Tom Johnson (composer)

Tom Johnson (composer)

American composer and critic Tom Johnson (born November 18, 1939 in Greeley, Colorado), is one of the few composers to self-identify as minimalist; in fact, he may have coined the term while serving as the new music critic for the Village VoiceFact|date=August 2007. He has since collected those articles in the book "The Voice of New Music" which is available for free through the external link below. He has lived in Paris since 1983.

His pieces are most often based simply on mathematical and logical processes, such as tiling, which he attempts to make as clear as possible. His works include: "Rational Melodies", "An Hour for Piano", "Organ and Silence", and "The Four Note Opera". As Greg Sandow (2003) describes "Nine Bells", "in which he walked, at a steady rhythmic pace (and, if I remember correctly, for more than an hour), among nine suspended burglar alarm bells, systematically exploring all the possible paths among them. Which, since he strikes each bells as he passes it, are also all the possible melodies their pitches might make. As in many of Tom's works, theory and practice are identical here... You see and hear the structure of the piece. That's not even remotely abstract; instead, it's pure happiness, as the pealing bells seem to ring with Tom's concentration (visible in his face and body, audible in his steady steps), and his joie de vivre."

Johnson is married to artist Esther Ferrer.

References

*Johnson, Tom (1989). "The Voice of New Music: New York City 1972-1982 -- A Collection of Articles Originally Published by the Village Voice". Eindhoven, Netherlands: Het Apollohuis. ISBN 90-71638-09-X. Available for free download at: [http://www.editions75.com/English/booksenglish.html#thevoiceofnewmusic]

External links

* [http://www.editions75.com/English/bioenglish.html Tom Johnson biography]
* [http://www.tom.johnson.org/ Tom Johnson Editions 75]
* [http://www.ircam.fr/equipes/repmus/mamux/documents2002-2003/TomTiling.PDF Some Observations on Tiling Problems] by Tom Johnson
* [http://www.lovely.com/artists/a-johnson.html Lovely Music Artist: Tom Johnson]
* [http://www.newmusicbox.org/page.nmbx?id=48hf05 NewMusicBox.org: Tom Johnson answers:] "What role has theory played in your compositions and how important is it for people to know the theory behind the music in order to appreciate it?"
* [http://www.newchamberopera.fsnet.co.uk/hope22121611111.htm Four-note Opera]
* [http://www.editions75.com/English/booksenglish.html#thevoiceofnewmusic THE VOICE OF NEW MUSIC (1991)] "An anthology of articles on the evolution of minimal music in New York in 1972-1982, which originally appeared in the Village Voice. Published originally by Apollohuis, in Eindhoven, Holland, and now available as a free download."
* [http://www.newmusicbox.org/page.nmbx?id=48vw01 NewMusicBox.org: View From The East: An Old Friend] By Greg Sandow © 2003 NewMusicBox
* [http://www.editions75.com/Obra/ORATORIUM/BonhoefferprogramnotesEng.html "Bonhoeffer Oratorium" Program Notes]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thomas Johnson — Thomas Johnson, Tom Johnson or Tommy Johnson may refer to:Public officials*Thomas Johnson (Liverpool merchant) (1664 ndash;1728), English Member of Parliament; key role in establishing modern port of Liverpool *Thomas Johnson (Virginia), American …   Wikipedia

  • Tom Waits — Waits during an interview in Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 2007 Background information Birth name Thomas Alan Waits Born …   Wikipedia

  • Tom Coster — is an American keyboardist and composer. Detroit born and San Francisco raised, Coster played piano and accordion as a youth, continuing his studies through college and a productive five year stint as a musician in the U.S. Air Force Band.Coster… …   Wikipedia

  • Tom Cochrane — Tom Cochrane, Ottawa 2003 Background information Born May 14, 1953 (1953 05 14) (age 58) …   Wikipedia

  • Tom Waits — en 2007 Naissance 7 décembre 1949 (1949 12 07) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tom & Jerry Kids — Logo Genre Slapstick comedy Absurd humor Format Animated series …   Wikipedia

  • Johnson, Robert — born с 1911, Hazlehurst, Miss., U.S. died Aug. 16, 1938, near Greenwood, Miss. U.S. blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Born to a sharecropping family, he learned harmonica and guitar, probably influenced by personal contact with Delta… …   Universalium

  • Tom Dooley (song) — Infobox Standard title=Tom Dooley comment=copyright 1947 (renewed 1975) and 1958 (renewed 1986) image size= caption= writer= composer= lyricist= published= written= form= original artist= recorded by=Kingston Trio performed by=Frank Profitt Tom… …   Wikipedia

  • Francis Johnson — Infobox Musical artist Name = Francis Johnson Img capt = Img size = 150 px Landscape = Background = non vocal instrumentalist Birth name = Francis Johnson Alias = Frank Johnson Born = 1792 Died = 1844 Origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA… …   Wikipedia

  • J. Rosamond Johnson — John Rosamond Johnson (1873 ndash;1954), most often referred to as J. Rosamond Johnson, was an American composer and singer during the Harlem Renaissance. Johnson is most notable as the composer of Lift Every Voice and Sing which has come to be… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”