John Gart: AAA Founder, composer, actor, conductor, organist and accordionist

By Joan Grauman Morse 

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  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 began studying organ with Dr. Clarence  Dickinson and theatre organ with Herbert Sisson. 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 Halberg, 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 his solo pieces: Prelude, Fughetta,  Scherzo, Shades of Velvet, Poeme and Vivo. You will also find a few of Gart’s compositions  arranged for accordion orchestra by Anthony Galla-Rini. Other solos by Gart will be added  soon.