AfriClassical: Ideastream.org: Uncovered, Vol. 1: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor—Catalyst Quartet; Stewart Goodyear, piano; Anthony McGill, clarinet (Azica 71336)

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Ideastream.org: Uncovered, Vol. 1: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor—Catalyst Quartet; Stewart Goodyear, piano; Anthony McGill, clarinet (Azica 71336)

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)

Recording of the Week

Bravo to the Catalyst Quartet and Cleveland’s Azica Records for embarking on Uncovered, a series whose future releases will include music by Florence Price, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still, and George Walker. Volume One features the works of English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor including his Piano Quintet in G Minor with pianist Stewart Goodyear, Fantasiestück (a set of five Fantasy Pieces for strings), and the Clarinet Quintet in F-Sharp Minor with clarinetist Anthony McGill. Here’s a timely quote from Catalyst: “Over the course of time there have been many overlooked artists in classical music, especially because of their race or gender. It is important to acknowledge that we have not yet heard the whole story due to this sidelining of musical voices. Composers like Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Florence Price, and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson have contributed beautifully crafted work to the repertoire but are not widely celebrated because quality recordings and performances of their music are rare or nonexistent. With our next recording project we are helping to change this unfortunate reality.”