Howard, John Tasker, 1890-1964

John Tasker Howard was a noted American music expert, radio host, writer, lecturer, and composer.

His early involvement with piano, and his subsequent study of composition with Paul Tidden, Howard Brockway and Mortimer Wilson, provided him with the proper background for the numerous positions held over the course of his life. Some of his more noteworthy positions were: managing editor of the Musician (1919-1922), music editor of McCall's magazine (1928-1930), music editor of Cue magazine (1936-1938), curator of the American Music Collection at the New York Public Library (1940-1956), and secretary for American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP). Howard wrote numerous piano, choral and orchestral arrangements. Still, it was primarily as a writer that he came to the public's attention. His books Our American music and Stephen Foster, America's troubadour established him as an eminent writer on American music and a Stephen Foster expert. He later wrote Ethelbert Nevin (1935), Our contemporary composers (1941), This modern music (1942) and Music in America (1957, with G.K. Bellows). During the 1930s to the 1940s, Howard wrote and hosted radio programs such as America in music, Music in America and Our American music and was involved with the Name that tune television quiz show from 1955-1959.

John Tasker Howard (b Brooklyn, NY, 30 Nov. 1890; d West Orange, NJ, 20 Nov.1964) was a noted American music expert, radio host, writer, lecturer, and composer. John Tasker Howard’s early involvement with piano, and his subsequent study of compositions with the American composers Paul Tidden, Howard Brockway and Mortimer Wilson, provided him with the proper background for the numerous positions held over the course of his life. Some of his more noteworthy positions were: Managing Editor of the Musician (1919-1922), Music Editor of McCall ’s magazine (1928-1930), Music Editor of Cue magazine (1936-1938), Curator of the Americana Music Collection at the New York Public Library (1940-1956), and Secretary for American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Despite the many demands on him within these positions, Howard wrote numerous piano, choral and orchestral arrangements. Among his compositions are St. Augustine’s Prayer, The Virgin’s Cradle, From the Mountain to the Sea, Still Waters, Calendar Suite and Fantasy on a Choral Theme: concertino .

Still, it was as a writer that brought him to the public’s attention. His books Our American Music and Stephen Foster, America’s Troubadour established him as an eminent writer on American music and a Stephen Foster expert, respectively. From these successes, he went on to write Ethelbert Nevin (1935), Our Contemporary Composers (1941), This Modern Music (1942) and Music in America (1957, with G.K. Bellows).

His accomplishments as a writer and composer took him further into the public’s eye when he became a radio host for shows focused on American music. During the 1930s to the 1940s, Howard wrote for and hosted shows such as America in Music, Music in America and Our American Music . His accomplishments in media continued behind the scenes from 1955-1959 for Name That Tune . For this show, John Tasker Howard prepared sets of questions for its main jackpot (Box 1, Folders 34-35 and Box 4, Folders 19-28).

From his writings (musical and literary) to his lectures, John Tasker Howard pursued the development of American music.

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