Robert Nathaniel Dett

This entry is part 15 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

Dett is another of the composers fortunate enough to receive more recognition, so he has a lot of entries: Wikipedia AfriClassical A website devoted to Dett Entries in the Library of Congress AfroVoices BlackPast and, of course, his scores available Read More …

José Silvestre White Lafitte

This entry is part 14 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

  Lafitte is another of those well-studied composers, as least as far as his biography is concerned. Here’s a roundup of resources: Wikipedia AfriClassical BlackPast Diesis&Bemolle (in Italian) Radio Habana Cuba (in Spanish) Foreign Musicians in Paris IMSLP Nothing on Read More …

Ludovic Lamothe

This entry is part 12 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

Lamothe is more widely studied than many Black composers, and so there are entries at: Wikipedia Africlassical in French at adrienberthaud.com a magazine article at Kreole, a brief biography and an analysis (in French) of his “Danza No. 3,” an article Read More …

Henry Thacker Burleigh

This entry is part 11 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

Burleigh has, of course, a Wikipedia page, a comprehensive page at Africlassical, and there is a collection of Burleigh’s works on IMSLP. Fortunately, he has a website devoted to him: The Burleigh Society. Related posts: Available on Amazon Everyone needs Read More …

Nicholas George Julius Ballanta

This entry is part 10 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

Ballanta has a Wikipedia article. There’s a World Heritage Encyclopedia article with a reasonable reference section, a Facebook fan page which is mostly empty, and an interesting legal question about his legacy. His musical scores can be found in a Read More …

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

This entry is part 9 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

An English composer, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor has a Wikipedia entry. . We have a few (not nearly enough) recordings on Amazon: He was a prolific composer, again surmounting incredible odds, and was often referred to as “The African Mahler.” There is Read More …

How Many Black Classical Composers Can You Name?

This entry is part 7 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

In Music of the Heart. a film about violin teacher Roberta Guaspari, Naeem’s mother, Mrs. Adisa, pulls Naeem out of Guaspari’s violin class, and the following dialogue ensues: MRS. ADISA My son’s got more important things to do than learn Read More …

Naxos Releases New Recording of Music by Florence Price

This entry is part 6 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

If we listened to music other than the greatest hits of the anointed few, might we be impressed by some ignored masterpiece? For example, consider Florence Price, the first black woman to have had her music performed by a major Read More …