Title: Johnson Versus Mason: Musical Politics, 1843 Style

Author(s): Jacklin Bolton Stopp

Source: Stopp, J. B. (1992, Fall). Johnson versus Mason: Musical politics, 1843 style. The Quarterly, 3(3), pp. 54-60. (Reprinted with permission in Visions of Research in Music Education, 16(3), Autumn, 2010). Retrieved from http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme/

It is with pleasure that we inaugurate the reprint of the entire seven volumes of The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning. The journal began in 1990 as The Quarterly. In 1992, with volume 3, the name changed to The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning and continued until 1997. The journal contained articles on issues that were timely when they appeared and are now important for their historical relevance. For many authors, it was their first major publication. Visions of Research in Music Education will publish facsimiles of each issue as it originally appeared. Each article will be a separate pdf file. Jason D. Vodicka has accepted my invitation to serve as guest editor for the reprint project and will compose a new editorial to introduce each volume. Chad Keilman is the production manager. I express deepest thanks to Richard Colwell for granting VRME permission to re-publish The Quarterly in online format. He has graciously prepared an introduction to the reprint series. Johnson Versus Mason: Musical Politics, 1843 Style By Jacklin Bolton Stopp Empire State Colleg6L--SUNY

n the morning of August 24, leader. About five years later, 15-year-old 1843, the highly respected Bos- Artemas joined Mason's recently founded Ju- ton musician, Artemas Nixon venile Choir just in time to appear in its third (1817-1892),1 arrived at the city's concert' This was an exceptional experi- Odeon building to attend the opening of the ence because, before the advent of American annual meeting of the American Musical public school music, there were very few op- Convention," scheduled to be held through portunities for young people to sing in a September 1 (except Sunday, August 27). chorus of unchanged voices, much less one On its fifth day, Johnson, as a guest lecturer, that numbered about 200 singers. spoke about his recent European study and The debut of Mason's Juvenile Choir on travel to its nearly 350 registrants. Johnson's June 13, 1832, not only served as a catalyst presentation was introduced by the first Pro- for Johnson's later membership but also for fessor of the Boston Academy of Music, the formation of the Boston Academy of Mu- Lowell Mason (1792-1872), who had influ- sic. This altruistic organization had an indel- enced the direction of the convention since ible influence on Johnson's life as well as on its formal inception in 1838. In 1843, how- that of Lowell Mason. ever, Mason's customary domination would Established in January of 1833, the acad- abruptly cease. emy was an association of men (mostly busi- That year, press coverage of the convention nessmen) who had united to improve local would focus instead on Johnson, Mason's church music (primarily Protestant). Looking former pupil, protege, and co-worker. In ad- toward this goal, a major desire was to influ- dition to being a guest lecturer, Johnson was ence the Boston city government to intro- nominated and chosen the convention's First duce the teaching of music (vocal, in the Vice-President. He also served on at least six sense of choral) into its public school cur- committees and individually proposed two riculum. To realize this and other aspira- amendments to its constitution and by-laws, tions, Mason was hired to develop the requi- each of which was carried." site courses and to give the instruction. Early Johnson-Mason From the outset of the Boston Academy of Music's program, Johnson participated during Relationships his free time. When initially enrolled, he was Until 1843, the Middlebury, Vermont-born one of the competitively selected students at- Johnson had idolized Mason." Johnson's awe tending the city's all-boy English High Schoolf of this musician had begun when a youth, now considered the nation's first public high the result of his family's attendance at a ser- school. He graduated in the Class of 1833 and vice of Boston's Hanover Street Church became a clerk in a large wholesale hardware (Trinitarian Congregational). There, Lowell store in Boston.' Although he was employed Mason was the acclaimed organist and choir the customary six-day work week, Johnson used evenings and any other free time to take Jacklin Bolton Stopp is an Independent Scholar courses as they were offered by the Boston in American Music. She currently serves as a Academy of Music. tutor in music for Empire State College-State Two courses introduced by Mason during University of New York, Lockport. the summer of 1834, the Teachers' Class and

