Short bio Tom Johnson
Full biography Tom Johnson
Tom Johnson is an American composer, writer, and musician known for his contributions to the contemporary music scene. He was born in Colorado in 1939 and is primarily known for his minimalist and experimental musical compositions. In addition to composing music, Johnson was also a music critic for The Village Voice from 1971 until 1983 ), and many of his articles on new music were published in a collection in 1989.
Johnson has created over 70 musical works , including compositions for the piano, string quartets, and operas. Some of his notable works include "An Hour for Piano" (1971), "The Four-Note Opera" (1972), "Counting Duets" (1982), and "Failing: A Very Difficult Piece for String Bass" (1975). His works are often minimalist and conceptual, involving mathematical processes and unconventional forms.
Apart from music, Johnson is also a writer and a cheesemaker. His writing covers a wide range of topics, including music theory, cultural criticism, and cheese making. Some of his notable publications include "The Voice of New Music" (1991) and "The Chord Catalogue" (1985).
Overall, Tom Johnson is a significant figure in the contemporary music scene, known for his experimental and conceptual music compositions. He has also made significant contributions to music theory and criticism and has had a diverse career as a writer and cheesemaker.
Albums featuring Tom Johnson
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Quatuor Bozzini, Tom Johnson – Tom Johnson : Combinations(CD, Album) | 2022 | qb |
| 2 |  |
Counting To Seven(CD, Album) | 2021 | New World Records |
| 3 |  |
Spaces . An Hour For Piano(CD, Album) | 2018 | Edition Wandelweiser Records |
| 4 |  |
Dennis Johnson (5), Philip Glass, Tom Johnson, Peter Garland, Terry Riley, Harold Budd, La Monte Young / Jeroen van Veen (2) – Minimal Piano Collection Volume XXI-XXVIII(8×CD, , Box Set, Compilation) | 2017 | Brilliant Classics |
| 5 |  |
Plucking(CD, Album) | 2017 | Microfest |
| 6 |  |
John Cage, Tom Johnson, Trio Omphalos – Chess Pieces - Four Dances - Rational Melodies(CD, Album) | 2017 | Wergo |
| 7 |  |
Beat Keller (2), Tom Johnson, Joseph Kudirka - Haiku String Trio – String Trios(CD, Album) | 2016 | Edition Wandelweiser Records |
| 8 |  |
Block Design for Piano(File, FLAC, Single) | 2015 | Irritable Hedgehog |
| 9 |  |
Tom Johnson / Samuel Vriezen – The Chord Catalogue. Within Fourths/Within Fifths(CD, Album) | 2013 | Edition Wandelweiser Records |
| 10 |  |
Questions(CD, ) | 2012 | Maria de Alvear World Edition |
| 11 |  |
Orgelpark Color Chart(CD, Numbered) | 2011 | Mazagran |
| 12 |  |
Tom Johnson, Ensemble Klang – Cows, Chords & Combinations(CD, ) | 2010 | Ensemble Klang |
| 13 |  |
Cage . Frey . Vriezen . Feldman . Ayres . Johnson . Manion - Dante Boon – Cage.Frey.Vriezen.Feldman.Ayres.Johnson.Manion(2×CD, ) | 2010 | Edition Wandelweiser Records |
| 14 |  |
Rational Melodies(CD, ) | 2010 | New World Records |
| 15 |  |
Tom Johnson / R. Andrew Lee – An Hour For Piano | 2010 | Irritable Hedgehog |
| 16 |  |
Counting Keys(CD, Album) | 2009 | Edition Wandelweiser Records |
| 17 |  |
Symmetries(CD) | 2006 | Karnatic Lab Records |
| 18 |  |
Tom Johnson - Roger Heaton – Rational Melodies / Bedtime Stories(CD, Album) | 2006 | Ants |
| 19 |  |
Kientzy Plays Johnson – Kientzy Plays Johnson(CD, ) | 2004 | Pogus Productions |
| 20 |  |
