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waRning: cOpYRighT subsisTs in all RecORdings issued undeR This label. ddd

Florence B. Price

Concerto in One Movement

Symphony in E Minor

New Black Music Repertory Ensemble

Leslie B. Dunner, conductor

Karen Walwyn, piano

Recorded Music of the

African Diaspora

vol. 3 FlorenceB.Price(1887-1953)

1 Concerto in One Movement [18:23] playedwithoutpause [0:00]Moderato|[7:40]Adagio|[15:05]Allegretto Karen walwyn, piano

Symphony in E Minor[38:24] 2 MovementI[16:40] 3 MovementII[13:08] 4 MovementIII[3:48] 5 MovementIV[4:48]

TotalTime=56:47

The Composer Florence b. price(1887–1953)wasborninLittleRock,Arkansas.Shestud-

iedmusicathomebeforerelocatingtoBostontoobtainanArtist’sDiploma

inOrganMusicandaTeacher’sDiplomainPianofromtheNewEngland

Conservatoryin1906.ShetaughtatShorterCollege(1906–1910)andheaded

themusicdepartmentatClarkUniversityinAtlanta(1910–1912).Afterreturn-

ingtoLittleRockforaperiod,shemovedin1927toChicago,whereshecontin-

uedtostudycompositionatvariousinstitutions,includingtheChicagoMusical

CollegeandtheAmericanConservatory,andtoteachpiano.Pricecomposed

throughoutherlife,producingasmanyas300compositions,includingteach-

ingpiecesandlongerworksforpiano,worksforchamberensembles,orchestra,

andband,andartsongsandspiritualarrangementsthatwereperformedby

majorartistsincludingRolandHayes,MarianAnderson,andLeontynePrice.In

the1930sandearly1940ssomeofherlongerworkswereperformedbymusic

groupssponsoredbytheWPAinIllinoisandMichigan.Pricewashighlyvisible

asateacher,performer,andorganizerinChicago’sconcertandchurchmusic

spheres.ShewasamemberoftheNationalAssociationofNegroMusiciansand

theChicagoMusicAssociation.In1940anewly-establishedChicagobranchof

NANMwasnamedtheFlorenceB.PriceMusicStudyGuildinherhonor.Florence

PricediedinChicagoin1953.

withsurprisingharmonictwists,intricateexchangesbetweenorchestralvoices,andvirtuosicpassagesinthepiano.The“Adagio”section,inDmajor,isvirtuallyapianosolowithsparseorchestralaccompaniment.ThelyricalthemeispresentedinvariouswaysasstraightforwardWesternharmonizationsintersectwithadventurouschromaticjauntsandafewjazzyconstructs.Persistent“calls”oftheoboeandthinlytexturedorchestral“responses”withpianoaccentssuggestaverse-refraintreatment.Theconcertocon-cludeswithaspiriteddanceinB-flatMajor.AsnotedbyPricescholarRaeLindaBrown,thissection,marked“Allegretto,”isinspiredbythe“Juba,”anantebellumfolkdance.Fulloffolksyflavorandsprightlysyncopations,boththepianoandtheorchestradevelopthethemeandderivedmotivesthroughvariedkeysandrhythmicelisions.Call-and-responsetexturesaboundbetweensectionsoftheorchestraandthepianoandoverlap-pingmelodicideascreateexcitingpolyrhythmicepisodes.Theseelementsgivewaytoaculminatingtuttistatementofthethemeandaboisterousfinalcadence.

AlthoughPrice’searlierworksembracenationalisttenetsconcurrentwiththeideologiesofherblackcontemporaries,hercompositionalthoughtexpandedduringherlateryearsandmovedbeyondovertreferencestovernacularculture.Thiswiderangeofinfluencescoupledwithstrongcraftsmanshiphasleftanindeliblelegacywhichishigh-lightedbyherground-breakingsymphony in e minor,whichwasthefirstprizewinnerofthe1932RodmanWanamakerMusicContestandisconsideredamongthemainconcertmusicalachievementsoftheperiod.Premieredin1933byFrederickStockandtheChicagoSymphonyOrchestraattheChicagoWorld’sFairCenturyofProgressExhibition,Price’sSymphonyinEMinor,herfirstsymphony,isthefirstworkbyablackwomantobeperformedbyamajorsymphonyorchestraintheUnitedStates.