54 The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning the Mixed Chorus, proved to be of major im- leader for Boston's Franklin St.reetChurch portance, and Johnson was a charter member (Trinitarian Congregational)." There he imple- of each. In August, he attended the initial mented its music program under Mason's dis- Teachers' Class," a course primarily designed creet supervision while Mason continued to for training church musicians. Johnson at- direct and execute the music program for tended this and subsequent classes as a Bowdoin Street Church (formerly Hanover nonregistrant." probably because he assisted Street Church), presumably with the assistance Mason, this class's only teacher. In 1834, of a few of his best organ pupils. Johnson could have demonstrated his chang- The Mason-Johnson collaboration was con- ing voice, because this was his vocal status venient in that the congregation of Franklin when he became a founding member of the Street Church sublet space in the Odeon, the Boston academy's oratorio organization, building rented by the Boston Academy of known as the Mixed Chorus.'? Music for its classes and concerts. Just be- By 1836, Johnson had fore Johnson became identi- probably taken all of the fied with this church, the courses offered by the Bos- Boston academy installed a ton Academy of Music. This "Mason had fine organ built by the emi- meant that he had studied not used question- nent Thomas Appleton. only under Mason but also The instrument, which cost under the Boston academy's able means in $5,500, consisted of three second professor, George an unsuccessful manuals, 27 stops, and two James Webb. (This English- octaves of pedals." During man, an extremely fine musi- effort to control the week, it was generally cian, had been hired in 1833 the 1843 [Ameri- played by Webb in his when burgeoning enrollment work for the Boston acad- made it evident that one per- can Musical] emy; on Sundays, Johnson son could no longer handle convention's commanded this highly ac- the academy's increasingly claimed instrument for the successful prograrn.) Under presidential services of Franklin Street their instruction, Johnson was election. " Church. probably trained in voice, There is no doubt that the piano, organ, vocal (choral) Mason-Johnson collaboration pedagogy, choral singing, and was very successful. Around thorough-bass, thus receiving exceptional 1840, this team added musical responsibility training at a time when the United States did not for Park Street Church (Trinitarian Congrega- yet have a permanent music conservatory. But tional)." This was a realistic extension of their these courses did not constitute Johnson's total cooperative efforts, because Johnson had musical background. taken on an assistant, George F. Root (1820- For several years, this full-time clerk had 1895).15 (Root later became a famous musi- held a second job in what is now Greater cian, especially known as a composer of Civil Boston. After a short stint as organist at the War songs; his "Bailie Cry of Freedom" re- Congregational Church in Jamaica Plain, he cently served as major background music for had served in the same capacity for three or the television series, Tbe Civil War.) By this more years at the prestigious Harvard Church time, the Mason-Johnson style of supervisor- (Unitarian) in Charlestown." Apparently implementor collaboration was being applied buoyed by success in these endeavors, to the infant music program for the Boston around the age of 20 Johnson became a full- Public Schools. time musician and thereupon took the pro- With the opening of the 1838-39 school fessional name of A. . Johnson. year, the Boston Academy of Music saw the About this time, Johnson began a working realization of its goal to secure the introduc- relationship with Mason, apparently the result tion of music into the city's school curricu- of taking a position as both organist and choir lum, a first not only for Boston but also for

Volume III, Number 3, 1992 55 1792 1872

LOWELL MASON

This portrait engraving of Lowell Mason originally appeared on the musical program for an event honoring Mason and sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs onJune 9,1929. The artist is unknown, and the engraving is a variant of the engraving that appears on the cover. Credit: Music Library, University of Maryland at College Park (Lowell Mason Collection).

the nation. For this pioneering venture, Ma- president and first conductor of the Musical son was hired as Master of Music (superin- Education Society (1837-1839) and, currently, tendent). In addition to himself, only one was Mason's accompanist for the Associate music teacher, Jonathan C. Woodman, was Choirs of Boston and the conductor of the employed." The following year, however, Juvenile Choir sponsored by the Boston Mason acquired his first music faculty Academy of Music (January of 1840 to early through a "package arrangement" with A. N. 1842). But Johnson's growing fame did not Johnson, who became Mason's chief teacher. deter him from annually attending the Teach- Johnson brought along three men enrolled in ers' Class of the Boston Academy of Music, his apprentice program: George F. Root, his where he now undoubtedly assisted as an most advanced student; and two just begin- accompanist. Furthermore, Johnson regularly ning their apprenticeships, Johnson's brother, attended the yearly Musical Convention, an James Johnson, Jr. (1820-1895), and Albert outgrowth of the Teachers' Class which met Drake (182?-18??)Y Given the inequitable at the Odeon through the invitation of the training and experience of the members of Boston Academy of Music. this faculty, the bulk of the teaching was Background of the 1843 done by Mason, A. N. Johnson, and Root. American Music Convention By 1841,Johnson was well known in the New England area as a private music teacher, The first formal Musical Convention-a church musician, and music educator. Fur- program dedicated to lectures and discussion thermore, he had acquired considerable pro- on matters pertaining to music education, fessional status because he was the former church music, and musical performance (pri-

