Francis Johnson (composer)

Francis B. "Frank" Johnson (born June 16, 1792 in Martinique , † June 6, 1844 in Philadelphia ) was an American composer and musician.

Nothing is known about Johnson's youth and musical training. Around 1812 he became known as a musician in Philadelphia. He played various instruments including the horn, cornet and violin and directed his own band. In 1819 he published the first volume of A Collection of New Cotillions , the first compositions by an Afro-American musician to appear in print in America.

In 1824 he composed the music on the occasion of a visit by the revolutionary hero General Lafayette to Philadelphia and performed it with his band. In 1837 he traveled to England with some members of his band (including his brother-in-law William Appo , Aaron JR Connor , Edwin Roland , Francis V. Seymour and probably also James Hemmenway ) and performed in front of Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace . At the end of 1838 he returned to America and opened the extremely successful Promenade Concerts a la Musard , which also included white musicians. Between 1839 and 1844 he went on concert tours that made him a. a. led to Toronto, St. Louis, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Cleveland and Louisville.

The repertoire of his orchestra included works by Georg Friedrich Händel and Haydn and his own compositions, including the famous Recognition March on the Independence of Hayti as well as the hymn of abolitionism The Grave of the Slave . Throughout his life he had to deal with the racism of his contemporaries; He was insulted on various occasions at concerts, pelted with rotten eggs and stones, there were bans on performances, expulsions, fines and much more. On the other hand, he was invited to at least ten paid gigs at the University of Pennsylvania between 1832 and 1842 .

Works

• A collection of new cotillions, book 1, first & second setts , 1818
• A collection of new cotillions [book 2], third & fourth setts
• Honor to the brave; General Lafayette's grand march , 1824
• Johnson's dream waltz , 1826
• Johnson's March
• London polka
• Philadelphia fireman's cotillion
• Philadelphia Gray's quickstep, from Bellini's opera I puritani
• Princeton grand march
• Recognition march on the independence of Hayti

swell

• AfriClassical - Francis B. "Frank" Johnson (1792-1844)
• University of Pennsylvania - Penn Biographies - Francis Johnson (1792-1844)
• Penn Libraries - Francis Johnson: Music Master of Early Philadelphia