Page 79 - GTMF 2024 Season Program

July 12 & 13
PROGRAM NOTES

William Grant Still

Darker America

AT A GLANCE

Born: 1895
Died: 1978
Date of Composition: 1924
Instrumentation: Darker America
is scored for 2 flutes, oboe,
English horn, 2 clarinets,
2 bassoons, horn, trumpet,
trombone, percussion, piano
and strings.

William Grant Still pursued a
long and multivarious career
that saw him active in an almost
overwhelming variety of musical
activities. He studied with Edgard
Varèse and George Whitefield
Chadwick. He was the first Black
composer to have a symphony
performed by a major orchestra
and the first Black musician to
conduct a major orchestra. He
played the oboe in theater
orchestras for Eubie Blake, Sophie William Grant Still — Britannica
Tucker, Artie Shaw and Paul
Whiteman. He arranged music for
NBC radio shows. He wrote nine
operas. He arranged music for Composer’s Guild Concert work opens rather gloomily, with
film composers, including Dimitri conducted by Eugene Goossens. an angular “American Negro”
Tiomkin for Frank Capra’s Lost “It was my first effort in a larger theme that’s given an extra bluesy
Horizon. He was on the musical musical form, and of course I spin by Still’s prominent use of
staff for the TV show Perry dedicated it to Mr. Varèse,” Still the piano. Two more primary
Mason. And he wrote prolifically recalled. It was not until a later themes—“Sorrow” and “Hope”
for the concert hall—so much so, performance that Still provided respectively—follow. A more
in fact, that much of his output a descriptive program for the optimistic mood eventually arises,
awaits broader discovery. piece. “Darker America, as its title leading into “the triumph of the
suggests, is representative of the people near the end, at which
Still composed his first large work
for orchestra in 1924, shortly after American Negro,” he wrote. “His point the three principal themes
his studies with Varèse. Darker serious side is presented and is are combined.” However, the
America received its premiere in intended to suggest the triumph melancholic mood of the opening
New York’s Aeolian Hall in 1926 of a people over their sorrows returns, and Darker America
as part of an International through fervent prayer.” The ends softly.

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