Do It Yourself

This Thursday on "Roll Over Beethoven" we have two vastly different composers featured.


Firstly is a man who was caught up in one of the world's most horrendous times, and felt trapped and hopeless. Hugo Distler was born in Germany in 1908, and as a young child saw the devastation wrought by a world war that his homeland lost. When World War Two started in 1939, he spiraled into depression from the aerial bombings, job difficulties, the death of friends and the constant threat of being conscripted. He chose instead to kill himself, rather than have the army do it for him! However, he did leave behind him some wonderful sacred choral music.


Our second composer is so hard to categorise, he stands alone in his chosen music field. Harry Partch was an American composer and instrument builder. He made his own instruments, as none existing would play his micro-tonal scales. Instruments were either adapted from conventional classical bodies, or made from scratch using hubcaps, headlamps, bamboo tubes, artillery shells and liquor bottles.

For several years of his life he was a hobo, rattling around America in Box Cars and living off the land, keeping a journal of his experiences which later became the basis for further musical works.

Also, as usual on the show, we will be playing a complete Goon Show, This week - "Ye Bandits of Sherwood Forest".

Tune in from 9 pm to midnight, each Thursday night on Yarra Valley FM 99.1, or listen to it streamed live from the website.