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Hall Johnson

Francis Hall Johnson (March 12, 1888 – April 30, 1970) was an American composer and arranger of African-American spiritual music. He is one of a group—including Harry T. Burleigh, R. Nathaniel Dett, and Eva Jessye—who elevated the African-American spiritual to an art form, comparable in its musical sophistication to the compositions of European Classical composers.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 12th, 1888 (Athens), Died April 30th, 1970 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: choral director, arranger, composer

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CRC-70966 12-in. 12/4/1931 St. James Infirmary blues Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CRC-70967 12-in. 12/4/1931 Water boy Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor BS-78582 10-in. 11/23/1933 Steal away Carroll Hollister ; John Charles Thomas Baritone vocal solo, with piano arranger  
Victor CS-98636 12-in. 1/14/1936 City called Heaven Marian Anderson ; Kosti Vehanen Contralto vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor PBS-042211 10-in. 11/2/1939 I know a city called heaven Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042216 10-in. 11/2/1939 Go down Moses (Let my people go) Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042217 10-in. 11/2/1939 Bye and bye Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042218 10-in. 11/2/1939 I got a mule Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042220 10-in. 11/2/1939 I can't stay here by myself Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042221 10-in. 11/2/1939 Joshua fit de battle of Jericho Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042222 10-in. 11/2/1939 Run, li'l chillun Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Victor PBS-042225 10-in. 11/8/1939 St. Louis blues Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus arranger, choral director  
Columbia W147005 10-in. 9/17/1928 City called heaven Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra choral director, arranger  
Columbia W147009 10-in. 9/18/1928 Hold on Hall Johnson Choir Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra choral director, arranger  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Hall," accessed January 27, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104261.

Johnson, Hall. (2021). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 27, 2021, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104261.

"Johnson, Hall." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2021. Web. 27 January 2021.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104261

External Sources

Wikipedia: Hall Johnson

Discogs: Johnson, Hall

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83127095

Wikidata: Hall Johnson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3126025

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/92372654/

MusicBrainz: Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970 - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d8ac3aee-fce1-40f8-842d-18d7686da340

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