Monday, August 23, 2010

Visitor on R. Nathaniel Dett: 'His works will live on for centuries to come.'


[R. Nathaniel Dett (Photo from Library of Congress)]

R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) was an African American composer, pianist and choral director whose tenure at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, was legendary during his lifetime. He is profiled at AfriClassical.com on a page which features a complete Works List compiled by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma of Lawrence University Conservatory of Appleton, Wisconsin.

Nathaniel Williams of Albany, Georgia has left two entries in the Guest Book at AfriClassical.com in the past few days. On August 20, 2010 he said “Mr. [R. Nathaniel] Dett was was one of the 'greatest' Composers of his time and even presently. His Music and Composition work is still top notch...” “His works will live on for centuries to come.”

An entry by Nathaniel Williams on August 23, 2020 reads: “This is an honor for me to say a few words about this unique experience for me to read about some of the greatest 'Talented' personalities that I have heard about by listening to some of their 'greatest' Songs and compositions. I have been around since the early 1930's so I've seen a lot and experienced lots of the same kinds of heartbreaks that most of you have during these years that God has kept me and blessed me to see and I do praise God for all that He has done for us through all these years and we aren't there yet but thanks be to God it is better now than it was more than 75 years ago. My prayer is that our younger generations would try very hard to be the 'best' that they can be and follow the examples that all of you have set for 'future' generations to come. I Thank you for this opportunity.”

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