56 The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning marily vocal)-was held in 1838. Under the Mason, whose dominant interest was Ameri- direction of elected officers, its session began can church music, must have been greatly a day or so after the class convened and then upset over Johnson's defection, but this did met daily during the class break time." not stop him from eventually resuming their Some of the registrants viewed the conven- cooperative work in church and public tion as independent of the Boston Academy school music. of Music, but not so for Mason and his most Mason may well have excused Johnson's devoted followers. new loyalty as the unwanted outcome of his Initially, Mason controlled both the Teach- own political maneuvering, for Mason had ers' Class and the Musical Convention. Some made an ultimately unsuccessful bid to con- people, however, resented Mason's require- trol the convention's presidential election. ment that the convention could be attended Mason tried to keep from office a leading In- only after registering for the class; they wanted dependent, George Washington Lucas (1800- a complete separation of these two programs. 187?) of Troy, New York. Thus, in 1843, Known as Independents, this group also be- these two men personified the differences lieved that the musical quality of the conven- between the Masonites and the Indepen- tion would be improved if freed from Mason's dents. influence, and so advocated their cause. Their Since 1828, Lucas had considered himself a dissension laid the groundwork for the sudden friend of Mason. That year, he had been dissolution of the 436-member Musical Con- made an honorary member of Boston's vention of 1841. Immediately thereafter, Handel and Haydn Society, of which Mason about 200 Masonites reorganized under the was then president. Lucas was highly re- new name of American Musical Convention, garded as a singing-school teacher and also and the nearly equal number of Independents well respected as a former pupil of Thomas organized under the old name of National Mu- Hastings (1784-1872), the famous music edu- sical Convention. cator and hymn-tune composer (e.g., Johnson was among those who remained Toplady/with "Rock of Ages"). In the years loyal to Mason, even serving on several com- to follow, Lucas would enjoy continued suc- mittees for the American Musical Conven- cess in his field and eventually attend the tion.'? The following year, however, when musical conventions held each August in only the pro-Mason convention reconvened, Boston. At these gatherings, he was some- Johnson was not in attendance. He was liv- times elected one of its co-secretaries and ing in Frankfurt am Main, where he studied often served on committees, activities which harmony under the eminent Swiss composer contributed to his admitted expectation in and theorist, Xaver Schnyder von Wartensee. 1843 that he would be nominated for the This was an exceptional experience for an presidency. When he was not, this surprise American-born musician, as were his close induced him to seek a reason. contacts there with such famous musicians as Lucas learned that the nominating commit- Felix Mendelssohn and Franz Liszt. No won- tee had been misinformed about his presi- der the lecture committee for the 1843 dential aspirations. Through Masons contriv- American Musical Convention invited him to ance, one of the committee members, be a guest speaker. George F. Root, had served as the conduit The 1843 American for presenting the false information .21 Knowledge of the Mason-Root conspiracy led Musical Convention to the resignation of the convention's newly In 1843, the American Music Convention elected president, Darius E. Jones, and to the was again marked by overt dissension be- holding of a second election for this office. tween the Masonites and Independents. This In preparation, "the chairman," as reported year, however, Johnson understandably sided by the convention's co-secretaries, H. \Y/. Day with the Independents, for he had returned and Geo. F. B. Leighton, appointed a new from abroad with a more cosmopolitan musi- nominating committee. 22 The unidentified cal outlook because of his foreign training. 20 "chairman" could have been the convention's

