First National Congress on Women in Music recordings, March 26-29, 1981
Description
5 streaming audio files (157:59) : digital, mono.
Summary
This recording contains four paper presentations, two short art song recitals and a panel discussion of "Black women in American music". During his introductions in part 1, moderator Raoul Abdul (New York Amsterdam News music critic, author, concert singer and faculty member of the Harlem School of the Arts) talked about all the Black women in music that had inspired him in his musical journey from Ohio (Dr. Zelma Watson George, Dr. Frances Cole, Leota Palmer and Natalie Hinderas (Ms. Palmer's daughter)), and the ones that inspire him now (Edith Oliver (saxophonist) ; Lucille Dixon (double bassist/general manager of Symphony of the New World) ; Ann Hobson [Pilot] (principal harpist, Boston Symphony) ; Doriot Anthony Dwyer (first female principal flutist, Boston Symphony) ; Zela Terry (cellist, New York Philharmonic) ; Patricia Prattis Jennings (pianist, Pittsburgh Symphony) ; Sarah Caldwell (opera director) ; Dolores Ardoyno (Opera/South general manager) ; Clarissa Cumbo (founder of Triad Presentations Inc.) ; Nora Douglas Holt and Perdita Duncan (music critics, Amsterdam News) ; Dorothy Maynor (founder of Harlem School of the Arts) and Betty Allen (executive director, Harlem School of the Arts). Jacqueline Thompson (Kansas City Conservatory of Music) talks about Black women composers/performers in her paper: Margaret Bonds, Dorothy Rudd Moore, Undine Smith Moore, Julia Perry, Zenobia Perry, Florence B. Price, Mary Lou Williams and Shirley Graham McCanns (also known as Shirley Graham Du Bois). Professor Eileen Southern (Harvard University) talks about these Black Prima Donnas: Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, Nellie Brown Mitchell, Marie Selika Williams, Anna Madah Hyers and Emma Louise Hyers (sisters), Flora Batson Bergen and Matilda Sisseretta Jones. Dr. Barbara Garvey Jackson talks about the working relationship as educator and student between composers Florence B. Price and Margaret Bonds. Dr. Ora Williams presents her paper about these Black American women composers: Camille Nickerson, Azalia Hackley, Lillian Evanti, Florence B. Price, and Dorothy Rudd Moore; she performs various songs by these composers along with her sisters Thelma Williams, Barbara Williams and Dottie Stallworth inadvertently during the presentations. The session resumes with a panel discussion featuring commentary by composer Zenobia Powell Perry, her daughter Janis Peri (vocalist), and composers Undine Smith Moore and Jeraldine Herbison.
Alternative title
Lizette.
Dear, I love you so.
Sleep, my dear.
First National Congress on Women in Music recordings.
[Part 1]: [Introductions ; His personal relations with Black women musicians/educators that have inspired him (23:58)] (Raoul Abdul, moderator) -- Session 4 papers: "Composers who are Black American women" / Jacqueline Thompson.
