Symphony No. 2 of William Grant Still: 'Neglect defies rational explanation'

[Afro-American Symphony; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Karl Kruger, conductor; Bridge 9086 (1999)]

(William Grant Still's Symphony No. 2 is one of five neglected works by various composers which are discussed in the full version of the following post)
Letter V, The Virginia Classical Music Blog
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Neglected music (1)
“In my review of the April 12 Richmond Festival of Music performance of Amy Beach’s Theme and Variations for flute and string quartet, I mentioned an eventual post on compositions whose neglect defies rational explanation.”

“William Grant Still: Symphony No. 2 in G minor ('Song of a New Race')

Still was the pioneer African-American symphonist and is customarily (predictably?) represented in the orchestral repertory by his First ('Afro-American') Symphony of 1930. His Second Symphony, introduced by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1937, is less 'folkish' in style, more abstract in content. Still got his start as a professional musician working with W.C. Handy, the master of blues and early jazz; and the Second Symphony, unlike the First, reflects the composer’s fluency in jazz.

Chalk up this symphony’s neglect to lack of curiosity on the part of orchestra programmers, and perhaps a preference for the work of living black composers. The practice of cramming most performances of art-music by African-American composers into a 'ghetto,' from Jan. 15 (birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.) through February (Black History Month), is surely another factor.

Recording: Detroit Symphony/Neeme Järvi (Chandos 9226).” [Full Post] [William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

William Grant Still
Symphony No. 2
Song of a New Race
African American Composer
Second Symphony Premiered 1937
Classical Music Repertoire