Hear Primous Fountain, Composer & Pianist, in Second Symphony with Lugansk Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine

[Primous Fountain]

Primous Fountain is on Facebook and has a fascinating website with information on his career and the many conductors and musicians with whom he has worked, at: http://www.primousfountain.com/

Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, sends us an mp3 file of a symphonic movement by Primous Fountain, composer and piano soloist, accompanied by the Lugansk Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine. Miran Vaupotic is the conductor:

“Here is the Second Movement of the Second Symphony by Primous Fountain (b. 1949), a fantastically gifted composer, prodigious Guggenheim winner as a college freshman. This symphony was commissioned by Quincy Jones. He has had extended residencies in Mali and Europe, although his home is in Madison WI.”

Primous Fountain lists the following among his many compositions:

Symphony No. 1 - Commissioned by Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Symphony No. 2 – Commissioned by Quincy Jones

String Orchestra – Commissioned by William Forsythe and the Frankfurt Ballet

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra – Commissioned by Anthony Elliott and the Minnesota Orchestra

Ritual Dances of the Amaks – Commissioned by Fromm Music Foundation

Ritual Dances of the Amaks – Second Movement, commissioned by Michael Tilson Thomas

Concerto for Harp and Orchestra – Commissioned by Paderewski Foundation

Ricia trio – Commissioned by Dance Theatre of Harlem

David O'Rourke's Blog: William Grant Still's 'slow movement of his 2nd Symphony is breathtaking'

[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]

David O'Rourke's Blog

String Writing

String Writing in Jazz

“Bill Finegan's string charts on Ellington's music for a Sonny Stitt album also contain some great overlooked writing. William Grant Still straddled both sides of the classical/jazz fence - his slow movement of his 2nd Symphony is breathtaking.”

William Grant Still's Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American Symphony) was premiered in 1931. Michael Fleming has written the liner notes for Still's Symphony No. 2 in G Minor (Song of a New Race) (29:22). It was recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Neeme Jarvi, Conductor, on Chandos 9226 (1993). Fleming recounts: “For several years after his successful debut as a symphonist, Still continued to be regarded as primarily an arranger.” The composer provided subtitles for the four movements of the symphony: Yearnings, Sorrow, Humor and Aspiration. [William Grant Still (1895-1978) and Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974) are profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a complete Works List for William Grant Still, compiled by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma.]

NYDailyNews.com: William Grant Still's 'Second Symphony is a lush, romantic piece'

[William Grant Still (1895-1978)] ]

NYDailyNews.com

Howard Kissell

The Cultural Tourist

William Grant still

March 22, 2009

“This afternoon Leon Botstein led the American Symphony Orchestra in several pieces by William Grant Still (1895-1978), whose name is often followed by the phrase 'the Dean of African-American composers.' As is often the case words are a much easier way to honor a man than performing his music -- he appears in concert halls and on disc far less than he should. In his program notes Botstein mentions that one of Still's champions was Leopold Stokowski, who was in fact the founder of the American Symphony and who corresponded with Still about a piece that might be played at its debut in 1963.

“In the concert at Avery Fisher Hall Botstein did a wonderful job of 'framing' Still, of putting him in context. The program began with a 'Rip van Winkle Overture' by George Whitefield Chadwick, a 19th century American composer, a pleasant enough composition. He followed it with Still's 'Darker America,' which made Chadwick really sound like 'white bread.' In some ways 'Darker America' was the most interesting piece on the program -- it had an arresting, somber quality, using the brass and winds to particularly mournful effect. Written in 1924, it seemed inescapably an attempt to convey the African-American experience, which it did -- powerfully."

“The first half concluded with an evocative three-movement Still work called 'Africa.' It was composed in 1928, when American symphonic music, by white and black composers, was still searching for an American sound. Music from this period often has an impressionistic rather than a formal structure.” “Still followed his own muse. His Second Symphony, which closed the program, is a lush, romantic piece, which the ASO played beautifully.”