Why do black composers remain on the outskirts of classical music? Along with broader societal prejudices, there are also factors exclusive to the classical world. Past musicians like James P. Johnson and Duke Ellington, who wrote symphonic works alongside playing stride piano and leading a big band, are typically confined to the jazz canon. Black composers have been criticized in both African-American and white intellectual circles for refusing to embrace mainstream commercial trends. The influence of African-Americans on the orchestral tradition is represented more often by Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” than William Grant Still’s “Afro-American” Symphony. And African-American music is often relegated to special events outside the main classical season, like Black History Month concerts or Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 16:53:08 +0000
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