AccordingtoRaeLindaBrown,Pricemayhavedroppedthefirstsymphony’soriginalsubtitle(“NegroSymphony”)becauseshefeltthestrongprogrammaticsuggestionswould

The MusicPrice’sconcerto in One MovementforpianowaspremieredinChicagoin1934withPriceherselfaspianist.ThepremierewasfollowedbyanotherperformanceinChicagobytheWoman’sSymphonyofChicago,withPrice’sstudentMargaretBondsassoloist.Thereisnoevidenceofthepiecebeingperformedafterthe1930sand,atpresent,therearenocopiesofthecomposer’smanuscriptoftheorchestralscore.Therefore,torevivethisdeservingwork,theCenterforBlackMusicResearchcommissionedcomposerTrevorWestontoreconstructtheconcerto’sorchestration,whichwaspremieredinChicagoonFebruary17,2011,bytheCenter’sNewBlackMusicRepertoryEnsemble,withKarenWalwynaspianist.Weston’sadaptationisasynthesisofthreesources,allinthecomposer’shand:(1)asolopianoversionwithanorchestralreduction,(2)anarrangementfortwopianos,and(3)anarrangementforthreepianos.Copiesofallthreesources,arecontainedintheCenter’sarchives.Thetwo-pianoversionwiththeorchestralreductionservedastheprimarymodelforthereconstructedinstrumentation,sincethatversionincludescopiousnotesbythecomposeraboutherinstrumentation.Itisnotknownwhetherthesenoteswerewrittenpriortoorsubsequenttotheoriginalinstrumentation.

Althoughthisconcertoisinonemovement,threedistinctsections,Moderato–Adagio–Allegretto,makethepieceanalogoustothetraditionalthree-movementconcerto.The“Moderato,”inDMinor,beginswithanintroductionthatpresentsfragmentsoftheprimarytheme,followedbyanextendedpianocadenza.Thepervadingminormodeandrhythmictreatmentsstronglysuggestvernacularinfluences,includingthespiritual,thoughnoparticularspiritualisquoted.Thethemeisdevelopedthroughoutthemovement

Shirley.MusicoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,Vol.19[Middleton,Wis.,A-REditions,Inc.,2008],271–2).Thecontrastingsectionsoftheternaryformfeatureeffectiveshiftsintimbreasmelodicideasmovefrombrasstowoodwindinstruments.Thinlytexturedtransitionscreatedramaticmomentsofanticipation.Price’smasteryofchromaticharmonymakesbriefjourneystodistantkeysappearseamless,asthechoraletreatmentpervades.

Inkeepingwiththetraditionalincorporationofdanceelementsinthethirdmove-mentsofWesternsymphonies,Priceevokesthe“JubaDance,”whichseemstobeherdanceofchoice.Thedance’srhythm,ashandledbyPrice,offersstrongreferencestofootstompingandhandclapping.Althoughutilizedbycomposerswhoprecededher,this“Juba”isthefirstsymphonictreatmentofthedance.Repletewith“oom-pah”basslinesandgesturesemblematicoffolkfiddlingandbanjoplaying,thismovementisthemostovertinitspresentationofvernacularsubjects.Themovementisarondo,characterizedbydramaticmomentsofcontrast,includingthesurprisinguseofthewindwhistle,whichhearkenstothetraditionofwhistlingassociatedwiththejubadance.

Thefourthmovement,alsoinrondoform,ispropelledbyarelentlesstripletfigureinaduplemeter.Theprincipalmelodicideaischaracterizedbyscalarascentsanddescentsthroughaminormode.Becauseoftheconsistentpulsegeneratedbythesteadytriplets,Price’streatmentoftexture,dynamics,andrhythmarevitalincreatingthedramaticshapeofthemovement.Inthecourseofvariationsontheinitialmelodicidea,Priceincorporatestuttiorchestrations,brilliantplaywiththephrasingofsmallandlargegestures,andsyncopatedstressesinchallengingchromaticunisonpassages.Thesymphonyconcludeswithanaccelerandothrougharousingcodaandculminateswithanawakeningcrash.

