Johnson, Tom

Johnson, Tom, American composer; b. Greeley, Colo., Nov. 18, 1939. He was educated at Yale Univ. (B.A., 1961; M.Mus., 1967) and studied with Morton Feldman in N.Y. After writing music criticism for N.Y.’s Village Voice newspaper (1972–82), he settled in Paris to pursue his career as a composer. An anthology of his articles from the Village Voice appeared as The Voice of New Music (1991). He published the theoretical volume Self-Similar Melodies (1996). In his music, Johnson has made use of minimalist resources while steering his own independent course made refreshing by his wit and penchant for ironical expression.

Works

dramatic: Opera: The 4-Note Opera (1972); Window (1978); Dryer (1978); Drawers (1978); Door (1978); Sopranos Only (1984); Riemannoper (1988); Deux cents ans (1989); Una opera Italiana (1991); Trigonometry (1996; Hamburg, Nov. 1997). ORCH.: The Secret of the River (1966); Dragons in A (1979); Loops (Graz, Sept. 1999). CHAMBER: Action Music IV for Violist (1968); Failing, a very difficult piece for solo string bass (1975); 60-note Fanfares for 4 Antiphonal Trumpets (1976); Monologue for Tuba (1978); Eight Patterns for Eight Instruments (1979); Nine Bells for Suspended Bells (1979); Movements for Wind Quintet (1980); Doublings for Double Bass (1980); Rational Melodies for Melodic Instrument (1982); Harpiano for Harp and Piano (1982); Self-Portrait for Box Mover/Composer and 2 to 10 Musicians (1983); Predictables for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1984); Bedtime Stories for Clarinet and Narrator (1985); Infinite Melodies for Any Melodic Instrument (1986); Chord Catalogue for Any Keyboard Instrument (1986); Eggs and Baskets for 2 Instruments and Narrator (1987); Music and Questions for Bells or Glockenspiel and Questions for the Audience (1988); Alexandrins pour guitare (1989); Narayana’s Cows for Instruments and Narrator (1989); Maximum Efficiency for 3 Instruments (1991); Einstimmiger Polyrhythmus for Tenor Saxophone, Guitar, and Bass (1992); Sequenza Minimalista for Trombone (1992); Composition with Descending Chromatic Scales in 8-voice Canon Played in 3 Ways, Separated by 2 Piano Interludes, Which Bring the Music Back Up to its Starting Position (1993); Music With Mistakes for Flute or Clarinet (1993–99); Formulas for String Quartet (1994); Descent for Handbell Ensemble (1996); Simultaneous Progressions for Clarinet, Trombone, Piano, and Cello (1996); Automatic Music for 6 Percussionists (1997); La vie est si courte for 8 Instruments (1998). keyboard: piano:Spaces (1969); Scene for Piano and Tape (1969); An Hour for Piano (1971); Septapede (1973; rev. 1993); Private Pieces (1976); Triple Threat (1979); Symmetries for Piano, 4-Hands (1981–90); Counting Keys (1982); Tango (1984); Voicings for 4 Pianists (1984); Music for 88 (1988); Cosinus (1994). player piano:Full Rotation of 60 Notes Through 36 Positions (1996); Two Curves (1998). organ:Melodie de six notes (1986); Organ and Silence (1999). VOCAL: Trinity for 4 Choruses (1978); Counting Duets for 2 Speaking Voices (1982); Bonhoeffer Oratorium for 4 Soloists, 2 Choruses, and Orch. (1988–92); Le choeur for Children’s Chorus (1994); Recycled Ostinato for Bass, Baritone Saxophone, and Guitar (1996).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire