As we approach the 88th anniversary of the first meeting of the American Accordionists’ Association (AAA), held on March 9, 1938 in a 48th Street office in Manhattan, New York, I thought I would write an article about one of its founders, John Gart. Gart, invited as a founder, was unable to attend the first meeting. However he was very interested in helping this new organization that was created to promote the up-and-coming musical instrument: the piano accordion.

John Gart was a celebrated composer, actor, conductor, organist and accordionist. He was born on June 6,1905 in Grodno, in the Russian Empire (now Hrodna, Belarus) and was named Zan Gartalewitz. When his family immigrated to the United States in 1922, his name was changed to John Gart.

As a young child in Russia (note: some sources say that he was born in Poland. His name is Russian and two reputable sources say that he was born in Grodno, Russia), Gart was immersed in the world of music. His father was a well-known Imperial Opera singer. The March 1948 Accordion Bazaar Magazine wrote that the young Gart had “notes and symbols in his blood instead of corpuscles!”

Gart’s musical studies began with the violin at age 6. He quickly switched to the piano, and by age 7 was accepted into the Imperial Conservatory of Music in Moscow. There he studied piano and theory. When John was 12, he toured Europe accompanying a concert violinist and an opera singer.

His family arrived in New York City in 1922. Gart’s father had signed a contract with an opera company. Original plans were to send his son John back to Europe for more music studies. However, plans changed when his father was seriously injured in an automobile accident. John had begun studying organ with Dr. Clarence Dickinson and theatre organ with Herbert Sisson.

With his father in the hospital, these lessons were put on hold as he now had to go to work! His first job was playing the piano in an orchestra in a New York theatre. A few years later, Gart became the head organist at the Loew Theatre in Brooklyn, New York.

In 1931, Gart discovered the piano accordion. He played his accordion on Vaudeville stages and had four radio programs weekly on WJZ in New York City for several years. By the mid 1930s, Gart had established himself as a top-ranking accordionist, along with other New York City greats including Pietro Frosini, Pietro Deiro, Anthony Galla-Rini, Joe Biviano and Charles Magnante.

In early 1938, these men, along with a few others, founded the AAA. Gart was very interested in making sure that more technical and melodic music be written for the piano accordion. He set out to compose solo pieces and created some timeless, challenging and beautiful compositions!

In the photos with his accordion, you will note that Gart is playing a late 1930s “rocker switch Excelsior.” Magnante, Biviano, Gene Von Hallberg, Abe Goldman and other celebrated accordionists also played this accordion at this time as its modern improvements were what they considered the best at that time.

The accordion was never Gart’s main instrument. He loved the organ and played it until his death at 84 years old in Winter Garden, Florida (September 28, 1989). Gart was known for his prolific work in American television during the 1950s through the 1960s, particularly on long-running daytime soap operas and dramatic anthology series. Gart served as musical director and composer for the anthology series “Robert Montgomery Presents” for over 300 episodes between 1950-1957. He also provided music for the soap opera “Guiding Light” for nearly 1000 episodes from 1964-1968, along with numerous other programs. He often worked under the alias “John Marion” on animated projects such as the series “The New Adventures of Superman” and “the Adventures of Batman”.

Gart had a very active and recognized musical career. The accordion world is very fortunate that he spent time and much effort composing for our instrument as his pieces are varied, well thought out and delightful!

John Gart’s sheet music for accordion can be purchased and downloaded by going to: eMusicForAccordion.com, “John Gart”. You will find many of his solo pieces including: Prelude, Fughetta, Scherzo, Shades of Velvet, Poeme and Vivo. You will also find a few of Gart’s compositions arranged as duets and for accordion orchestra by Anthony Galla-Rini.

John Gart Music List:

On the above linking page you can see samples of each music title.
https://emusicforaccordion.com/collections/john-gart-collection