Joshua Russell: “I will perform the Haitian concerto, 'Fantaisie Tropicale' by Justin Elie twice next weekend"

[Justin Elie, Cover photo of sheet music for Nostalgie]

On Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 AfriClassical posted: “Dubuque Telegraph Herald says Justin Elie's 'Tropical Fantasy' has been 'Unheard for 80 years.'” We have asked pianist Joshua Russell for more information on his performance of Justin Elie's long-neglected work for piano and orchestra Fantaisie Tropicale (Tropical Fantasy). The Justin Elie (1883-1931) page at AfriClassical.com includes a Works list by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, and also quotes biographer Michael Largey:

"Unfortunately, the work that might have secured Elie's name in the memories of concert-going audiences in the United States was never published. His Fantaisie Tropicale (1930) is a single-movement work for piano that was first performed on 13 July 1930 by Bolivian pianist Lolita Cabrera in a concert sponsored by the General Electric Company..."

The pianist Joshua Russell has graciously replied to our request for information:

“Hi Bill,

Great to hear from you! I was just going to get an email out to you this weekend. I will perform the Haitian concerto, "Fantaisie Tropicale" by Justin Elie twice next weekend with the Dubuque Symphony. I am also playing the Gottschalk "Grande Tarantella for Piano and Orchestra." The concerts are Saturday, Nov. 19, and Sunday Nov., 20. For info. about the concert, you can visit the Dubuque Symphony home page: http://www.dubuquesymphony.org/ds/

I will keep you posted with more info. about this.

Thank you!

Joshua Russell

Dr. Joshua Russell

Concert Pianist

Website: www.joshuarussellpianist.com

Pianist Joshua Russell has made a brief YouTube video (1:25) in which he discusses the history of Justin Elie's Fantaisie Tropicale, and speaks of the “exciting revival” of a “wonderful work.” The video can be reached from the Dubuque Symphony website or from this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NnwEJd8xuMc#!

Here are some other excerpts from www.DubuqueSymphony.org/ds/:

Dubuque Symphony Orchestra

Classics 2

William Intriligator, conductor

Dates

November 19, 2011 7:30pm

November 20, 2011 2:00pm

Five Flags Theater

Program

Coleridge-Taylor: The Bamboula: Rhapsodic Dance

Gottschalk: Grande Tarantelle

Joshua Russell, piano

Elie: Tropical Fantasy

Joshua Russell, piano

Dvorák: Symphony No. 7

Márquez: Danzon No. 2

The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra takes you on a musical journey around the world. The program begins with a "rhapsodic dance" inspired by Coleridge-Taylor's African heritage. Pianist Joshua Russell then takes the stage for two selections: Grande Tarantelle, a brief and explosive showcase for piano, and Tropical Fantasy, a single-movement work by Haitian composer Justin Elie. Tropical Fantasy was performed only once before in 1930. Russell, who assembled the score and parts for the piece after receiving the music from the composer's widow, describes it as "Gershwin meets Latin-America and the Caribbean." Also on the program is Dvorak's Seventh Symphony and Mexican composer Marquez's Danzon No. 2.

Dubuque Telegraph Herald says Justin Elie's 'Tropical Fantasy' has been 'Unheard for 80 years'

[Justin Elie, Cover photo of sheet music for Nostalgie]

"Pianist's love of Haitian classical music comes to the forefront with the concerto, 'Tropical Fantasy"™

Sandye Voight is a staff writer for www.thonline.com, the Internet presence of The Dubuque Telegraph Herald, which has kindly granted our request for access to excerpts from this story. The article is highly relevant to the mission of AfriClassical.com, where the Haitian composer Justin Elie is featured and his Works are compiled by our principal advisor, Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com.

Publication Date: November 11, 2011 Page: 13 Section: C Zone: All

“When Joshua Russell, principal pianist for the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, performs 'Tropical Fantasy,' by Haitian composer Justin Elie, it will be the second time the piano concerto has been performed since 1930. It is one of two pieces he will perform with the Dubuque Symphony Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 19-20. Russell became fascinated with Haitian classical music after spending several summers teaching at Holy Trinity School of Music summer camp in Port-au-Prince. The music school was founded by an Episcopalian nun in order to provide musicians for a Haitian orchestra.

"'I fell in love with the country and the people,' Russell said, in a phone interview from his home in Peoria, Ill. He is instructional assistant professor of piano at Illinois State University, Normal, and also teaches at Bradley University in Peoria. 'There is an amazing spirit and hope in the people, especially the children,' he said. He also was struck by the beauty of Haitian music. 'Not just the indigenous music, but there's a rich classical art music tradition,' he said. 'It's not as widespread, but the few (composers) that are there have beautiful works.'

