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Drawings by Jane Johnson A Retrospective and an Appreciation

February 12, 2003
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Larry Palmer is a contributing editor of The Diapason.

During my entire career as a musician I have been drawn to friendships with graphic artists. (This began a long time ago at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, where I hung around the Arts Barn and came to know the Fine Arts Director, painter Charlotte [now Astar] Daniels.) Thus it was not unusual for me to take note of an interesting-looking, white-haired woman sketching away at the various events during the Tallahassee conclave. I asked to see her work, requested copies of the drawings, submitted them with my article--and so began a twenty-year continuing association with Jane Johnson and her immediately recognizable art. [Illustrations 1-4: Parmentier, Koopman, Conant, Wilson]

The fifth SEHKS conclave was held at Sweet Briar College, Virginia. Julane Rodgers wrote the review of this event (published in September 1985). Jane provided two illustrations: the ensemble for a Brandenburg Concerto performance and organist Fenner Douglass accompanying soprano Penelope Jensen. [Illustrations 5-6: Brandenburg ensemble, Douglass and Jensen]

Jane's willingness to provide several drawings for my book Harpsichord in America: a 20th-Century Revival (1989) saved two illusive subjects from being un-imaged. Both Frances Pelton-Jones and Claude Jean Chiasson were documented by faded newspaper prints and sepia magazine photographs, but portraits of suitable quality for reproduction could not be found. The experience of requesting Jane to create specific drawings led to a number of subsequent requests. The first one for The Diapason resulted in an evocative image to accompany "Murder and the Harpsichord" (July 1991, repeated for "Murder, Part Two" in August 1992). Here the artist's eye for detail included an historically-correct pistol, copied from an engraving in Diderot's 18th-century Encyclopedia. [Illustration 7: Murder and the Harpsichord]

Harpsichord maker William Dowd was honored with a 70th birthday tribute in The Diapason for February 1992. In addition to fourteen short essays by friends, co-workers, and players of his instruments, the issue included the harpsichord solo William Dowd: His Bleu by Glenn Spring and Jane's drawing William Dowd Posing as Earl "Fatha" Hines. Another Dowd portrait was published with his written response to and clarification of the celebratory offerings (February 1993). [Illustrations 8-9: Dowd as "Fatha" Hines and William Dowd]

The Diapason drawings have continued right up until the present: a wonderfully-bewigged Henry Purcell graced "Purcell Postscripts" (April 1996); an irreverent J. S. Bach accompanied the E-mail "Letter from J S B" (July 2000); and a memorial sketch of Igor Kipnis illustrated "Remembering Igor" (April 2002). [Illustrations 10-12: Purcell, Bach, Kipnis]

Drawing the late harpsichordist's portrait elicited some memories from the artist: " . . . I first met Igor Kipnis when he played a concert in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (we had a reception for him at our house after the concert). I arranged to have his instrument stored for a few days at the home of a friend (a fine violinist and violist who had studied at the American Conservatory as I did. [Jane also taught piano in the Conservatory's Robyn Children's Department from 1941 to 1945.]

"I showed Kipnis an old American Conservatory catalog with his grandfather's picture. (In 1934, at the age of eleven while studying in the Children's Department, I remember looking across the lobby and seeing a gentleman with a big black mustache and a head of thick black hair, actually a toupee. I said to someone ‘Who is that?' The reply: ‘That is Mr. Heniot Levy,' who it turns out was Kipnis' grandfather on his mother's side. Mr. Heniot Levy was an outstanding teacher and pianist on the faculty of the school. Years later in 1945, the year I left, he became head of the piano department. My piano teacher Ethel Lyon was a friend of Mr. Heniot Levy's daughter.)

"Kipnis referred to his grandfather as ‘Mr. Levy.' At first I didn't recognize the name, for we all called him Mr. Heniot Levy. I assumed it was a hyphenated name--but I finally realized to whom he was referring."

In 1945 Jane's husband David moved the family from Chicago to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he worked as an engineer until 1982. That year Jane and David retired to Cumberland County, where Dave now builds clavichords and other keyboard instruments. Jane continues her interests in art, family (comprising their four children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren) and performing at the organ, harpsichord, and clavichord, especially at Magnano, Italy during several editions of the International Clavichord Symposium (1995 and 1999). [Illustration 13: Jane Johnson's favorite view of San Secondo, the 12th-century Romanesque Church at Magnano, showing the less familiar apse side]

A request to the artist for some of her favorite works resulted in the submission of several drawings not previously published in this magazine. Two certain to be of interest to harpsichordists are her 1984 picture of a College of William and Mary musicale (Williamsburg, Virginia), led by harpsichordist James Darling, and a whimsical 1985 Handel, Bach, Scarlatti tercentenary birthday party, drawn for the program of a Huntsville, Alabama recital given by students of Peggy Baird (reprinted with her permission). [Illustrations 14-15]

Personally I have been delighted to have "Fast Fingers," Jane's 1992 response to my request for a caricature of "ye harpsichord editor." It is now the logo of my personal note pads, as well as a frequent program cover. [Illustration 16: Larry Palmer]

If this retrospective has left an urge to see more, Harpsichord Playing: Then & Now, another 1992 "drawing by Jane Johnson" may be found on page 120 of Frances Bedford's Harpsichord and Clavichord Music of the 20th Century. While holding this book in hand, be sure to check out Jane's composer entry (for her solo work Appalachian Excursion). Multi-faceted woman that she is, Jane has contributed to the early music community in a variety of ways. Our world continues to be enriched by her talents.

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