A Young Person’s Guide to Just Intonation

The second and final movement of my second string quartet. Performed by members of Decoda at the ICEBERG Peace Chronicles Part 2, May 14 2022.

String Quartet No. 2 - II. Finale

A little 11-limit just intonation experiment.

Just Synths

The complete version of a cue from the upcoming documentary "Damhsa", Hollye Swinehart's wonderful portrait of James Berkery, with Jack Bogard on fiddle. Inspired by Irish traditional music.

Last Reel (from Damhsa)

Using my new 19-note constant-structure scale:
1/1, 21/20, 13/12, 9/8, 7/6, 39/32, 5/4, 21/16, 4/3, 7/5, 13/9, 3/2, 63/40, 13/8, 5/3, 7/4, 117/64, 15/8, 63/32 (2/1).

13-limit improvisation 09-22

Ah homage to Harry Partch and his masterpiece, Delusion of the Fury.
Using my new 19-note constant-structure scale:
1/1, 21/20, 13/12, 9/8, 7/6, 39/32, 5/4, 21/16, 4/3, 7/5, 13/9, 3/2, 63/40, 13/8, 5/3, 7/4, 117/64, 15/8, 63/32 (2/1).

13-limit improvisation 09-24

Text from Hölderlin's translation of Oedipus Tyrannos. 

Wer ist's, von welchem prophezeiend 
Gesprochen hat der delphische Fels, 
Als hab Unsäglichstes 
Vollendet er mit blutigen Händen? 
Es kommet die Stunde, da kräftiger er 
Denn sturmgleich wandelnde Rosse muß 
Zu der Flucht die Füße bewegen. 
Denn gewaffnet auf ihn stürzt 
Mit Feuer und Wetterstrahl 
Zeus' Sohn, und gewaltig kommen zugleich 
Die unerbittlichen Parzen.  

Gewaltiges regt, Gewaltiges auf 
Der weise Vogeldeuter; 
Das weder klar ist noch sich leugnet, 
Und was ich sagen soll, ich weiß nicht, 
Flieg aber in Hoffnungen auf, 
Nicht hieher schauend noch rückwärts. 
Denn was ein Streit ist zwischen 
Den Labdakiden und Polybos' Sohn, 
Nicht vormals hab ich's 
Gewußt, noch weiß ich jetzt auch, 
In welcher Prüfung 
Ich begegne 
Der fremden Sage von Ödipus, 
Den Labdakiden ein Helfer 
Im verborgenen Tode.

Translated by David Constantine:

Who is it whom the prophesying
Delphic rock has spoken of
As though he had achieved with bloody hands
What most may not be uttered?
The hour is coming when more powerfully
Than horses moving like the stormwinds he
Must move his feet to flight.
For weaponed on him falls
With fire and lightning
Zeus’s son and also in their violence come 
The implacable Parcae.

He stirs enormities, stirs up enormities,
The wise birdscrier
That are not clear nor are to be denied
And what I ought to say I do not know
But fly up in hopes
Not looking here nor back.
For what a quarrel is between
The Labdacids and Polybus’ son
I never formerly
Have known and also now do not know
In what proof
I meet
The strange story of Oedipus
A helper to the Labdacids
In the hidden death?

Performed April 25, 2022 at The Juilliard School.
Conductor - Christian-Frederic Bloquert
Soprano - Seonwoo Lee
Mezzo-Soprano - Lydia Graham
Alto and Percussion - Brittany Hewitt
Cello - Yuqi Wang
Bass Clarinet - Roi Karni
Harp - Alisa Sadikova
Synthesizer - Johnny MacMillan

Ödipus Der Tyrann - Prelude and First Movement

Performed by the JACK Quartet in London, England, May 2024.

Songs From The Seventh Floor

From the soundtrack to Cotton Something (2022), directed by Hollye Swinehart.

Cotton Something: Trip Scene

Shostakovich: Fugue In A Major (in just intonation)

Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1 (in just intonation)

Satie: Gnossienne No. 1 (in just intonation)

Satie: Gnossienne No. 3 (in just intonation)

Pärt: Für Alina (in just intonation)

Debussy: La fille au cheveux de lin (in just intonation)

Schumann: Kinderszenen op. 15 no. 1 - Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (in just intonation)

Schumann: Fantasiestücke, op. 12 - Des Abends (in just intonation)

Shostakovich: Prelude in E-flat Minor (in just intonation)

Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel (in just intonation)

Pärt: Variations for the Healing of Arinushka (in just intonation)

Debussy: Des pas sur la neige (in just intonation)

Audrey's Dance (from Twin Peaks) (in just intonation)

Hildegard von Bingen: O virtus sapientiae (in 7-limit just intonation)

A Young Person's Guide to Just Intonation: I. Pythagorean

A Young Person's Guide to Just Intonation: II. 5-limit

A Young Person's Guide to Just Intonation: III. 7-limit

Ravel: Bolero (in just intonation)

Fallen Leaves

A Young Person's Guide to Just Intonation: IV. 11-limit

Ārūpadhātu in G

String quartet in 13-limit just intonation. Performed by Bergamot Quartet August 9, 2025.

Johnny MacMillan

Pinned to spotlight

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