[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Stilll; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]
Jazz.com
August 18, 2008
Letter from Europe (Part Two)
Stuart Nicholson
“Today, the dissenting voices raised against Dvorák’s New World Symphony, intended as a lesson on how to forge American nationalism within the Western tradition of classical music, seem quaint with the emergence of composers such as Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, William Grant Still and Elliot Carter who have successfully evoked elements of Americana into European classical music.
“T.S. Eliot once pointed out that no artist can work outside the tradition because the tradition will stretch to accommodate anything artists do. The critics who railed against Dvorák’s New World Symphony, such as Edward MacDowell, who in racist outrage, complained, “Masquerading in the so-called nationalism of Negro clothes cut in Bohemia will not help us,” failed to acknowledge how art evolves.” Full Post [The African American composer William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]
William Grant Still
African American Composer
Elements of Americana
European Classical Music
Dvorák’s New Worl Dymphony
American Nationalism in Western Tradition
“T.S. Eliot once pointed out that no artist can work outside the tradition because the tradition will stretch to accommodate anything artists do. The critics who railed against Dvorák’s New World Symphony, such as Edward MacDowell, who in racist outrage, complained, “Masquerading in the so-called nationalism of Negro clothes cut in Bohemia will not help us,” failed to acknowledge how art evolves.” Full Post [The African American composer William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]
William Grant Still
African American Composer
Elements of Americana
European Classical Music
Dvorák’s New Worl Dymphony
American Nationalism in Western Tradition
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