Volume III, Number 3, 1992 57 newly elected First Vice-President, A. N. ing of Mason's closest competitor. Johnson, if its constitutional line of succes- Johnson apparently voted in the affirma- sion were followed." In any case, Lucas was tive, because he believed that the presence duly nominated and subsequently "unani- of Hastings would significantly improve the mously chosen" as the convention's second quality of the next American Musical Con- and final president. 24 vention. This was a courageous step, for Whether Johnson had been voted into the Johnson also knew that it was against the office of First Vice-President as a Masonite or wishes of the man who would again be re- Independent is unclear, but circumstantial sponsible for a large portion of his income; evidence points to the latter. For example, for by October, Johnson and Mason would even though Johnson had served on the have completely returned to their coopera- convention's original nominating commit- tive work in the fields of church and public tee,25Lucas never implicated him when writ- school music. Thus, Mason seems to have ing about the political maneuvering carried taken his loss of the control of the conven- on by Johnson's closest associates-his part- tion without notable argument. This was a ner Root and his former employer Mason. wise decision, given that Lucas had been Moreover, Lucas would have had no doubts unanimously chosen as president, and John- about the validity of Johnson's new political son enjoyed the prestige of being one of the stance. He had seen proof of it on the few American musicians who had studied convention's second day when a committee music abroad. composed of Col. Asa Barr (a former presi- Post-1843 Johnson-Mason dent of the convention), A. N. Johnson, and Relationship George J. Webb unanimously recommended that the convention's program include sched- Even though Johnson was accepted by the uled time for free discussion and the use of a Independents in 1843, he still managed to more sophisticated musical repertoire. These maintain a viable professional relationship recommendations had already been unsuc- with Mason. By the end of the decade, how- cessfully advocated by the Independents. ever, these two men would be antagonists While Lucas was president, Johnson served because of Johnson's outspoken views on on four more committees, two pertaining to musical and educational matters, sometimes the 1843 convention (resolutions and organi- from positions which justifiably differed from zation) and two with responsibility for that of those held by Mason." Because of this rift, 1844 (arrangements and lectures). In regard Johnson was ignored by Mason, later by to the latter set, Lucas boasted that he had Mason's loyal followers, and eventually by taken care to select the right men; he ex- the Mason-influenced musical press. The lat- pected the "Committee on Arrangements" to ter situation resulted in nearly a century of insure a separate convention and the "Com- historical obscurity for Johnson. mittee on Lectures" to "secure the presence Among Mason's devoted coterie were his of Mr. [Thomas] Hastings" of New York City four sons, Daniel Gregory, Lowell Jr., Henry, as a guest speaker. 27 and William, each of whom became promi- The lecture committee was composed of nent in some aspect of the music field as A. N. Johnson, E. R. Johnston of Philadel- well as forceful advocates for their father's phia, and H. W. Day, men drawn from the career and, after his death, perpetuators of five-member arrangements committee." As his untarnished public memory. A pertinent supporters of Lucas, these men had certainly twentieth-century example of family concern been informed by him that, in years past, he for maintaining Mason's positive image is the had often recommended to Mason (then unfinished biography of Lowell Mason writ- serving on the lecture committee) that an in- ten by his grandson, Henry Lowell Mason" vitation be extended to Thomas Hastings. In regard to Johnson, Henry Lowell Mason Hastings had never been invited, but in 1843 adhered to the pattern set in earlier bio- President Lucas knew that his hand-picked graphical writings about his grandfather: lecture committee would remedy this slight- Johnson's existence is acknowledged only