[Part 2]: [Introductions and remarks] (Dr. Ora Williams) -- Art song recital (part 1): "Lizette" = Lizette, ma chêre amie ; "Dear, I love you so" = Chère mo lemmé toi / arranged by Camille Nickerson (Dr. Ora Williams, vocals ; Thelma Williams, piano) ; "Guide me, Jesus" / Thelma Williams (Dr. Ora Williams, vocals ; Barbara Williams, cello ; Thelma Williams, piano) -- Session 4 papers: "Black Prima Donnas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries" / Eileen Southern [ends abruptly]
[Part 3]: [Excerpt, end of] "Black Prima Donnas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries" / Eileen Southern -- [Brief introduction] (Raoul Abdul, moderator) -- "A Black woman composer and her student: Florence Price and Margaret Bonds" ; [Pre-recorded music excerpts] Symphony in E minor: themes from 1st-2nd and slow movements / Florence Price (University of Arkansas Orchestra?)] ; [with brief biographies of Harriet Gibbs Marshall (pianist) and William Grant Still (African American Symphony)] / Dr. Barbara Garvey Jackson (Professor of Music, University of Arkansas)
[Part 4]: [Introductions ; Commentary] (Raoul Abdul, moderator) -- [Excerpt] "An analysis of American Black women's art songs" (also known as "The art songs of American Black women") / Dr. Ora Williams (Professor of English, California State University at Long Beach) ; Art song recital (part 2): "Carola: a serenade" ("Sleep my dear...") / Azalia Hackley (Dr. Ora Williams, vocals ; Thelma Williams, piano) ; Poem: "I, too, [sing America]" / Langston Hughes (Dr. Ora Williams) ; [Excerpt] Lillian Evanti's "Speak to him, thou" (lyrics only) (words originally from the poem "Higher pantheism" / Alfred Lloyd Tennyson) (Dr. Ora Williams) ; Dedication (piano part only) / Lillian Evanti (Thelma Willams, piano) ; "Night" / Florence B. Price (Louise C. Wallace, lyricist) (Dr. Ora Williams, vocals ; Thelma Williams, piano) [slightly erratic] ; "My soul's been anchored in de Lord" / Florence B. Price (piano part only; Thelma Williams, piano) ; [Background information of Dorothy Rudd Moore's song cycles "From the dark tower" and "Sonnets on love, rosebuds and death"] ; Poem: "I had no thought of violets" / Alice Dunbar Nelson (Dr. Ora Williams) ; [Excerpt] "I had no thoughts of violets" (piano introduction only; from the song cycle "Sonnets on love, rosebuds and death") / Dorothy Rudd Moore (Thelma Williams, piano) [ends abruptly]
[Part 5]: [Excerpt, to end] Paper: "An analysis of American Black women's art songs" / Dr. Ora Williams -- "Bend willow" ["Willow bend and weep"] (from the song cycle "From the dark tower") / Dorothy Rudd Moore (Janis Peri, vocals ; Dottie Stallworth, piano) -- Panel discussion [ends at 15:00]: [Introductions] (Raoul Abdul, moderator ; with Zenobia Smith Moore, Jeraldine Herbison and Undine Smith Moore, and featuring Dr. Merle Montgomery and Janis Peri, commentators) -- [Excerpt] [Two unidentified revolution songs; one rock and one acoustic] [Unidentified performers]
Call number
*LTC-A 1367
Note
Former classmark on original cassette: *LTC 103 (F)
Title from original cassette label; additional information from catalog (cassette tapes, schedule of meetings and concerts, and newspaper clippings ([16], 46, [21] p.); Available on request.
Access (note)
Access via streaming audio restricted to onsite at New York Public Library secure reading rooms.
Language (note)
Spoken and sung in English; some songs originally in Louisiana French Creole (1st-2nd works only)
Linking entry (note)
Forms part of: First National Congress on Women in Music recordings.
Conference
National Congress on Women in Music (1st : 1981 : New York, N. Y.)
Title
Black women in American music : paper presentations and short art song recital (parts 1-2).
Production
1981.
Playing time
004053 003755 003020 002815 002036
Type of content
spoken word
Type of medium
audio
Type of carrier
audiocassette
Performer
Jacqueline Thompson, Eileen Southern and Dr. Barbara Garvey Jackson, lecturers and commentary ; Dr. Ora Williams, vocals, lecturer and additional commentary ; Janis Perry, vocals and commentary ; Thelma Williams, piano ; Dottie Stallworth, piano ; Barbara Williams, cello ; Zenobia Powell Perry, Jeraldine Herbison and Undine Smith Moore, commentators ; Raoul Abdul, moderator.
Event
Recorded New York University, New York, N. Y. 1981 March 27.
Access
Access via streaming audio restricted to onsite at New York Public Library secure reading rooms.