John J. Becker

USA, 1923–1961

American composer (1886-1961), the least played of the American Five and the man who named the group. A Catholic mystic working out of Minnesota, he championed Ives for decades and orchestrated 'General William Booth Enters into Heaven' at Ives's own request.

MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced John J. Becker and 0 artists John J. Becker influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced John J. Becker?

• Henry Cowell — Meeting Cowell in 1928 turned a conservatory-trained Midwestern organist into a modernist and an organiser of other people's new music.
• Charles Ives — Becker spent decades promoting Ives, named the American Five to put them in the same sentence, and was trusted with orchestrating 'General William Booth Enters into Heaven'.