source file: m1421.txt Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 15:31:30 -0400 Subject: atonality & serialism From: monz@juno.com (Joseph L Monzo) I just have to toot Ben Johnston's horn one more time, this time in response to the "is serialism atonal?" debate. I know of at least one example where serialism is most emphatically NOT atonal (and it's not Bach either). In his 6th Quartet [late 1970s], Johnston forged an amazing synthesis of serialism and just-intonation. He splits his row in half (hexachordal division was explored a bit by Schoenberg in his last compositions: see "A Study of Hexachord Levels in Schoenberg's Violin Fantasy" by David Lewin, in _Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky_, p 78 - 92), and makes each hexachord a 6-note JI chord, with identities 1 thru 11 (à la Partch), arranges these tonal hexachords so that one of them always has the six 12-eq pitch-classes that are missing in the other (thus completing a 12-tone row), then combines hexachordal serial processes (with inversions, retrogrades, and all the usual serial apparatus) with the tonal structures produced by his extended JI. This piece is an astounding intellectual acheivment, and most incredibly of all, thru all the numerical methodology, it still sounds great and packs a real emotional punch! Those interested in a detailed analysis are referred to "A Harmonic and Serial Analysis of Ben Johnston's String Quartet No. 6", by Steven Elster, in _Perspectives of New Music_, vol 29 #2 [Summer 1991], p 138-165. There was an LP recording of it -- don't have any details, but it's definitely worth seeking out. Try a large city or university library -- I've found a good deal of Johnston's stuff there. Johnston's work is the most intellectually-stimulating I've found in JI, and yet, sadly, it goes largely unrecognized. (He's finally gotten a computer, and I'm trying to convince him to get on this list. His input would be most enlightening.) Joseph L. Monzo monz@juno.com _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]