In 1972, filmmaker Stephen Pouliot and photographer Betty Freeman began filming the short-form documentary, The Dreamer That Remains: A Portrait of Harry Partch. The project began as Pouliot’s master’s thesis. Following Partch’s death in 1974, the film developed an underground following and was re-released several times. Originally called Harry Partch: A Study in Loving, the film documents Partch’s early adulthood as a hobo, the creation of his unique instruments and microtonal scale system, and his work with the Gate 5 Music Ensemble. You can watch the full version of the documentary, courtesy of the Harry Partch Estate Archive on YouTube.
This addition sheds new light on the relationship between Pouliot and Partch. Of note are two bound scrapbooks consisting of 104 letters sent from Partch to Pouliot between 1971 and 1974. In these letters, Partch expressed his deep admiration for Pouliot, sending the young filmmaker flowers and drawings throughout their time working on the project. Also included in the collection are production photos (including the image shown, which was taken on a beach in Iverness, California just North of San Francisco), film schedules, letters to Betty Freeman, Philip Blackburn, Danlee Mitchell, and Bob Gilmore, many people who promoted and wrote about Partch well after his death.
For further information about the Stephen Pouliot Collection contact Scott Schwartz at schwrtzs@illinois.edu and Nolan Vallier at vallier2@illinois.edu, or call us at 217-333-4577.