Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Years Lived: 1875-1912
Period: Romantic
Country: England
Coleridge-Taylor quickly became popular for his unique style. He was heavily influenced by traditional
African music, which was very different from what other people were
writing at the time.
In 1904, while touring in America, Colerige-Taylor was hosted at the
White House by Theodore Roosevelt. His music was popular with the
African American population in America and he was well received on all three of his US tours—in 1904, 1906, and
1910.
Coleridge-Taylor's compositions include his cantata
Hiawatha's Wedding Feast, probably his most famous work, which is
said to have rivaled Handel's Messiah and Mendelssohn's
Elijah at the time. For a few decades it was one of the
most popular pieces of music in England!
In fact, from 1924 to 1939 Coleridge-Taylor's trilogy
Song of Hiawatha—which included Hiawatha's Wedding Feast,
The Death of Minnehaha, and Hiawatha's Departure—was performed for
two weeks, annually, with scenery, costumes and dancing in the Royal
Albert Hall. Coleridge-Taylor also wrote choral works, incidental
music, and a violin concerto.
This article from The Londonist
includes pictures and more information about Coleridge-Taylor and
this Classic FM article
includes information as well as YouTube videos of some of his
music. The Parker Symphony Orchestra includes
these eight facts about the composer
on their website.
To hear additional
clips of Coleridge-Taylor's music, click on the speaker icons on this Wise Music Classical page.
Florence Price
Years Lived: 1887-1953
Period: Romantic
Country: America
After graduating from NEC, Price returned to Arkansas where she taught at
several colleges before focusing on her composing. She moved from
the South to Chicago, where she wrote a lot of her compositions. She worked
as an organist for silent film screenings and composed songs for radio ads
under pen name Vee Jay.
In 1933, the Chicago Symphony premiered her Symphony No. 1 in E minor making Price the first African American composer
to have a composition performed by a major orchestra. Other notable compositions include 4
symphonies, two piano concertos, two violin concertos, and many vocal
songs.
More pictures and facts about Price can be found
on this website about her and read or listen to
these four NPR articles
for even more information.
Hear Price's Adoration performed by Cleveland Orchestra musicians in
this YouTube video
and her
Violin Concerto No. 2 performed by Kelly Hall-Tomkins
and the Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra in this YouTube video.
William Grant Still
Years Lived: 1895-1978
Period: Modern
Country: America
William Grant Still's composition style is directly influenced by jazz, as
heard in what is widely considered his most famous work, Afro-American
Symphony (Symphony No.1 in A flat major). This piece follows the traditional
European form of a classical symphony, but uses jazz, blues, and African
American characteristics to make it a truly unique piece. It was one of the
most widely performed pieces by an American composer for quite some
time.
William Grant Still also wrote eight operas, five symphonies, ballets,
chamber music, art songs, and solo works for various
instruments.
Classics for Kids includes this information
about him and also
these interview excerpts with his daughter, who dedicates herself to getting her father's music recorded and
performed. They also have
several short podcasts,
including this one about him with clips of his music
and
this one specifically about his Afro-American Symphony.
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids website includes
further information and clips of his Symphony No. 1
(Afro-American).
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