KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Morning Concert: The Music of Ben Johnston, 2 of 2
Analog Audio
Event Type
Interview and MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
MC.1981.12.11.BProgram Series
Morning ConcertProgram Length
126 minPart
2 of 2Dates
1981-12-11 | broadcast| 1981-12-11 | created
Description
American composer Benjamin Burwell Johnston was born March 15, 1926 in Macon, GA. Living briefly in Berkeley, CA, in 1950, he was associated with Harry Partch and studied at the University of California and Mills College. From 1951 to 1983 he taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In this program, recorded in 1981, Johnston is interviewed by Charles Amirkhanian about his career, compositions, and influences. A composer fundamentally partial to microtones, Johnston discusses his discovery of just intonation, initiated by his contact with composer Partch. Heard during this program is a selection of Johnston’s microtonal music, including his string quartet built around the theme of “Amazing Grace” and his “Suite for Microtonal Music”, as well as his “Knocking Piece” in which two performers rap upon the interior and exterior of a grand piano. (from KPFA Folio)Genres
20th century classicalMicrotonal music
Musical Selections
Visions and Spels [a realization of the indeterminate composition “Vigil,” text by Jerome Rothenberg] (1976) (27:14) / Ben Johnston -- Suite for Microtonal Piano: Alarm ; Blues ; Etude ; Song ; Toccata (1978) (17:24) / Ben Johnston -- Knocking Piece, for piano interior (1962) (6:53) / Ben JohnstonPerformers
New Verbal Workshop (Visions)Norma Marder, voice (Visions)
Joan Korb, voice (Visions)
Fred Simon, voice (Visions)
Theo Ann Brown, voice (Visions)
Ben Johnston, voice (Visions)
Herbert Marder, voice, conductor (Visions)
John Rinehart, piano (Suite)
Allen Otte, percussion on piano (Knocking)
Michael Udow, percussion on piano (Knocking)
Subjects
20th century classicalMicrotonal music
Vocal sextets with percussion
Improvisation (Music)
Suites (Piano)
Percussion ensembles
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by the GRAMMY Foundation.Related places
Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)
Related Entities
New Verbal WorkshopAmirkhanian, Charles
Johnston, Ben
Rothenberg, Jerome, 1931-
Marder, Norma
Korb, Joan
Simon, Fred
Brown, Theodora Ann
Marder, Herbert
Rands, Bernard
Rinehart, John, 1937-2009
Otte, Allen
Udow, Michael W. (Michael William)