Grant Johannesen photograph collection
Collection
Identifier: P1292
Scope and Contents
The Grant Johannesen photograph collection consists of 2 boxes containing 171 black-and-white photographs of pianist Grant Johannesen. Box 1 includes portraits, images of performances, and candid photographs of Johannesen. Box 2 is oversized and contains large portraits and photoboards of Johannesen. The collection dates from 1940 to the 1990s. A number of photographs in the collection may be under copyright by their creators.
Dates
- 1940-2000
Creator
- Johannesen, Grant (Person)
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Grant Johannesen photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator.
Permission to publish material from the Grant Johannesen photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator.
Biographical Note
Grant N. Johannesen (1921-2005) was born on July 30, 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah to H. Christian and Josepha Rogeberg Johannesen. Johannesen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He began playing the piano by the time at the age of five, and studied with Robert Casadesus, Egon Petri, Roger Sessions, and Nadia Boulanger. Johannesen made his Manhattan recital debut when he was 23, and won the Concours International when he was 28. Johannesen toured with various companies and was also a solo performer. He played with the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Utah Symphony. Johannesen opened the 75th Anniversary season at Carnegie Hall in 1966, and travelled extensively, playing in the former Soviet Union, Israel, Europe, and South America. In celebration of his Scandinavian roots, he played for Norway's King Olaf, again at Carnegie Hall. Between 1974 and 1985, he served as director of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Musically, Johannesen was interested in lesser-known composers. He was particularly interested in Gabriel Faure, recording all of the French composer's piano works to make them more available, as well as Francis Poulenc, and Darius Milhaud. He also played Franz Xaver, considered Mozart's "forgotten son." Grant Johannesen was married to composer Helen Taylor, from 1943 until her 1950 death in an automobile accident. They had a son, David Johannesen. His second wife was cellist Zara Nelsova, from 1963 to 1973, when they divorced. At the time of his death in Berlin in 2005, Johannesen had just finished a project called Mormoniana, a piano suite in collaboration with sixteen other musicians who also had roots in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Musically, Johannesen was interested in lesser-known composers. He was particularly interested in Gabriel Faure, recording all of the French composer's piano works to make them more available, as well as Francis Poulenc, and Darius Milhaud. He also played Franz Xaver, considered Mozart's "forgotten son." Grant Johannesen was married to composer Helen Taylor, from 1943 until her 1950 death in an automobile accident. They had a son, David Johannesen. His second wife was cellist Zara Nelsova, from 1963 to 1973, when they divorced. At the time of his death in Berlin in 2005, Johannesen had just finished a project called Mormoniana, a piano suite in collaboration with sixteen other musicians who also had roots in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Extent
171 Items (2 boxes)
Abstract
Grant Johannesen (1921-2005) was an internationally famous pianist. The Grant Johannesen photograph collection contains portraits and candid photographs of Johannesen and photographs of his performances dating from approximately 1940 to the 1990s.
Arrangement
Arranged by subject
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by David Johannesen in 2006.
Separated Materials
See also the Grant Johannesen papers (ACCN 2199) in the Manuscripts Division of Special Collections.
Processing Information
Processed by Special Collections staff.
Creator
- Johannesen, Grant (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Grant Johannesen photograph collection, 1940-2000
- Author
- Finding aid created by Claire A. Kempa
- Date
- 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository
Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu