WRTI: Classical Album of the Week: Pianist Lara Downes Plays Music To Lift Us Up In Troubled Times

Some of These Days: Lara Downes & Friends

Lara Downes met with WRTI's Susan Lewis on Zoom to chat about the pianist's new release, SOME OF THESE DAYS.

WRTI

By Susan Lewis

May 18, 2020

As Memorial Day approaches, we think of the service and sacrifice of so many to protect our country and keep us safe. Our classical album of the week, Some of These Days, is a recent release by pianist Lara Downes featuring American music about perseverence, hope, and caring for one another in troubled times.

The album title comes from a short piece by  African-American composer, pianist and music teacher Florence Price (1887-1983), whose music Lara discovered in a library over a dozen years ago.  Initially thinking she would do an album on Price and her blending of the African-American and European musical traditions,  Lara began to realize the pervasive influence of the spiritual, "and what that has meant to all of us as Americans."

The piece, "Some of These Days" is based on the spiritual, "Welcome Table," which has a line: "All God's children gonna sit together some of these days." 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDm9kCztlcJfM&v=m9kCztlcJfM&feature=emb_rel_end (2:26)

Lara talked with WRTI's Susan Lewis on Zoom about what inspired her to create this album, and how it resonates today. 

https://www.wrti.org/post/classical-album-week-pianist-lara-downes-plays-music-lift-us-troubled-times