Clayton Johns (1857-1932) was born in New Castle, Delaware, in a family of successful politicians. He studied at Rugby Academy then studied architecture in Philadelphia. He taught himself piano as a child and chose to study piano in Boston and music theory and composition at Harvard under John Knowles Paine. He studied in Berlin for a few years, attended Liszt’s master class at Weimar, and returned to Boston to be an established concert pianist, composer and teacher. He taught piano at the New England Conservatory. He published an autobiography and three other books on music. He is best known for his songs and piano works.

All are mixed chorus unless noted; some contain divisi.