John Douglas Craton is an American classical composer. His works have been performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. While his compositions cover a diverse range, he is best known for his operas, ballets, and works for classical mandolin.
Craton was born August 6, 1953, in Anniston, Alabama. Though neither of his parents was musical, his extended family included many musicians, both amateurs and professionals, among them his cousin, concert pianist and composer Barbara Gallagher. He began his formal musical training at age 10 studying violin under retired violinist and conductor, Robert Louis Barron. After graduating from Saks High School he studied violin and piano at Jacksonville State University before transferring to Lipscomb University, where he earned his B.A. Craton studied theory and composition under John Maltese, Gerald Moore, and Henry Fusner. His graduate degree from Indiana University was in audiology, and Craton practiced as a clinical audiologist for several years in Indiana before returning to his musical roots and devoting his full-time to teaching and composing.
Craton’s music is highly tonal and in general reflects a style of English pastoralism, often incorporating onomatopoeic elements sometimes described as “nature music.” His music has been variously characterized as “atmospheric,” “dramatic and challenging,” “largely traditional ... playful,” and occasionally even reflecting “a medieval/Renaissance flavor.” He has been performed by such artists and ensembles as Sebastiaan de Grebber, Gertrud Weyhofen, Eva van den Dool, Christiaan Saris, Ljubomir Velickovic, Het CONSORT, the Orkest van het Oosten, Filarmonica Mandolini Alba Sapporo, Townsend Opera Players, and the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. Romanian opera composer and conductor Leonard Dumitriu has described Craton's music as "coming from some other time and planet,” stating that although he “may be an American living in the present, ... [his] music comes from the time of Haydn and Mozart, or, better, from a world without time, where ... even the cares are easy and bright ... a musical world of sonorous peace and joy." Many of Craton’s works are published by Wolfhead Music.
While in his early years Craton often performed on violin, piano, recorder, and other instruments, he abandoned public performance after a hand injury and has since devoted himself completely to teaching and composing. He currently operates a private music studio in Bedford, Indiana.
The Curious Affair of the Count of Monte BlottoDefiance: A One-minute OperaThe Fashionable LadyGilgameshInanna: An Opera of Ancient SumerThe Parliament of FowlsThe ReconciliationTom Ojos AzulesVasya WhitefeetLes chats du BagarreauDans les ténèbresLa Boîte à musiqueLe GrenierLe CimetièreThe Dartmoor PixiesEmiliaThe Huluppu Tree (from Inanna)Labyrinth (pas seul)Mother GooseNefertitiPierrot & Pierrette (aka Le mime solitaire)La Soirée des animauxThe Tattered SlippersThrough the Looking-GlassVoyageur de temps : un ballet électroniqueAnn Putnam OvertureApologetic Waltz for string orchestraAssyrian Fantasy for violin, strings & percussionAva's Vignettes for string orchestraBeowulf: The Orchestral SuiteBloemen van Spanje (Flowers of Spain) for two guitars & stringsCantique des montéesA Christmas CardCoronach for the Martyrs of Our Lady of SalvationDanseries anciennes for mandolin orchestraGilgamesh OvertureInanna Orchestral SuiteLassitude for string orchestra with solo violin & violoncelloThe Legend of Princess Noccalula for mandolin & orchestraMongolian Folk Songs for viola & chamber orchestraPagan Festivals for string orchestraThree Paintings by Nikolai Blokhin for violin & stringsTriptych for string orchestraConcerto for 2 Mandolins & Orchestra (“Rromane Bjavela”)Flute ConcertoMandolin Concerto No. 1 in D MinorMandolin Concerto No. 2 in D MajorMandolin Concerto No. 3 in E MinorMandolin Concerto No. 4 in G MajorTuba Concerto in G MinorLes Adieux for violin & pianoAntebellum Suite for violin & pianoAutumn Leaf for flute & harpBeowulf: A Suite for Ancient InstrumentsBerceuse for violin & pianoCharon Crossing the Styx for mandolin & double bassDance of the Fey Folk for violin & pianoDioses aztecas for mandolin & pianoDivertissements médiévaux for violin & pianoDuettino No. 1 in A for two violinsDuettino No. 2 in D for two violinsDuettino No. 3 in B-flat for two violinsElementals for flute & pianoFive Apothegms for violin, horn & tromboneFive Observations for five to six instruments & voiceFour Cornish Sketches for violin & pianoFour Little Pastorales for violin & pianoFour Whimsies for mandola & mandocelloGorillas for two violinsLes gravures de Gustave Doré for