Ben Johnston vs. Lou Harrison

Scorpion de Rooftrouser · 2025-09-18T16:31:07-0400

Ben Johnston: Expanded just intonation—especially in his string quartets, which are basically math puzzles in musical form (but still expressive). His work is dense and extremely precise, and he pushed Western classical instruments beyond their usual tuning. It’s not always an easy listen, but if you appreciate wild harmonies and system-based composition, it's incredibly rewarding.

Lou Harrison: He experimented with Eastern and Western fusion before it was trendy—gamelan, DIY instruments, weird scales, and more. His music comes off as more open and emotional than Johnston’s. Less theoretical, and more instinctual. It’s colorful, rhythmic, sometimes even playful. His love of sound for its own sake is obvious.

So basically:

Johnston bends pitch.
Harrison blends cultures.
One is a meticulous tuner, the other is a joyful experimenter.

Who speaks to you more?

Entelekheia · 2025-09-18T16:33:33-0400

I don't know either of these guys, but you've piqued my interest. Johnston's string quartets, OK got it, can you pop a few more recommendations?

Nielsen4theWin · 2025-09-18T16:47:36-0400

I have never heard a note of Harrison, which I probably should rectify. I am a pretty big fan of Johnston's string quartets, probably my favorite cycle since Shostakovich, with 9 as a particular standout. I won't vote until I've heard a bit of Harrison. So, in the same vein as Entelekheia, any recommendations?

Scorpion de Rooftrouser · 2025-09-18T17:10:17-0400

drozdik2almos · 2025-09-18T17:00:22-0400

Have to confess I don't know either one. What would you recommend from either composer?

Scorpion de Rooftrouser · 2025-09-18T17:17:35-0400

Ben Johnston samples:

Scorpion de Rooftrouser · 2025-09-18T17:18:04-0400

Ben Johnston samples:

Mandryka · 2025-09-18T17:23:51-0400

Some of Ben Johnston is very Harry Partch

I'm not so keen on his music that's rooted in folk tunes - but when he moves away from that, I like what he does

Scorpion de Rooftrouser · 2025-09-18T17:28:52-0400

Mandryka said:
Some of Ben Johnston is very Harry Partch

Great recording. Partch was a trailblazer, but his pieces can drag. I’m more interested in the composers who expanded on his work.

Nielsen4theWin · 2025-09-18T17:50:31-0400

I'll admit that the singing in the final selection threw me. The string orchestra piece was nice, but that opening selection from the "chamber and gamelan" album was particularly neat. I'll vote Johnston, but I've marked that album as one to go through in the near-future. Thank you for bringing Harrison to my attention.

Chat Noir · 2025-09-18T18:15:45-0400

I still think Ben Johnson was robbed in the '88 Olympics.

Highwayman · 2025-09-18T21:28:31-0400

They are both very underrated so I appreciate the matchup. That being said, I haven`t hesitated a nanosecond before voting Johnston. I appreciate Harrison`s existence but I`m almost never in mood for his signature fusion works. On the other hand, I can always listen to some Johnston as long as he`s not doing anything minimalistic or folksy.

Scorpion de Rooftrouser · 2025-09-18T22:17:14-0400

At first, I found Johnston’s work difficult to access, grounded in Western classical forms yet stretched through microtonal experimentation. Harrison, by contrast, was immediately more pleasurable. Over time, however, Johnston’s work has come to eclipse my preference for Harrison.

Who speaks to you more?

Ben Johnston

Lou Harrison

Ben Johnston vs. Lou Harrison

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