William Grant Still enjoyed many firsts, as an African-American composer: he was the first African-American to conduct a major American symphony
orchestra, the first to have a symphony he wrote performed by a leading orchestra, and the first to have an opera performed on
national television, and the first to have an opera performed
by a major opera company. For all of these reasons, Still is often referred to as "the dean" of
African-American composers. He was born on May 11, 1895 in Woodville, Mississippi as the son of two teachers. We’ll honor his legacy today with a selection of pieces.
William Grant Still
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Playlist:
8:11 am
- Don Giovanni, K527: Overture
- Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Ensemble: Tafelmusik
- Conductor: Bruno Weil
- CD/Album: "Mozart: Overtures - Eine kleine Nachtmusik"
- Record co./Cat #: Sony 46695
8:21 am
- Jeux d'eau
- Composer: Maurice Ravel
- Soloists: Vlado Perlemuter, piano
- CD/Album: "Vlado Perlemuter - RAVEL VOL 1"
- Record co./Cat #: Nimbus 5005
8:31 am
- Pavane , Op. 50
- Composer: Gabriel Faure
- Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
- Conductor: Charles Dutoit
- CD/Album: "Faure: Requiem, Pelleas et Melisande, Pavane"
- Record co./Cat #: London 421440
8:42 am
- Sonata da chiesa in G , Op. 1/9
- Composer: Archangelo Corelli
- Soloists: Simon Standage, violin ; Micaela Comberti, violin ; Nigel North, lute ; Trevor Pinnock, organ
- CD/Album: "Corelli: Trio Sonatas"
- Record co./Cat #: Deutsche Grammophon 419614
- Note: (aka: Trio Sonata)
8:53 am
- Pulcinella Suite: Gavotte & Variations
- Composer: Igor Stravinsky
- Ensemble: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor: Yoel Levi
- CD/Album: "The Telarc Connection - Volume 8 - The Artistry of Yoel Levi"
- Record co./Cat #: Telarc 89108
9:02 am
- Four Seasons in Buenos Aires: Primavera Porteno
- Composer: Astor Piazzolla
- Soloists: Goran Sollscher, guitar
- CD/Album: "Piazzolla for Two - Tangos for Flute & Guitar"
- Record co./Cat #: Deutsche Grammophon 449185
9:09 am
- Concerto in Eb for 2 Horns & Orchestra
- Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn
- Arranger: (arr. by Edmond Leloir)
- Ensemble: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
- Soloists: Hermann Baumann & Timothy Brown, horns
- Conductor: Iona Brown
- CD/Album: "Horn Concertos"
- Record co./Cat #: Philips 422346
9:30 am
- Swanee River (Old Folks at Home)
- Composer: William Grant Still
- Ensemble: VocalEssence Chamber Singers
- Conductor: Phillip Brunelle
- CD/Album: "Witness - Skyward My People Rose"
- Record co./Cat #: Clarion 905
9:33 am
- Miniatures
- Composer: William Grant Still
- Soloists: Peter Christ, oboe ; Gretel Shanley, flute ; Sharon Davis, piano
- CD/Album: "Oboist Peter Christ"
- Record co./Cat #: Crystal 321
9:48 am
- Slavonic Rhapsody #3
- Composer: Antonin Dvorak
- Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor: Rafael Kubelik
- CD/Album: "Great Conductors of the 20th Century - Rafael Kubelik"
- Record co./Cat #: EMI 62863
- Note: (recorded January 24, 1959 at Kingsway Hall, London)