“Among them is Elie, the composer of 'Tropical Fantasy.' He was born in 1883, left Haiti and had a career in New York as a prominent composer for orchestra. NBC commissioned 'Lure of the Tropics' for a radio show. It premiered in 1930. Unfortunately, Elie died young of cerebral hemorrhage and the work was never published.” "'It's a beautiful work, with gorgeous melodies that are like Latin dance and Haitian folk music," he said. "It's like a Haitian 'Rhapsody in Blue,' a single movement concerto and a fusion of classic styles with folk elements and rhythms."

Portland Press Hearald: 'For a small nation, Haiti heavy on classical composers'

[Occide Jeanty and the score from "1804", Marche Militaire, on a 1960 Haitian stamp.]

An interview with Christopher Hyde five years ago resulted in a column about AfriClassical.com on Jan. 23, 2005. We appreciate Christopher's use of the website to illustrate the classical music heritage of Haiti in his column today. The titles of two recordings he mentions are linked to the websites at which they are available.
Portland Press Herald - Maine Sunday Telegram
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com
CLASSICAL BEAT
For a small nation, Haiti heavy on classical composers
Christopher Hyde
January 24, 2010
"For a small nation, which gained its independence from France in 1804 after a long and bloody slave revolt, Haiti has produced more than its share of classical composers. One estimate in "Vodou Nation: Haitian Art Music and Cultural Nationalism" (Michael Largey, University of Chicago Press, 2006) is as high as 60." "The most prominent of Haitian composers – Solon Verret, Justin Elie, Occide Jeanty and Ludovic Lamothe – wrote primarily instrumental music, usually for the piano, and marches and other works for public occasions. The most famous of the latter is Jeanty's '1804' commemorating Haiti's independence. He was prohibited from conducting it during the U.S. occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934."

"Lamothe, the best known of the Haitian composers, incorporated both Vodou religious music and meringue in his work, hoping that the African ancestry of both would fuse into a national musical style. He was hindered in this effort by the disdain of the Haitian upper classes for 'peasant' music and religion, although he was able to combine the two under the flag of nationalism, as in 'Nibo, Meringue de Carnaval,' of 1934, which was widely played to celebrate the end of American occupation.

"Lamothe's works have been recorded in 'A Vision of Ludovic Lamothe' (IFA Music Records, 2001) by pianist Charles P. Phillips. An overview is provided by guitarist Jean E. Saint-Eloi in 'Music of the Haitian Masters' (IFA Music Records 256, 1999). Elie was the most widely traveled and published of the Haitian pianist-composers and eventually made his home in the United States. His nationalism took the form of support for the Native American cause, something that Haiti had offered since its inception. A sidelight to Elie's successful career was his writing of music to accompany the 1925 silent film 'Phantom of the Opera.' I wonder if Andrew Lloyd Webber ever heard it. I am indebted for most of the information in this column to William J. Zick's formidable Web site, AfriClassical.com..."

Justin Elie, Haitian Composer, Born Sept. 1, 1883

According to a column by W.E.B. Du Bois in the January, 1916 issue of Crisis, the magazine of the N. A. A. C. P., the Haitian composer Justin Elie was born at Port-au-Prince on September 1, 1883. The column, as reproduced in Africana Encyclopedia, went on to say:

"At the age of five years he showed a passion for music. His parents took him to France and put him in the celebrated institution of Sainte Croix. He was prepared for the Conservatory of Paris by the great pianist, Marmontel, and passed a brilliant entrance examination in 1903.
…
He graduated in 1905 and has since been in concert work in Paris and in the West Indies. He has written several compositions, notable among them is Aphrodite. Monsieur Elie is expected in the United States soon."

Three short pieces by Justin Elie were recorded by Jean E. Saint-Eloi on a MIDI-guitar on IFA Music Records 256 (1999): Chant De La Montagne #1, Isma-o! (1:55); Chant De La Montagne #2, Nostalgie (2:17); and Legende Creole (4:10). The CD may be ordered, and an audio sample of Chant De La Montagne #1, Isma-o! may be heard, at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/sainteloi

The liner notes are by the guitarist, Jean E. Saint-Eloi, and begin with an overview of Haitian classical music. Other Haitian composers represented on the CD are Occide Jeanty (1860-1936), Solon Verret and Ludovic Lamothe (1882-1953). Each is profiled at AfriClassical.com Saint-Eloi estimates that Haiti has produced about 60 classical composers.