Ben Johnston (1926 - Present)

Introduction
Ben Johnston was born on March 15th, 1926, in Macon, Georgia. In 1949, Johnston would receive his BFA at William & Mary College in Virginia and his MMus a year later at the University of Cincinnati’s Music Conservatory. 2 years later,  Johnston would then find himself studying at Mills College in Oakland, California, with Darius Milhaud to earn his MFA. He would continue studying music in New York where Johnston would work with John Cage from 1959 to 1960. With years of knowledge from his studies, Johnston would become a contemporary composer in Just Intonation. *would not allow me to upload photo*

https://www.talkclassical.com/39521-ben-johnston.html - photo

Work Analysis
In 1973, Ben Johnston would release his most known and performed piece, String Quartet No. 4. The quartet is made up of 2 Violins, Viola, Cello and takes inspiration from Amazing Grace. Johnston wrote the piece from the idea of how it would sound if Beethoven covered it later in his career. With Johnston’s Just Intonation background, he uses the technique of microtones to create notes that aren't normally on a equally tempered piano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhZd4Tea2cM

Comparisons / Observation
After looking deeper into the method of microtones Ben Johnston used in his string quartet, appreciation for him much is very much needed. Johnston created whole scales from the overtone series filled with these microtones; they looked almost like mathematical equations. The piece overall is enjoyable to listen to as it takes Amazing Grace which is a widely known song and presents in a way never heard while also adding more textures in the process.