Otmar Schmid … still photographer
Seth Schneidman … still photographer
Kathrine Simonette … assistant camera
Helena Vagnières … still photographer
Andrew Yarme … assistant camera

Additional Crew
Laura Hahn … distribution director
Tatjana von Angern … assistant

IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt1832407

RELATED FILMS

Colin McPhee: The Lure of Asian Music

Colin McPhee: The Lure of Asian Music

New Music: Sounds and Voices from the Avant-Garde New York 1971

New Music: Sounds and Voices from the Avant-Garde New York 1971

The Sensual Nature of Sound: 4 Composers, Laurie Anderson, Tania Leon, Meredith Monk, Pauline Oliveros

The Sensual Nature of Sound: 4 Composers, Laurie Anderson, Tania Leon, Meredith Monk, Pauline Oliveros

ON DEMAND STREAMING
button-amazon button-vimeo button-kanopy

RELATED CATEGORIES
Music