GRAHAM JOHNSON
OBE, pianist, SongFest faculty
Throughout 25 years of SongFest, one thing has remained constant, and that is the presence of pianist and scholar Graham Johnson. All of us at SongFest are deeply indebted and grateful for his immense gifts not only to the program but to the entire genre. If there is one person alive today who can speak to the heart of what art song is, it is surely him. Not only are his many publications the authority on the art song of the past 200 years, his skilled and beautiful playing is immediately recognizable. From the most delicate and pristine touch required in Schubert to the most powerful roar of force when needed in Wolf, to the legato of Poulenc and the character of Britten, there is never a time when we are not drawn in by the imagination of his playing. Similarly, given the way he leads an audience through his wonderful lectures, all we can do is remain grateful that Graham Johnson is in our lives and touches our hearts with both his words and his music.
What will the Legacy of the 21st Century be for Art Song?
Described as “that peerless song accompanist” (Daily Telegraph November 2015) Graham Johnson has performed with the world’s leading recitalists, and has recorded extensively for Hyperion Records. He is Senior Professor of Accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was made an OBE in the 1994 Queen’s Birthday Honours list, created Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Government in 2002 and made an Honorary Member of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2010. In 2013 he was awarded the Wigmore Hall Medal, and received Honorary Doctorates from both Durham University and the New England Conservatory of Music. He was awarded the Hugo Wolf Medal in 2014 for his services to the art of song, and his three volume Schubert: The Complete Songs was also published in that year. Most recently, in early 2021, Mr. Johnson was awarded the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany for his services to German art song.
Mr. Johnson working in his extensive home library.
We are very grateful for Mr. Johnson’s many contributions to SongFest’s programming and many years of teaching since our beginning, 25 years ago! One of the most memorable projects was his “Poets in Song” at SongFest 2008.
Here are links to more lectures by Graham Johnson that were featured in our May 2020, program Auf den Airwaves zu singen:
Song of the Day: Schubert’s “Gretchen am Spinnrade”
Song of the Day: Poulenc's "Bleuet"
Lecture entitled: Poulenc - The Life in Songs
Conversation entitled: Britten’s Winter Words & his writing for the tenor voice
Publications by Mr. Johnson
Hyperion Records hosts the recordings of the original The Songmakers’ Almanac cast members
A wonderful article hosted by Sparks & Wiry Cries about The Songmakers’ Almanac
Check your local university libraries for Mr. Johnson’s Franz Schubert: The Complete Songs three volume text!
Visit Hyperion for a treasure trove of recordings by Mr. Johnson.