mandolin & guitarThe Gray Wolf for mandolin soloIn Memoriam: George Kirles for violoncello & pianoL’Ombre de la tour d’horloge for violoncello & pianoPerpetuum Mobile for mandolin soloPetite Suite for violin & pianoProcessional for string quartetQuatuor pour les jeunes for string quartetRicordando Pi for violin & pianoRomanza for clarinet & pianoScherzo for violin & pianoSeven Variations on “What If a Day, or a Month, or a Yeare” for lute or guitarSix Easy Pieces for viola & pianoSix Pantomimes for two mandolinsSonata Colloquia for marimba & pianoSonata for Solo ViolinSonate for violin, clarinet & piano (“Trois petites filles”)Sonatina for saxophone & pianoSonatina in F for recorder & harpsichordSonatina No. 1 for violin & pianoSonatina No. 2 in A Major for violin & pianoSonatina No. 3 in G Major for violin & mandolinSonatina No. 4 (“Sonatina semplice”) for violin & pianoSonatina No. 5 in E Major for violin & pianoSonatina No. 6 (“Israeli Sonatina”) for violin & pianoString QuartetTango for four guitars & chitarroneThree Tableaux from George MacDonald for recorder, mandolin & violoncelloTombeau for Richard Dohrmann for violin & pianoTriosatz for three violinsTrois sœurs assyriennes for flute & pianoTwelve Variations on La Follia for violin & pianoValse-Caprice for violin & pianoVariations from Der Fluyten Lust-hof of Jakob Van Eyck for mandolin soloVariations on a Traditional Theme for solo violinL'anneau des fees (for celesta or piano)Bag o’ Tails: A menagerie of (almost) 10 bagatelles for piano and unbreakable Native American medicine rattleA Cat's LifeA Childhood ScrapbookI Am GoyaNymphes (2 pianos, 4 hands)Passacaglia for OrganPegasus SuitePiano Sonata in Free Form (Hilton Head, S.C.)Piano Sonata No. 2 in B MajorThe Rennab Delgnaps RatsSimple PleasuresSix Little PastoralsSix MiniaturesSouthern Indiana SketchesWhere They DwellAn Aestuary (A Calm Evening) for voice & pianoArreglos de Canciones Tradicionales Españolas for voice & pianoA Child's Prayer at Evening for voice & pianoJardin sentimental : Cinq poèmes d’Émile Nelligan for voice & pianoThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock for tenor & stringsMesse en l'honneur des martyrs modernes for SSAATTBB choir & organA Morning Prayer for voice & pianoSix Japanese Songs for soprano & pianoSongs for Children, Books 1, 2 & 3 for voice & pianoThe Way Everlasting for SATB choirBiber — Sonata Representativa (string orchestra)Craton — The Armadillo Races at Victoria, Texas (wind ensemble)Craton — Coronach for the Martyrs of Our Lady of Salvation (wind ensemble)Craton — Lullaby (from “Four Whimsies”) (string orchestra)Daniel — Festival (soprano, mezzo-soprano & orchestra)Daniel — Maiden of Dreams (soprano & orchestra)Daniel — Memories of Fatherland (soprano & orchestra)Daniel — Nineveh (soprano & orchestra)Daniel — Spinning Wheel Song (soprano, mezzo-soprano & orchestra)Daniel — Tears of the Beloved (mezzo-soprano & orchestra)Dobyns — Three Rags (mandolin orchestra)Gianneo — Cinco Piezas (solo mandolin & string orchestra)Issabey — Qooyama (chorus & orchestra)Issabey — Roomrama (soprano & orchestra)Issabey — Ya Umta (chorus & orchestra)Khofri — The Nation Sacrifices (chours & orchestra)Khofri — The Vacant Nineveh (chorus & orchestra)Kioulaphides — Four Souvenirs (string orchestra)Salieri — 26 Variazioni sulla Follia di Spagna (violin & piano)Excerpt from Gilgamesh: An Assyrian Opera — Tablet VII: "Enkidu's Death & Lament of Gilgamnesh." Gottschalk Music Center Orchestra, John Kendall Bailey, cond. Assyryt: The Assyrian Diamond CD and DVD. Assyrian Market, MN2009DVD/CD.Excerpts from Gilgamesh: An Assyrian Opera — Overture; Tablet VI: “The Bull of Heaven.” Excerpts from Inanna: An Opera of Ancient Sumer — Aria: “I, the Lady”; Ballet: “The Huluppu Tree”; Drinking Song from beginning of Act III. Sibel Demirman, Donn Bradley, Lorraine Davis, Julie Anne Miller, Barbara Wesley, vocalists; Sarah Weaver, Joseph Adkins, David Riskin, dancers of the Central West Ballet; René Daveluy, choreographer; orchestra of the Townsend Opera Players; Chase Spruill, solo violin; Ryan Murray, cond. Mediterranean Night CD and DVD. Assyrian Market, mesc-001 (CD), mesd-001 (DVD).The Orchestral Music of John Craton. Ann Putnam Overture, Excerpts from The Parliament of Fowls, The Reconciliation, The Fashionable Lady, La Boîte à musique, and The Curious Affair of the Count of Monte Blotto; Orchestral Suite from Inanna. Wolfhead Music, 884501052672.“The Gray Wolf.” Fantasia Romantica. Sebastiaan de Grebber, mandolin. Stemra, SDG001-07.“The Legend of Princess Noccalula.” Music for Mandolin Orchestra. Sebastiaan de Grebber, solo mandolin. Het CONSORT. Alex Timmerman, conducting. Stemra ATSDG03-08.