Composers

Hall Johnson

1888 - 1970

About

Hall Johnson (1888 – 1970) was born in Athens, Georgia in 1888 to Alice Virginia Sanson Johnson and William Decker Johnson, a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. His musical talent was apparent from childhood when he studied piano with his older sister, Mary, and taught himself to play violin from a learner’s manual.  His grandmother, Mary Hall Jones, a former slave, had the greatest influence on his later life. She and his mother sang authentic black spirituals that implanted the sound and harmonies of the past culture. Johnson graduated from Knox Institute in 1903 and pursued higher education at several universities before earning a B.A. in music at the University of Pennsylvania in 1910. He later studied at the University of Southern California and the Julliard School.  Johnson married Celeste Corpening in Athens in 1912. Moving to Harlem in New York City, Johnson opened a studio, teaching violin and other instruments, as well as playing violin in several groups such as the Negro String Quartet, which performed a classical European repertoire and the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, a blues and popular music group. He was also part of the orchestra for Eubie Blake’s Broadway musicals, Shuffle Along and Runnin’ Wild. Johnson gained national attention when he wrote the arrangements, and his choir performed in Marc Connelly’s Green Pastures. In 1933 his own folk opera, Run Little Chillun, enjoyed a four-month run on Broadway. Johnson took his choir to California to sing for the film version of Green Pastures. He would remain there until the mid-1940s participating in, or arranging music for, a number of popular motion pictures, such as Banjo on my Knee, Lost Horizon, and Birth of the Blues. In addition, he formed the Festival Choir of Los Angeles.  It was the 1943 picture, Cabin in the Sky, however, that most disappointed him.  In spite of an all-star black cast, MGM did not make a profit from the movie because southern states refused to show the film. Johnson gained national attention when he wrote the arrangements, and his choir performed in Marc Connelly’s Green Pastures. Returning to New York, Johnson formed the Festival Negro Choir of New York that performed his cantata, Son of Man, in 1946.  He published many articles and a collection entitled Thirty Spirituals Arranged for Voice and Piano. Johnson also coached several famous singers such as Marian Anderson, Harry Belafonte, Robert McFerrin, and Shirley Verrett. In 1951 the State Department chose the Hall Johnson Choir to represent the U.S. at the International Festival of Fine Arts in Germany.

Hall Johnson died in New York City in 1970 at the age of 82.  He posthumously received the Handel Award and was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

Related Information

http://www.blackpast.org/aah/johnson-francis-hall-1888-1970

Works by Hall Johnson

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
Act 1: Cert'n'y, Lord Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice D4 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: De Ol' Ark's a Moverin' Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice Ab3 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: Dere's No Hidin' Place Down Dere Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice G4 - E5 Biblical
Act 1: Doncher Let Nobody Turn You Roun' Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice G4 - G5 Biblical
Act 1: Hallelujah Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: I Want to be Ready Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice C4 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: In Bright Mansions Above Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - G5 Biblical
Act 1: My God is So High Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: Oh, Rise an' Shine Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice Eb4 - Eb5 Biblical
Act 1: Run, Sinner, Run! Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice E4 - G5 Biblical
Act 1: Some o' Dese Days Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice Eb4 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: When de Saints Come Marchin' In Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - F5 Biblical
Act 1: Witness Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - D5 Biblical
Act 1: You Better Min'! Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice D4 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: De Blin' Man Stood on de Road an' Cried Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice C4 - Eb5 Biblical
Act 2: Death's Go'n'ter Lay His Col', Icy Hands on Me Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice D4 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: Go Down, Moses Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice D4 - D5 Biblical
Act 2: Hail! De King of Babylon Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice Eb4 - Eb5 Biblical
Act 2: Hallelujah! King Jesus Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice Eb4 - Bb5 Biblical
Act 2: I Can't Stay Away Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice C4 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice E4 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: Lord, I Don't Feel Noways Tired Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice Bb3 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: March On! Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: My Lord's a -Writin' All de Time Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - F5 Biblical
Act 2: Oh, Mary, Doncher Weep Negro Spirituals from "The Green Pastures" Voice F4 - D5 Biblical
Ain't Got Time to Die Medium High C4 - G5 Hall Johnson
At the Feet of Jesus Medium C4 - E5 Langston Hughes
City Called Heaven Medium High | Low C4 - F5 | G3 - C5 Biblical
Couldn' Hear Nobody Pray Low B3 - F5 Biblical
Crossing the Bar Voice D4 - A5 Tennyson
Crucifixion Low F3 - G5 Biblical
David Medium C#4 - F#5 Dwight Strickland
Ev'ry Time I Feel de Spirit High Eb4 - Bb5 Biblical
Ev'ry Time I Feel de Spirit Low Bb3 - G5 Biblical
Fi-yer High Eb4 - Ab5 | Optional C6 Langston Hughes
Fix Me, Jesus High | Low D4 - F5 | Bb3 - D5 Biblical
Give Me Jesus High Eb4 - G5 Biblical
Heaven is One Beautiful Place Low D4 - F5 Biblical
Heaven is One Beautiful Place High F4 - Ab5 Biblical
His Name So Sweet High D4 - B5 Negro Spiritual
Hol' De Light Medium High F4 - C6 Biblical
Honor, Honor Low D4 - E5 Biblical
Honor, Honor High Eb4 - G5 Biblical
I Cannot Stay Here by Myself Medium C4 - E5 Spiritual (A Slave's Lament)
I Got to Lie Down High F4 - G5 Biblical
I Got to Lie Down Medium D4 - E5 Biblical
I'm Callin' Medium High C4 - G5 Biblical
I'm Gonter Tell God All o'My Troubles High | Medium High | Medium D4 - B5 | C4 - A5 | B3 - G5 Negro Spiritual
John Henry Medium C4 - Eb5 Traditional Negro Work Song
Le's Have a Union Medium High Bb3 - Ab5 Biblical
Title Published Size Solo with Ensemble Duration Range Level Orchestration
Buffalo City guards: Parade March Yes Full Orchestra Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4331-tmp, prc (incl glock), str
Festival March (to the Black Soldiers of America) No Full Orchestra Professional
Francis Johnson Cotillions (arranged by Romulus Franceschini) No Chamber Professional 2-cl, 1-hn, 2-tpt, 1-eu, prc, accd, db.
General Cadawaler’s Grand March (Nightingale) Yes Full Orchestra Under 5 Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4231-tmp, prc, str
Johnson’s March (Nightingale) No Full Orchestra Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4231-tb, tmp, prc, str
March in the Cataract of the Ganges (Nightingale) Yes Full Orchestra Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4231-tmp, prc, str
Norfolk No Full Orchestra Professional
Philadelphia Grays’ Quick Step (Nightingale) Yes Full Orchestra Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4231-tmp, prc, str
Spiritual Moods No Chamber 20+ Professional male chorus; 2323-4221-timp3-bells-cel-glock-hp-str
Suite for String Orchestra No String Orchestra Professional
The Princeton Grand March (Nightingale) Yes Full Orchestra Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4231-tmp, bdr, cym, str
The State Fencibles: Captain Page: Kent Bugle Quick Step (Nightingale) Yes Full Orchestra Professional 2[1.2/pc] 222-4221-tmp, prc, str