Saturday, February 18, 2012

Albany Records: “ULYSSES KAY: 'Joys and Fears' from the Film Score to 'The Quiet One' (1948)” on YouTube


[Ulysses Kay: Works for Chamber Orchestra; Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra; Kevin Scott, Conductor; Albany Records Troy 961 (2007)]


Ulysses Simpson Kay, Jr. (1917-1995) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com. Maestro Kevin Scott is also Project Director/Conductor for the Ulysses Kay Recording Project. In the liner notes for the CD, he notes that about a fourth of Kay's works were recorded on LP. Joys and Fears (10:20) is the first movement from Suite from The Quiet One (1948). The liner notes also tell us:

“Though he was never approached to score a major Hollywood film, Ulysses Kay was one the few serious composers of color commissioned to underscore numerous television shows and documentaries in the late 1950s and early 1960s.” “His first scoring assignment took place in 1947, when he was approached to contribute a score for an experimental quasi-documentary entitled The Quiet One.” 

Uploaded by AlbanyRecordsUSA on Feb 10, 2012



The Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted
by Kevin Scott
from Albany TROY961 (2007)

"A major release devoted to the orchestral music of this great American composer.
This is the first major release devoted to the African-American composer Ulysses Kay. Encouraged by William Grant Still, he would study under Bernard Rogers and Howard Hanson at Eastman, and his works are distinctively American in spirit and strength. Of special interest is his music to The Quiet One, one of the first major film scores by a Black composer.

Contents:
Ulysses Kay, composer
Suite from The Quiet One
Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, Kevin Scott, conductor

Ulysses Kay, composer
Three Pieces After Blake, for Soprano and Orchestra
Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, Kevin Scott, conductor, Janet Hopkins, soprano

Ulysses Kay, composer
Scherzi Musicali
Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, Kevin Scott, conductor

Ulysses Kay, composer
Aulos, for Flute and Chamber Orchestra Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, Kevin Scott, conductor, Melanie Valencia, flute"
 
Review:
"Here's hoping this disc furthers a Kay revival." (All Music Guide)





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