Wow. Francis Johnson's story is very compelling, and this music is phenomenal, I am now on a quest to find his music. Smithsonian has a very good piece about him this month
I just learned of Francis Johnson, after reading about him in “1619”. How amazing that he was so prolific even against the commonplace racism of his day. Like so many black artists, he found his greatest acceptance in Europe. These arrangements are beautiful. My understanding is that none of his original compositions still exist.
Just came here from an article by Richard Grant in Smithsonian "flagged"(for lack of a better word) by Google. I thought Gottschalk's "A Night in The Tropics" (among other works) was a red letter date in American music! Still is, but Johnson's is yet another one. And like Paganini and Liszt, he's another composer whose works (along with accounts) only give a glimpse, of his talent live.
Wow. Francis Johnson's story is very compelling, and this music is phenomenal, I am now on a quest to find his music. Smithsonian has a very good piece about him this month
I just learned of Francis Johnson, after reading about him in “1619”. How amazing that he was so prolific even against the commonplace racism of his day. Like so many black artists, he found his greatest acceptance in Europe. These arrangements are beautiful. My understanding is that none of his original compositions still exist.
Just came here from an article by Richard Grant in Smithsonian "flagged"(for lack of a better word) by Google. I thought Gottschalk's "A Night in The Tropics" (among other works) was a red letter date in American music! Still is, but Johnson's is yet another one. And like Paganini and Liszt, he's another composer whose works (along with accounts) only give a glimpse, of his talent live.
Love this❤
Beautiful!
Magnificent!