Friday, August 19, 2011

Baltimore Sun: Susquehanna S.O. Plays 'William Grant Still (why, oh why is this composers music so routinely ignored?)

[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]

Tim Smith's Clef Notes
(Excerpt)
There's quite an impressive mix of familiar and fresh planned by music director Sheldon Bair for the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra's 35th anniversary season, too. A program that finds room for Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and a Grateful Dead-inspired symphony by Lee Johnson is plenty interesting.

Add into that same program arias from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and a gorgeous excerpt from Tchaikovsky's "Mozartiana" Suite, and you're talking extra-clever.

Even the orchestra's holiday concert will be packed with unusual items before getting to the Christmas sing-along, including pieces by William Grant Still (why, oh why is this composers music so routinely ignored?)... [William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com]

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