58 The Quarterly Journal oj Music Teaching and Learning when absolutely necessary. For example, can music would receive virtually no recogni- Henry dismisses Johnson's role as Mason's tion from the Mason-influenced establishment, chief music teacher for the Boston Public especially those who controlled the major mu- Schools by treating Johnson as though he had sical press of the late nineteenth century. Nev- merely worked under Mason like any other of ertheless, today, with America's maturing mu- the music teachers. Henry slights Johnson's sical society marked by a desire to learn more efforts as Mason's prime assistant in church about its past, A. N. Johnson is increasingly music, as he does Johnson's role from 1844 to becoming recognized as an important part of 1848 as lecturer (and later professor) in thor- the nation's musical history." ough-bass and harmony for the Boston Acad- This article is based on material that will ap- emy of Music's annual convention (later, insti- pear in the writer's fortbcom ing book, More tute).Moreover, Henry ignores Johnson's Than a Footnote: The Life and Musical Career fame apart from Mason, as by failing to recog- of Artemas Nixon Johnson (1817-1892). nize Johnson as the nation's first professional, Endnotes native-born theorist, or as a co-founder and editor (with brother James, Jr,31)of The (Bos- 1. Artemas is the correct spelling, as for the name of the messenger who served Paul (Titus ton) Musical Gazette" (1846-1850), or as a suc- 3:12, KJV); not Artemus, as for Artemus Ward, a cessful convention leader and innovative mu- nineteenth century humorist; nor Artemis, the sic edncator.v Conversely, Henry builds upon appellation of a Greek goddess. the century-long tradition of deifying his 2. Originally named Musical Convention, it was grandfather. subsequently renamed National Musical Conven- Henry fails to discuss the dissension which tion, then American Musical Convention. marked the 1843 American Musical Conven- 3. "Musical Records for 1843," Boston Musical Visitor 3 (Oct. 24, 1843), p. 179-182. This article is tion, thereby conveniently overlooking the the official report of this convention's co-secretar- Mason-Root conspiracy and the fact that this ies, Geo. F. B. Leighton and H. W. Day. was the only convention to have a change of 4. [A. N. johnson] "Boston Choirs #1: Bowdoin president. His disregard of this political fer- Street Church-Orthodox Congregational," Boston ment is a critical omission because, at the Musical fournal L (Apr. 1, 1854), p. 109. ensuing convention, this disquietude contrib- 5. This conclusion is based on James C. uted to a vote to relocate the 1845 conven- Johnson's reminiscences as found in his handwrit- ten memoir, "Pictures-From the Life of Dr. tion to New York City. While Henry could Lowell Mason," prepared for the 1892 centennial not exclude recognition of this geographical celebration of Mason's birth and now located in change, he could, and did, minimize the rea- the files of the Medfield Historical Society, son for it, dismissing the move as the result Medfield, MA. Although James writes of only his of "the Machiavellian intriguing and noisy own membership in the Juvenile Choir, he was claims of certain ambitious office seekers undoubtedly accompanied by his older brother, militated now and then against the effectual Artemas. 6. Catalogue of the Scholars and Teachers of the concentration [of the convention's mem- English High School (Boston: n.p., [1890]), p. 9. bers]. "31 7. [James C. Johnson and Frank A. johnson], "A. Henry could have employed this biased N. Johnson, The Musical Messenger 2 (Feb. 1892), and murky explanation-one designed to p.8. protect Lowell Mason's pristine image-to 8. [A. N. Johnsonl, "The Teachers' Convention," mask the political scene at the 1843 Ameri- 17Je(Boston) Musical Gazette 1 (Aug. 17, 1846), p. can Musical Convention. Those in atten- 116. 9. Because Johnson only claimed attendance at dance not only witnessed Mason's loss of the initial Teachers' Class (1834), his name does control to the Independents, of whom his not appear as one of the 12 persons historically most visible opponent was A. N. Johnson, listed as registrants. See Robert W. John, "Origins but also Johnson's first public step toward of the First Music Educators Convention," Journal earning his reputation as one who stood by of Research in Music Education 8 (Winter 1965), his musical beliefs even when they might not p.208. be to his political advantage.v 10. [A. N. johnson], "Boston Choirs #1...," p. 109. Johnson's many later contributions to Ameri- 11. (Tamesc. Johnson and Frank A.Johnson], p. 8.

