[Afro-American
Symphony;
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Karl Kruger, conductor; Bridge 9086
(1999)]
On
a YouTube video uploaded January 11, 2012, Maestro John McLaughlin Williams conducts the Cleveland Institute of Music Symphony Orchestra
in a live performance of William Grant Still's Poem for Orchestra
(10:36):
“A
live performance of one of William Grant Still's major orchestral
works by John McLaughlin Williams, Conductor, and the Cleveland
Institute of Music Symphony Orchestra. An interesting feature of the
Poem is the heightened intensity of expression, particularly in the
first half of the work. Still is thought of as a primarily lyrical
composer, yet he was capable of creating dramatic passages of febrile
impact. Still's wife, Verna Arvey, described the Poem as 'inspired by
the concept of a world being reborn spiritually after a period of
darkness and desolation', which is in keeping with the dark and
foreboding mood established at the beginning of this work. In the
Poem Still creates a climax of nearly expressionistic angst, and
through the concluding melodic section the composer maintains an
underlying feeling of uncertainty. That Still had an individual and
original compositional voice is undeniable, and through this somewhat
uncharacteristic work the composer's voice shines through
magnificently. [
WilliamGrant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which
features a comprehensive Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de
Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com]
No comments:
Post a Comment