Trumpet Tune in G-flat Major

David N. Johnson was born 28 June 1922, in San Antonio, Texas, and died 2 August 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. He was an American organist, composer, educator, choral clinician, and lecturer.

He studied organ and composition at Curtis Institute of Music (1940–1942), and was a lecturer at Syracuse University (1951). From 1960–1967, he was college organist of Boe Chapel and organ instructor at St Olaf College, Northfield MN. He was music department chair at St Olaf stolaf.edu 1965–1967. In 1967, he succeeded Arthur Poister as professor of music, university organist and director of music in Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University. He later moved to Arizona in 1969, where he taught at Arizona State University, Tempe, and served at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Phoenix. He died in Tempe on August 2, 1987.

Johnson published well over three hundred compositions, most of them for church use, and was author of an Instruction Book for Beginning Organists (1964) and an Organ Teacher's Guide (1971).

He was a composer who REALLY knew "how" to write "trumpet pieces", and this one, the "The Trumpet Tune in G-Flat Major" was published by Augsburg in 1964. It is the second of a group of three, and is dedicated: "To Lawrence DeWitt."

Each trumpet tune, has a unique feel and flavor to it, and uses the organ in creative and colorful ways.

It has a wonderful appeal to it, is beautifully "shaped," and the long-spun trumpet melody is stretched and used to excellent effect. I followed Johnson's "ideas" on registration, but I "extended them," giving this a full "cathedral treatment."

I have yet to find any photos of David Johnson, but I did scan the score and it is attached below.