Awards

• Winner of <DIV>Awarded the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award (2007).</DIV> 2007

Overview

Described by New York Times critic John Rockwell as ""one of the best non-famous composers this country has to offer,"" Ben Johnston reconceives familiar idioms--ranging from neoclassicism and serialism to jazz and southern hymnody--using just intonation. Johnston studied with Darius Milhaud, Harry Partch, and John Cage, and is best known for his String Quartet No. 4, a complex series of variations on Amazing Grace. This collection spans forty years and brings together forty-one of Johnston's most important writings, including many rare and several previously unpublished selections. They include position papers, theoretical treatises, program notes, historical reflections, lectures, excerpts from interviews, and letters, and they cover a broad spectrum of concerns--from the technical exegesis of microtonality to the personal and the broadly humanistic. A discography of commercially available recordings of Johnston's music closes out the collection.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ben Johnston ,  Bob Gilmore
Publisher:   University of Illinois Press
Imprint:   University of Illinois Press
Edition:   New edition
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.80cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.481kg
ISBN:  

9780252086717

ISBN 10:   0252086716
Pages:   328
Publication Date:   08 March 2022
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.

Table of Contents

Editor's Acknowledgments   xi Introduction   xi   Bob Gilmore Ben Johnston: A Chronology   xxv   Bob Gilmore 1. ON MUSIC THEORY Aesthetic Theory; Philosophical Background for Mathematical Theory; Musical Background for Application of Mathematical Theory   3 Scalar Order as a Compositional Resource   10 Proportionality and Expanded Musical Pitch Relations   32 Microtonal Resources   41 Tonality Regained   46 Music Theory   53 Rational Structure in Music   62 A Notation System for Extended Just Intonation   77 2. ON MUSICAL AESTHETICS AND CULTURE Musical Intelligibility: Where Are We?   91 A Talk on Contemporary Music   103 Festivals and New Music   107 Three Attacks on a Problem   109 On Context   118 Contribution to IMC Panel   122 How to Cook an Albatross   126 Art and Survival   134 On Bridge-Building   143 Seventeen Items   149 Art and Religion   151 Extended Just Intonation: A Position Paper   153 A.S.U.C. Keynote Address   156 Just Intonation and Mere Intonation   163 Without Improvement   166 Maximum Clarity   171 3. SOME COMPOSITIONS On String Quartet No. 2   183 On Sonata for Microtonal Piano   185 The Genesis of Knocking Piece   187 Quintet for Groups: A Reminiscence   192 On Carmilla   196 On Crossings (String Quartet No. 3 and String Quartet No. 4)   199 On The Age of Surveillance   201 On String Quartet No. 5   203 On String Quartet No. 6   204 On Journeys   205 On Sleep and Waking   207 4. ON OTHER COMPOSERS Letter from Urbana   211 To Perspectives of New Music re. John Cage   216 The Corporealism of Harry Partch   219 Harry Partch/John Cage   232 Harry Partch's Cloud-Chamber Music   235 Beyond Harry Partch   243 Regarding La Monte Young   251 Notes on Sources   259 Bibliography   263 Discography   267 Index   271

Reviews

Johnston's contributions are monumental, and this collection illustrates why. Not only are the theoretical writings extremely useful for scholars, composers, and performers who want to understand just intonation, but the spiritual aspects of Johnston's writings and Gilmore's explanations are inspiring for all readers. --Heidi Von Gunden, author of The Music of Vivian Fine A most valuable and original book, Maximum Clarity gives a much clearer and fuller idea of the music and thought of a truly innovative composer. --Charles Hamm, author of Irving Berlin: Songs From the Melting Pot

Awarded the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award (2007).- ASCAP Deems Taylor Award

Author Information

Ben Johnston (1926-2019) began his recording career in 1968. He taught theory and composition for thirty-three years at the School of Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Bob Gilmore (1961-2015) was a professor, musicologist, and keyboard player. His books include Harry Partch: A Biography.

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