Monday, May 25, 2020

Annamarie Ewing, BlackClassics: Black Classical Musicians - TV and Radio

Eleanor Alberga

Dear Friends

I hope you are all keeping well, and finding new ways to make music despite these difficult times.

Both TV and radio have been surprisingly busy recently, broadcasting a number of programmes which I thought might interest you.

3-part series presented by musician Eleanor Alberga:

Episode 1 of 3


The first programme of a three-part series in which composer Eleanor Alberga foregrounds the contribution that black composers have made to the story of western classical music through the ages, with examples of their music. Eleanor confesses that "in researching this series, much of the story has proved surprising to me as well.”

Eleanor begins her journey with story of John Blanke, a celebrated court trumpeter to Henry VII, who appears as “the blacke trumpeter” on the Westminster Tournament Roll, commissioned by the king to mark the birth of his son Henry in 1511. The programme considers the presence and position of black people within the European population since that time. She features the music of black composers in England and France from the 18th century, including Ignatius Sancho, JJO de Meude-Monpas and Joseph Boulogne, before crossing the Atlantic to the Southern States of America, to New Orleans, and the music of the “Creole Romantics”; musicians like Lucien-Léon Guillaume Lambert and Edmond Dédé. This first programme ends with Eleanor considering the impact that Dvorak’s historic visit to America made to black composers in the 1890s.



Sean Rafferty is joined by double bassist and Chineke! orchestra founder Chi-chi Nwanoku to hear about the orchestra's current projects. Today's Home Session features guitarist Sean Shibe.



Contemporary black music has always pushed at the boundaries of black church traditions. Jesse Bernard traces this history, from colonialism to austerity, from gospel to grime.




And finally, PBS America are currently repeating their fascinating 14-part series on the rich history of jazz.

Stay safe.
Annamarie

Annamarie Ewing
(BlackClassics)

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