Volume III, Number 3, 1992 59 12. George F. Root, The St01Y of a Musical Life (Boston: Geo. P. Reed & Co.) which was (Cincinnati: The John Church Co., 1891), p. 4. copyrighted by the latter publisher. When this 13. Barbara Owen, The Organ in New England; book first appeared in 1852, however, it was An Account of its Useana Manufacture to the End copyrighted and published by A. N. Johnson. of the Nineteenth Century (Raleigh: The Sunbury 30. Henry Lowell Mason, "Lowell Mason, His Press, 1979), p. 80. Life and Work, 1792-1872," an unfinished type- 14. "Park Street Society, 1835-1886," bound script in the holdings of the Beinecke Rare Book records located in the Congregational Library of and Manuscript Library, Yale University, 1957 (the the American Congregational Association, Boston, year of Henry's death). MA, p. 81. 31. Then known professionally by his birth 15. For more information on the Johnson-Root name of James Johnson, Jr. (1820-1847), he later relationship, see Jacklin Bolton Stopp's "A. N. used the name J. C. Johnson (l847-ca. 1870), and Johnson, Out of Oblivion," American Music 3 lastly James C. Johnson. (Summer 1985), pp. [152l-170. 32. This periodical was copyrighted and 16. Root, p. 26. introduced as The Musical Gazette. In later 17. Apparently Drake was also employed in volumes, The Boston Musical Gazette was Boston as a messenger for a local bank. See erratically used between the title and caption Boston city directories over the period 1839-1845. pages and the running title, sometimes for a full 18. In 1841, the convention met from 11 AM to issue and sometimes in an issue which also 1 PM, possibly likewise in 1843. employed the paper's original title. Bibliogra- 19. "American Musical Convention," Musical phers and historians have chosen to identify this Visitor 2 (Oct. 12, 1841), p. 3. In this "extra" paper as The Boston Musical Gazette (1846-1850). edition, the constitution committee is named as A. However, in writing about the Johnson brothers, N. Johnson, George Hood, G. W. Lucas, Lowell use of this second title creates confusion because Mason, and T. J. Gurney. Boston Musical Gazette was also the name of a 20. That Johnson had returned from abroad paper edited in 1838-1839 by Bartholomew with professional priorities and understandings Brown. Thus, to distinguish this earlier publica- justifiably different from those he had held earlier tion from that of the Johnson brothers, I have is evident from some of the musical and educa- arbitrarily employed the composite title of The tional outlooks he expressed in his later publica- (Boston) Musical Gazette. tions, e.g., Instructions in Thorough Base [sic}, 33. A major step in the restoration of Artemas 1844, The Musical Class Book, 1845). Nixon Johnson as a major nineteenth-century 21. G. W. Lucas, Remarks on the Musical musical figure is the entry prepared by this writer Conventions in Boston, Etc. (Northampton: in T7JeNew Grove Dictionary of American Music Printed for the Author, 1844), p. 11. This work (1986). has been drawn upon primarily for facts about the 34. Henry Lowell Mason, p. 385. conventions (e.g., numbers in attendance, dates) 35. J. H. Rosecrans, "Recollections of A. N. and for information about A. N. Johnson. Johnson," The Musical Messenger 2 (Feb. 1892), p. 22. The new nominating committee consisted of 9 [George J.l Webb, [H. W.l Day, [E. K.l Prouty, [?l 36. For example, in Daniel Kingman's Ameri- Reed, and [Lowell] Mason. can Music, A Panorama, 2nd ed. (New York: 23. "Musical Convention," Musical Visitor 1 Schirmer Books, 1990), a portion of Chapter 15, (Sept. 21, 1840), p. [65l. Laying the Foundation, is headed "Mason, 24. "Musical Records for 1843," p. 180. Johnson, and Root: Three Pioneer Believers in 25. Besides Root, the original nominating the Place of Music in Education," pp. 415-17. ~ committee consisted of [George J.l Webb, [A. N.] Johnson, [tl Additon, and [T. J.l Gurney. 26. "Musical Records for 1843," p. 180. Back Issues of 27. Lucas, p. 12. 28. The others on the arrangements committee The Quarterly Journal of Music were George J. Webb and E. K. Prouty. Teaching and Learning 29. For more information about A. N. Johnson's are now available at these prices: career, see Jacklin Bolton Stopp's "Historical Introduction To American Church Organ Volun- Volume I: $55.00 taries," which begins the 1987 facsimile edition of H. S. Cutler and A. N. Johnson's American Church Volume II: $49.00 Organ Voluntaries. This edition (Richmond, VA: Single Issues: $13.00 The Organ Historical Society) is a reproduction of one published ca. 1869 (New York: S. T. Gordon, Prices include shipping and handling. n.d.), in turn reprinted from an 1856 edition

60 The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning