Darker America is a 1924 symphonic poem by American composerWilliam Grant Still.[1] The composition, exploring themes of sorrow, hope, and prayer, is a work derived from Still's studies with the modernist composer Edgard Varèse. In the work, Still uses "melodic types found in African American music such as the descending melodic curve, the pentatonic scale of the spirituals, and the 'blues scales' of the blues. The primary harmonies used were the tonic, subdominant, and dominant harmony of the spirituals."[2] The work was first performed by Eugene Goossens on November 22, 1926 at the Aeolian Hall in New York City, New York and is about twelve minutes long.[3]
A description of the symphonic tone poem is as follows:
Darker America, as its title suggests, is representative of the American Negro. His serious side is presented and is intended to suggest the triumph of a people over their sorrows through fervent prayer. At the beginning the theme of the American Negro is announced by the strings in unison. Following a short development of this, the English horn announces the sorrow theme which is followed immediately by the theme of hope, given to muted brass accompanied by strings and woodwind. The sorrow theme returns treated differently, indicative of more intense sorrow as contrasted to passive sorrow indicated at the initial appearance of the theme. Again hope appears and the people seem about to rise above their troubles. But sorrow triumphs. Then the prayer is heard (given to oboe); the prayer of numbed rather than anguished souls. Strongly contrasted moods follow, leading up to the triumph of the people near the end, at which point the three principal themes are combined.[4]
darker, america, still, darker, america, 1924, symphonic, poem, american, composer, william, grant, still, composition, exploring, themes, sorrow, hope, prayer, work, derived, from, still, studies, with, modernist, composer, edgard, varèse, work, still, uses, . Darker America is a 1924 symphonic poem by American composer William Grant Still 1 The composition exploring themes of sorrow hope and prayer is a work derived from Still s studies with the modernist composer Edgard Varese In the work Still uses melodic types found in African American music such as the descending melodic curve the pentatonic scale of the spirituals and the blues scales of the blues The primary harmonies used were the tonic subdominant and dominant harmony of the spirituals 2 The work was first performed by Eugene Goossens on November 22 1926 at the Aeolian Hall in New York City New York and is about twelve minutes long 3 William Grant Still in 1949 photographed by Carl Van Vechten Contents 1 Overview 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksOverview EditA description of the symphonic tone poem is as follows Darker America as its title suggests is representative of the American Negro His serious side is presented and is intended to suggest the triumph of a people over their sorrows through fervent prayer At the beginning the theme of the American Negro is announced by the strings in unison Following a short development of this the English horn announces the sorrow theme which is followed immediately by the theme of hope given to muted brass accompanied by strings and woodwind The sorrow theme returns treated differently indicative of more intense sorrow as contrasted to passive sorrow indicated at the initial appearance of the theme Again hope appears and the people seem about to rise above their troubles But sorrow triumphs Then the prayer is heard given to oboe the prayer of numbed rather than anguished souls Strongly contrasted moods follow leading up to the triumph of the people near the end at which point the three principal themes are combined 4 William Grant Still University of California PressSee also EditList of jazz influenced classical compositions List of symphonic poemsReferences Edit Soll Beverly 2005 I Dream a World The Operas of William Grant Still University of Arkansas Press ISBN 978 1 55728 789 2 Smith Catherine Parson 2000 William Grant Still A Study in Contradictions Berkeley California University of California Press p 49 Staff 2021 Darker America Red Lands Symphony Retrieved January 31 2021 Smith Catherine Parson 2000 William Grant Still A Study in Contradictions Berkeley California University of California Press p 275 Further reading EditStill Judith Anne 1990 William Grant Still A Voice High Sounding 1 ed Flagstaff Arizona The Master Player Library ISBN 1 877873 15 2 External links EditDarker America 1924 on YouTube complete 12 24 Portal nbsp Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Darker America Still amp oldid 1111200616, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
