Yale University Library: Table of Contents of an oral interview with William Grant Still and Verna Arvey Still Nov. 22, 1972

[William Grant Still (Photo is the sole property of William Grant Still Music, and is used with permission)]

Yale University Library posts the Table of Contents of an oral interview with William Grant Still and Verna Arvey Still.  It was conducted by Liz Gant in Los Angeles on November 22, 1972:

Oral History of American Music - William Grant Still 

AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES                                                                              

William Grant Still (and Mrs. Still)

With Liz Gant

Los Angeles, CA

November 22, 1972

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

                                                                                                                                                                   

Early interest in music--playing the violin--college--playing in Columbus, Ohio--composing--looking up to other Negro musicians--working with W.C. Handy--Still’s parents--book: Oranges and Lemons--Harlem--joining the Navy--playing violin in the Navy--working in New York after the war--returning to Oberlin--studying theory and composition--W.C. Handy--Harlem: prominent Negro clubs including. Cotton Club--learning about instruments--composing operas--playing Negro shows.

                                                                                                                        

“Telephone Hour”--“Old Gold Hour”--Paul Whiteman--composing and arranging--Guggenheim Fellowship--work in film studios--G Minor Symphony--And they lynched him on a Tree--Deep River Hour--Sahdji.                                                                                                         

Work with Alain Locke—setting his poetry—composing and arranging in the thirties—coming of television—traveling—young composers.

[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. Recordings, sheet music and books of William Grant Still are available at www.WilliamGrantStill.com, which is operated by the composer's daughter Judith Anne Still]