Episode 30 Program Notes by Rafaela Dreisin
JAMES P . JOHNSON
About the Composer
Born 1894 in New Brunswick , NJ ; died 1955 in Jamaica , Queens
James P . Johnson grew up just outside of New York City . Growing up , he sang in his church ’ s choir and taught himself to play the piano . After moving to the city , he studied ragtime and classical piano . Johnson made a name for himself as a pianist and became a pioneer in the stride piano style . He also became the favorite accompanist of Bessie Smith . As popular taste moved away from ragtime and more toward swing , Johnson shifted his focus to composing orchestral music .
Johnson is one of the most important pianists in American history and was one of the key figures in the evolution of ragtime into jazz . His most popular hit was the “ Charleston ,” known as the anthem of the 1920s . He was a significant influence on Count Basie , Fats Waller , and Duke Ellington , and American music would not be the same without his vast contributions .
About the Pieces
Johnson achieved great fame throughout his lifetime , and had many of his orchestral works premiered at Carnegie Hall . After Johnson passed away , his works were largely neglected by the mainstream classical music world , and his orchestral works went unperformed for forty years . Marin Alsop developed an interest in the composer and set off on a six-year search for Johnson ’ s scores with Leslie Stifelman , a musician and friend , and Scott Brown , a student at Yale . During this time , the team visited all of Johnson ’ s surviving relatives and eventually was shown a treasure trove of his memorabilia . Tucked away in some boxes were Johnson ’ s scores , which Marin and her team restored and recopied . The works were performed at Lincoln Center and were made publicly available for other ensembles .
• Harlem Symphony The Harlem Symphony contains four movements that capture parts of the New York experience : Subway Journey , April in Harlem , Night Club , and Baptist Mission .
• Victory Stride Johnson is most remembered for his pioneering of the stride piano style , reflected in this work . This piece was recorded in 1944 by a group Johnson led called the Blue Note Jazzmen , which included Duke Ellington and Ben Webster .
• Drums Johnson ’ s symphonic poem , Drums , was written in 1932 for the show Harlem Hotcha . The piece was later re-worked with lyrics written by Langston Hughes .
• “ Charleston ” Johnson scored many musicals throughout his career . The “ Charleston ” was a tune he wrote for the 1923 Broadway production Runnin ’ Wild . It was the signature song of the Roaring Twenties and the composer ’ s most famous work .
May 2010
February 2010
Launched Rusty Musicians at Strathmore
Led Her First BSO-Commissioned World Premiere
THE MARIN FESTIVAL • MAY 27-JUNE 19 , 2021
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