[Portrait
of Francis (Frank) Johnson (1792-1844). Image courtesy of the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania.]
University
of Pennsylvania Almanac
February 14, 2012, Volume 58, No. 22
by
Richard Griscom
Head,
Otto E. Albrecht Music Library and Eugene Ormandy Music and Media
Center
“The
Penn Libraries are home to several distinguished research collections
related to the musical arts in Philadelphia. Researchers from across
the globe come to Penn to work with the papers of renowned
Philadelphia musicians like Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski and
Marian Anderson. The Rare Book and Manuscript Library also has
materials associated with a number of lesser-known Philadelphia
musicians who were central to the cultural life of the city. In
2006, the library acquired a collection of printed music by an
important musician of early Philadelphia, Francis (Frank) Johnson
(1792–1844)—a performer, bandleader, teacher and composer. From
his mid-twenties until his death at the age of fifty-two, Johnson was
Philadelphia’s favorite dance-band leader, and his talents became
known beyond his hometown through tours of the Midwest, summer
residencies in Saratoga Springs and a trip to England during the last
decade of his life.
“Johnson
was also an African American. He was born a free man and lived a free
man, but this was America before the Civil War, a time when societal
racism limited the activities of all African Americans. For most of
his adult life, he lived in a house at 536 Pine Street (no longer
standing), a part of a thriving community of free African Americans
in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
placed a marker on the site in 1992, commemorating the bicentennial
of his birth.
“We
know little about Johnson’s musical training, but by his
mid-twenties he had become an accomplished violinist and cornetist.
Through his virtuosity and his affable, courtly manner, he won the
respect and admiration of the elite of Philadelphia society.
Eventually, his musicmaking centered on two traditions of
Philadelphia high society. The first was evening entertainment, for
which his string and brass bands provided cotillions, waltzes and
quadrilles suitable for dancing and socializing at balls as well as
private parties. (He also spent his summers in Saratoga Springs, New
York, where he provided music for similar functions at resort
hotels.) The second tradition was regional militia gatherings, and
for these, Johnson led a brass band that played marches and
quicksteps for assemblies and processions. These militia groups were
formed as a means of defense, but since they were rarely engaged in
combat, the assemblies became opportunities for men of high society
to gather and socialize, and Johnson’s brass band would be hired to
add an air of distinction to the events.” [Professor
Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com,
has made his research on Francis B. Johnson available to
AfriClassical.com along with the complete Works List for him.]
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