NPR.org: Still's 'Afro-American Symphony' 'was one of the earliest works by an African-American composer to gain a place in the orchestral canon'

African Heritage Symphonic Series, Vol. 1; Afro-American Symphony; William Grant Still; CDR 90000 055

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

NPR.org

Deceptive Cadence

Symphonic For The People: The Mid-Century American Symphony

by Carol J. Oja

August 20, 2013

[Excerpt]

Great Symphonies From Mid-Century America

One of the most fascinating American musical figures of the 20th century, William Grant Still (1895-1978) was multi-musical, playing oboe in the pit orchestra of Shuffle Along, the famed all-black musical from 1921, and working as arranger for popular radio shows of the 1930s, such as Willard Robison's Deep River Hour. Through it all, Still composed works for the concert hall, gaining the honorific "Dean of Afro-American Composers." A native of Mississippi, Still was awarded a scholarship to study at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the era of Jim Crow segregation when Oberlin was one of the few major conservatories that admitted black students. Still studied with high-profile composers, including George Whitefield Chadwick and Edgard Varèse. In other words, he broke one barrier after another.

Still's Afro-American Symphony represents a milestone in his career. With its premiere in 1931, it was one of the earliest works by an African-American composer to gain a place in the orchestral canon, and it has held up well over time. In the work's title, Still identified his race with pride, inspired by the cultural activism of the Harlem Renaissance. The symphony is written in four movements, which have two different sets of titles, signaling the cultural bifurcation that defined Still's career. One version is thoroughly European: "Moderato assai," "Adagio," "Animato," and "Lento, con risoluzione." While the other, as found in one of Still's notebooks, refers to African-American history: "Longing," "Sorrow," "Humor," and "Aspiration." The work aims for a synthesis of African-American culture (especially as manifested in the blues) with the totemic power and prestige of the symphony. Still wrote that he wanted to "portray not the higher type of colored American, but the sons of the soil, who still retain so many of the traits peculiar to their African forebears; who have not responded completely to the transforming effect of progress."

...

Still's style in the Afro-American Symphony is thoroughly accessible, fusing the sounds of symphonic jazz with those of the classical symphony. And the work shows off Still's resplendent orchestration, which is another key aspect of his talent.

[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]