John Klenner

John Klenner (24 February 1899 – 13 August 1955[1]) was a German-born American pianist, composer, and lyricist. He composed both classical and popular music and is best known for writing the song "Just Friends" with Sam M. Lewis in 1931.[2]

Compositions

Concertante
  • Fantasia for viola and orchestra
Vocal
  • "Japansy" (c.1928) written with Alfred Bryan[3]
  • "My Window of Dreams" (c.1928) written with Alfred Bryan[4]
  • "Down the River of Golden Dreams" (1930)
  • "Heartaches" (1931) (lyrics; music composed by Al Hoffman[5])
  • "Just Friends" (1931)
  • "Round the Bend of the Road" (1932)
  • "Smoke Dreams" (1937)
  • "Let's Go Back to the Bible" (written with Bob Miller)[6]
  • "My Old Brown Fiddle" (words and music)[6]
  • "My Old Canadian Home" (written with Wilf Carter and Bob Miller)[6]
  • "My Mother's Roses" (written with Bob Miller)[6]
  • "On the Street of Regret" (1942)[2]
  • "Summer Moon", lyrics for a Leeds Music Corporation 1947 adaptation of the Princesses' Round Dance (actually a Russian folksong In The Garden) licensed from Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird; the music was likely arranged by Lou Singer)[7][8]

Notes

  1. ^ Jasen, David A. (1988). Tin Pan Alley: The Composers, the Songs, the Performers and Their Times: The Golden Age of American Popular Music from 1886 to 1956. D.I. Fine. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-55611-099-3.
  2. ^ a b Wilson, Jeremy. "John Klenner Biography". JazzBiographies.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  3. ^ Caesar, Irving; Meyer, Joseph; Kahn, Roger Wolfe (1928). Crazy Rhythm. New York: Harms Inc. p. 11.
  4. ^ The Canadian Patent Office Record and Register of Copyrights and Trade Marks. Patent Office. June 26, 1928. pp. XV.
  5. ^ Tyler, Don (2007-04-16). Hit Songs, 1900-1955: American Popular Music of the Pre-Rock Era. McFarland. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-7864-2946-2.
  6. ^ a b c d Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1945. pp. 321–695.
  7. ^ White, Eric Walter (1979). Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works. University of California Press. p. 154.
  8. ^ Walsh, Stephen (2008-03-03). Stravinsky: The Second Exile: France and America, 1934–1971. University of California Press. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-520-25615-6.


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