Organ And Silence(CD, Album) | 2003 | Ants |
| 21 |  |
Tom Johnson · Sven Ake Johansson · Nicolaus Richter de Vroe · Steffen Schleiermacher · John Zorn – Enfants Terribles(CD, Limited Edition) | 1999 | hat[now]ART |
| 22 |  |
The Chord Catalogue (All The 8178 Chords Possible In One Octave)(CD, Album) | 1999 | XI Records |
| 23 |  |
Tom Johnson - Claus Peter Flor, Ingrid Schmithüsen, Renée Morloc, Lothar Odinius, Yaron Windmüller, Ernst Senff Chor, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – Bonhoeffer-Oratorium(2×CD, Album) | 1998 | Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin |
| 24 |  |
Roger Heaton - Reich, Bryars, Feldman, Morricone, Zimmermann, Johnson, Perrin, Fox – New York Counterpoint / Three Elegies / Bass Clarinet & Percussion / Cinema Paradiso / 25 Kärwa-Melodien / Rational Melodies / Like He Never Was / Stone: Wind: Rain: | 1994 | Clarinet Classics |
| 25 |  |
Tom Johnson - Eberhard Blum – Rational Melodies(CD, Album) | 1993 | hat ART |
| 26 |  |
Music For 88(CD, ) | 1992 | Experimental Intermedia Foundation |
| 27 |  |
Nine Bells(LP, Album) | 1982 | India Navigation |
| 28 |  |
Tom Johnson, Frederic Rzewski – An Hour For Piano | 1979 | Lovely Music, Ltd. |
Videos featuring Tom Johnson
Tom Johnson – Nine Bells (1982)
Tom Johnson | Nine Bells | India Navigation | 1982
https://www.discogs.com/release/2047550-Tom-Johnson-Nine-Bells
Tom Johnson Festival 2
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Carny (1989/96)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Carny (1989/96) · John Zorn · Steffen Schleiermacher
Enfants Terribles
℗ 1999 Hat Hut Records LTD.
Released on: 1999-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Eighty-Eights
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Eighty-Eights · Tom Johnson
Music For 88
℗ 1992 Experimental Intermedia Foundat
Released on: 2004-11-09
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Johnson - An hour for piano (Part 1, Rzewski)
Tom Johnson's mesmerising minimalist piece, An hour for piano. Performed by the genius contemporary composer Frederic Rzewski.
Tom Johnson - The Chord Catalogue
This piece contains all the possible note combinations in only one octave, from two-note chords, to the thirteen-note cluster, being a total of 8178 chords.
My computer died while making the midi.
00:00:09 - Two-note chords
00:00:55 - Three-note chords
0
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #4, Rational Melody IV
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #4, Rational Melody IV
Rational Melodies (1982)
Omphalos Trio, Wergo Records
Notes from the score published by Editions 75:
“The melody moves around a cycle of seven notes, first following the rhythm note-rest note-rest,
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #5, Rational Melody XI
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #5, Rational Melody XI
Rational Melodies (1982)
Andrew Macintosh, violin
Populist Records
Notes from the score published by Editions 75:
“If we think of the basic melody as a cycle of 12 notes (a simple progression up
Johnson - An hour for piano (Part 2, Rzewski)
Tom Johnson's mesmerising minimalist piece, An hour for piano. Performed by the genius contemporary composer Frederic Rzewski.
Tango (1984)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Tango (1984) · Tom Johnson · Steffen Schleiermacher
Enfants Terribles
℗ 1999 Hat Hut Records LTD.
