The Collected Piano Works of R.
Nathaniel Dett
Summy-Birchard (1973)
[R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which
features a comprehensive Works List and a Bibliography by Dr. Dominique-René de Lerma, www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com.]
Latonia Moore
(Dallas Opera, Kilponen)
Donnie Ray Albert
Ronnita Nicole-Miller
(LA Opera)
Live Friday: A Rare American Oratorio At Carnegie Hall
Friday, May 9, 2014, 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT • Carnegie Hall, NYC
When NPR Music and WQXR present the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and May Festival Chorus' performance of R. Nathaniel Dett's The Ordering of Moses at Carnegie Hall Friday, there will be one significant difference from its first airing: it should be free of interruptions.
Just
why the 50-minute oratorio was not heard in full on NBC radio in 1937
is a story steeped in allegations of racial censorship. Dett (1882-1943)
was a black Canadian-born American composer who earned degrees at the
Oberlin Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music. He later studied
in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, the revered teacher of composers from
Aaron Copland to Philip Glass. Dett called his mission "the emancipation
of Negro music" and cited Dvorak's promotion of black spirituals and
folk songs as a strong influence on his own works.
The Cincinnati May Festival commissioned Dett to write The Ordering of Moses. He used a text based on Exodus, fusing biblical narrative with spirituals to capture the idea of freedom from bondage.
In
NBC's live broadcast, only 40 minutes of the work aired. Near the end
of the original acetate disc, the announcer can be heard saying, "We are
sorry indeed, ladies and gentlemen, but due to previous commitments, we
are unable to remain for the closing moments of this excellent
performance." Some organ music filled out the hour.
"It's
very clear from the program that was published, it was meant to be a
full hour and a full piece," said James Conlon, the May Festival music
director, who will conduct this performance at the Spring for Music
festival. "So it's very clear that something happened." Historians
suspect the broadcast was cut short after callers to the network
objected.
The Cincinnati May Festival revived
Dett's oratorio in 1956, but it has been rarely heard since. After a
1993 performance at Carnegie Hall, Alex Ross wrote in the New York Times
that the piece suffered from an unwieldy structure and some meandering
moments, but added, "there are episodes of startling power."
Program
- ADAMS Harmonium
- DETT The Ordering of Moses
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
May Festival Chorus
James Conlon, music director
Latonia Moore, soprano
Ronnita Nicole Miller, mezzo-soprano
Rodrick Dixon, tenor
Donnie Ray Albert, baritone
Comments by email:
1) This has just been reported by Bill Zick on his web site. How great it would be if someone would tape it for reference purposes! [Dominique-René de Lerma]
2) Hi William, This was a well-timed message as I remembered that I was going to try and track down this work to see if any proper recording had been made. Alas, I could still only recourse to the version on You Tube with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale with The Martin Luther King Community Choir of San Diego made in 25 Feb 2012. Unfortunately, the recording quality does absolutely no justice to this work and some fairly serious instrumental intonation problems with the orchestra and faulty entries are not a great start for what I feel is a VERY promising and unjustly neglected work. This is not a special pleading, the work needs to be heard in a proper way. Whilst I commend the person who placed the recording on You Tube for helping to get it heard, I feel many people will not be convinced of its qualities. I believe that this work is powerful, and whilst it is in the romantic / folk idiom, it is every bit as fine as (say) many of the choral works (also romantic / folk idiom) of his English contemporary, Ralph Vaughan Williams.
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Comments by email:
1) This has just been reported by Bill Zick on his web site. How great it would be if someone would tape it for reference purposes! [Dominique-René de Lerma]
2) Hi William, This was a well-timed message as I remembered that I was going to try and track down this work to see if any proper recording had been made. Alas, I could still only recourse to the version on You Tube with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale with The Martin Luther King Community Choir of San Diego made in 25 Feb 2012. Unfortunately, the recording quality does absolutely no justice to this work and some fairly serious instrumental intonation problems with the orchestra and faulty entries are not a great start for what I feel is a VERY promising and unjustly neglected work. This is not a special pleading, the work needs to be heard in a proper way. Whilst I commend the person who placed the recording on You Tube for helping to get it heard, I feel many people will not be convinced of its qualities. I believe that this work is powerful, and whilst it is in the romantic / folk idiom, it is every bit as fine as (say) many of the choral works (also romantic / folk idiom) of his English contemporary, Ralph Vaughan Williams.
I
also recall this disturbing comment regarding the broadcast performance
in 1937 by Eugene Goosens reminded me of the same said by someone (I
cannot remember who) many years ago soon after I had ‘discovered’ Dett’s
music....
‘In
NBC's live broadcast, only 40 minutes of the work aired. Near the end
of the original acetate disc, the announcer can be heard saying, "We are
sorry indeed, ladies and gentlemen, but due to previous commitments, we
are unable to remain for the closing moments of this excellent
performance." Some organ music filled out the hour.’
This
‘incident’ is not at all unique. It would still appear that works of this
‘period’ (like many others of William Grant Still and Florence Price and
others) now need total reappraisal so that the current generation of
music-lovers can form their own opinion and not be dictated to by ‘the
arbiters of taste’!.
I
would like it to be known that I wish James Conlon, the Cincinnati
Symphony Orchestra and the May Festival Chorus every success tonight. In
anticipation. I congratulate their efforts and will listen with
interest. Kind regards, Mike [Michael S. Wright]
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