Composer John Craton, a native of Anniston, Alabama, began his musical career with the violin at age 10 and later studied piano and composition. He played with the Jacksonville State University string orchestra while still in high school, and also the JSU string trio and woodwind quintet. He began accepting private students in 1971 and has taught both violin and piano in Alabama, Tennessee, and Indiana. He received his B.A. from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee; M.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington; and Au.D. from the Audiology Foundation of America. Since 2002, Craton has focused on teaching and composition. He currently resides in Indiana.
This digital collection was provided through the generous donation and permission of the composer. Other compositions by Dr. Craton can be found in the Library's Alabama Gallery Special Collections.
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Bag o' Tails
John Craton
A menagerie of almost 10 bagatelles for piano and unbreakable Native American medicine rattle.
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Ballet | Emilia
John Craton
In ballet class, Emilia is having difficulty and making many mistakes. Madame sents her to the corner, and Emilia is left behind when class ends and the studio is locked. She practices diligently before falling asleep. The following morning, the students arrive and make fun of Emilia for being locked in. When the prima ballerina turns her ankle, Emilia steps forward to dance the pas seul. The other students make fun of her for volunteering, but she dances flawlessly, and the ballet concludes with the students and Madame congratulating her.
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Ballet | La soirée des animaux
John Craton
Les papillons -- L'our -- Le cygne -- Les chauves-sauris -- Le singes -- Mars des suricates -- Les reptiles -- Les kangourous -- La gazelle -- Le lion -- La grande valse de tous les animaux
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Ballet | L'Atelier du tailleur de pierre (The Stone-Carver's Workshop)
John Craton
This ballet is set in an abandoned workshop near Verdun, France, circa 1919. A young girl disovers statues in the workshop, which come to life and dance the tragic stories of how all perished in the course of the Battle of Verdun.
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Ballet | Le Cimetière (The Cemetery)
John Craton
A teenager pays a visit to the cemetery where her sister is buried. She falls asleep, and various spirits, both benign and malevolent, emerge. The teenager's grandmother appears as a witch, attempting to abduct her into an otherworldly coven. Her deceased sister saves her before returning to the land of the dead.
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Ballet | Le grenier (The Attic)
John Craton
A sequel to La boîte à musique/The Music Box. The attic has been sealed since the tragic events of The Music Box. The daughter of the surviving sister and her family are spending the summer in the old family house, and the daughter, a young goth, decides to visit the attic. She plays and dances with a rag doll she finds there. The rag doll comes to life, and animates other dolls and toys in the attic, including a sinister doll. The sinister doll fills the attic with skeletons and zombies, including the girl's dead aunt. The frightened girl picks up a crucifix as protection, trying to leave the attic. But she stumbles and drops the crucifix, allowing the ghouls to overtake her. Her aunt and the ghouls attach strings to her arms and legs, turning her into a doll.
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Ballet | Les chats du Bagarreau (The Cats of Bagarreau)
John Craton
The gatherine of rogue cats -- Tom the Bomb -- Charlotte the Huntress -- Clairette the Curious -- Lucinda the Playful -- Penelope the Persian -- Adele the Acrobat -- Veronica the Vain -- Cat Fight -- Tom Is Killed -- Tom Is Alive & Finale
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Ballet | Les gentilles sirènes (The Kindly Mermaids)
John Craton
A ship sinks in a storm at sea. A bassinet from the ship floats by, and mermaids rescue its inhabitant, a baby girl, bringing her ashore. As there are no survivors, they decide to care for her, naming her Étoile (Star). They take turns coming ashore to take care of her. As she becomes a young lady, Étoile longs to live in the sea with her caregivers. Amphitrite comes forward with her magical trident and turns Étoile into a mermaid so she can join her sisters in the sea.
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Ballet | Nefertiti
John Craton
Nefertiti waits on her throne for the entrance of her six royal daughters for an evening of entertainment. The company is served confections, musicians and entertainers play and dance, and a clown performs mime. Then the Slumber-Bird enters and Nefertiti gives her blessing to each of her sleepy children before they depart for bed, and Nefertiti herself retires to sleep.
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Ballet | Pierrot & Pierrette
John Craton
A Harlequinade is performed in a 19th-century European park. Once it's over and the sun goes down, the audience leaves. A lovesick Pierrot then enters, watching Pierrette leaving with Harlequin. The Dream Fairy enters and gives Pierrot sleep with pleasant dreams. When he wakes, he sees Pierrette sitting in the cradle of the moon. He serenades her, but Harlequin makes her disappear. Finally, Harlequin notices Pierrette's older sister and dances with her, leaving Pierrot and Pierrette alone. Pierrette offers her hand to Pierrot, and they stand hand in hand, gazing at the moon.
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Ballet | The Dartmoor Pixies
John Craton
Two small children become lost in the woods and encounter a fairy ring of pixies. A wolf enters with the intent of eating the children, but the pixies chase him away. The children sleep, and when they awake, all they see is the fairy ring on the ground. They happily find their way home in the light of dawn.
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Ballet | The Muleshoe Marathon
John Craton
A comic ballet. On the West Texas plain just outside the town of Muleshoe, animals gather for the annual Muleshoe Marathon, a race among armadillos. The animals bet on the race, but betting is illegal, and sheriff Coyote arrives, failing to apprehend any of the culprits except Jackrabbit. Jackrabbit is put in jail, but his friends return to show their loyalty and convince Coyote to release him.