Released on: 1999-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Euler's Harmonies
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Euler's Harmonies · Tom Johnson
Music For 88
℗ 1992 Experimental Intermedia Foundat
Released on: 2004-11-09
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #7, Rational Melody XVI
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #7, Rational Melody XVI
Rational Melodies (1982)
Roger Heaton, clarinet, Ants Records
Ensemble Dedalus, New World Records
Official website: http://editions75.com
North and South America: http://218press.com
Paris: orde
Mersenne Numbers
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Mersenne Numbers · Tom Johnson
Music For 88
℗ 1992 Experimental Intermedia Foundat
Released on: 2004-11-09
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Gabbro (Steinstück #1) (1998)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Gabbro (Steinstück #1) (1998) · Nicolaus Richter de Vroe · Steffen Schleiermacher
Enfants Terribles
℗ 1999 Hat Hut Records LTD.
Released on: 1999-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Johnson - An hour for piano (Part 3, Rzewski)
Tom Johnson's mesmerising minimalist piece, An hour for piano. Performed by the genius contemporary composer Frederic Rzewski.
Abundant Numbers
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Abundant Numbers · Tom Johnson
Music For 88
℗ 1992 Experimental Intermedia Foundat
Released on: 2004-11-09
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Vom Gleichwertigen und Ungleichwertigem (1997)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Vom Gleichwertigen und Ungleichwertigem (1997) · Sven Ake Johansson · Steffen Schleiermacher
Enfants Terribles
℗ 1999 Hat Hut Records LTD.
Released on: 1999-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #6, Rational Melody XV
Tom Johnson: Illustrated Music #6, Rational Melody XV
Rational Melodies (1982)
Dedalus Ensemble [http://www.dedalus-ensemble.fr]
New World Records
Notes:
Emmanuel Amiot article on self-replicating melodies [https://tinyurl.com/ycvpkn9j]
From the score p
Johnson - An hour for piano (Part 4, Rzewski)
Tom Johnson's mesmerising minimalist piece, An hour for piano. Performed by the genius contemporary composer Frederic Rzewski.
klavier & klaviere (1996)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
klavier & klaviere (1996) · Steffen Schleiermacher
Enfants Terribles
℗ 1999 Hat Hut Records LTD.
Released on: 1999-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Multiplication Table
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Multiplication Table · Tom Johnson
Music For 88
℗ 1992 Experimental Intermedia Foundat
Released on: 2004-11-09
Auto-generated by YouTube.
November II/IV: Pt. 12
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November II/IV: Pt. 12 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jer
November I/IV: Pt. 3
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November I/IV: Pt. 3 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jeroe
Two Pages
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
Two Pages · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer: Philip Glass
A
The Days Run Away
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
The Days Run Away · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer: Peter G
November I/IV: Pt. 1
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November I/IV: Pt. 1 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jeroe
November III/IV: Pt. 16
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November III/IV: Pt. 16 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Je
Two Persian Miniatures
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
Two Persian Miniatures · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer: Pe
November I/IV: Pt. 6
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November I/IV: Pt. 6 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jeroe
November II/IV: Pt. 7
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November II/IV: Pt. 7 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jero
Music in Contrary Motion
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
Music in Contrary Motion · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer:
Composition 1960 No. 7
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
Composition 1960 No. 7 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer: La
Tilework
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
Tilework · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer: Tom Johnson
Aut
November II/IV: Pt. 9
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November II/IV: Pt. 9 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jero
November II/IV: Pt. 8
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November II/IV: Pt. 8 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jero
November IV/IV: Pt. 22
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November IV/IV: Pt. 22 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jer
November III/IV: Pt. 13
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November III/IV: Pt. 13 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Je
The Fall of Quang Tri
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
The Fall of Quang Tri · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Piano: Jeroen van Veen
Composer: Pet
November III/IV: Pt. 15
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November III/IV: Pt. 15 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Je
November II/IV: Pt. 10
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November II/IV: Pt. 10 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jer
November I/IV: Pt. 4
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH
November I/IV: Pt. 4 · Jeroen van Veen
Minimal Piano Collection: Volume XXI-XXVIII
℗ Brilliant Classics
Released on: 2017-04-28
Music Publisher: Brilliant Classics
Composer: Dennis Johnson
Piano: Jeroe
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