—HoraceJ.MaxileJr.,AssociateDirectorofResearchCenterforBlackMusicResearchatColumbiaCollegeChicago

havedetractedfromthe“perceptionofthesymphony’sscope.”(RaeLindaBrown,“WilliamGrantStill,FlorencePrice,andWilliamDawson:EchoesoftheHarlemRenaissance”inBlack Music in the Harlem Renaissance: A Collection of Essays,editedbySamuelA.FloydJr.[Knoxville,Tenn.:UniversityofTennesseePress],78).Castintothetraditionalfour-movementmodel,thissymphonypresentsasophisti-catedunionofWesternEuropeanandAfrican-Americaninfluences.Thefirstmove-mentisinsonataformanddisplaystheconventionalthematicandharmonicrela-tionshipsassociatedwiththeform.Price’schoiceofthematicmaterial,however,iswhereoneencountersthevernacularinfluence.Theprimaryandsecondarythemesarebuiltonafive-note(pentatonic)scaleandbothincorporatesyncopatedrhythms.BothtraitsarecommontoAfrican-Americanfolkmusic.Thecomposertreatsthesethemeswithcontrapuntaltechniquesandvisitsvariouskeysinthedevelopmentsection.Arathertruncatedrecapitulationsatisfiesinherentexpectationswhilealsoextendingthematicdevelopmenttotheveryend.

Referencestochurchmusic,spirituals,andtraditionalAfricanmusicresonatethroughoutthesecondmovement.Pricesetsanoriginalhymntunebyabrasschoirastheprimarythematicmaterial.Overthecourseofthemovement,thehymntuneisaccompaniedwith“specialeffects”suchasAfricandrumsand“cathedralchimes”(alsousedinthefirstmovement)which,accordingtohistorianWayneShirley,Priceincludedinherinstrumentationto“makeuseoftheCathedralChimesstopintheEchodivisionoftheRooseveltOrganinChicago’sAuditoriumTheater,thelocationofthepremiereperfor-mance”(Florence Price Symphonies Nos. 1 and 3,editedbyRaeLindaBrownandWayne

The Artistsleslie b. dunner,oneofthepremierAmericanconductorsofhisgeneration,enjoysaninternationalcareerdistinguishedbythebreadthofhisrepertoireaswellashiscriticallylaudedperformances.Hisconcertengagementshaveinvolvedmanymajornationalandinternationalorchestras,including,amongothers,theAtlanta,Chicago,andClevelandorchestrasandorchestrasinCanada,Mexico,SouthAfrica,andItaly.HehasconductedballetandoperaperformanceswithprestigiouscompaniessuchastheAmericanBalletTheatre,theNewYorkCityBalletCompany,London’sRoyalBalletatCoventGarden,andOperaEbony,andheconductedOperaAfrica’s2007productionofMziliaziKhumalo’sPrincess Magogo kaDinuzulu.Dunnerisalsoapublishedandrecordedcomposer.

ConcertandrecordingartistKaren walwynmadeherNewYorkrecitaldebutatMerkinHall,aperformancethatwasquicklyfollowedbyherdebutperformanceonNationalPublicRadio.HerrecordingsDark Fires: 20th Century Music for Piano, Vol. IandDark Fires: Walwyn and Friends, Vol. II(bothwithAlbanyRecords)havewonglow-ingreviews.SheisindemandasarecitalistacrosstheUnitedStatesandEurope,hastaughtmasterclassesinBarcelona,Tenerife(CanaryIslands),Salzburg,London,andNice,andhasappearedonmanyuniversityconcertseriesthroughouttheUnitedStates.WalwynmadehercompositionaldebutwithReflections on 9/11(AlbanyRecords),aseven-movementworkforpianosolo.SheisonthepianofacultyatHowardUniversity.

Trevor westonearnedmastersanddoctoraldegreesattheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,wherehestudiedwithRichardFelciano,AndrewImbrie,andhisprimaryteacherOllyW.Wilson.HealsostudiedwithT.J.AndersonatTuftsUniversity.UponwinningtheprestigiousGeorgeLaddPrixdeParis,helivedandcomposedinParisfortwoyearswhileauditingclassesatIRCAM.Westonhascompletednumerouscommissionsandhisworkshavebeenperformedinmajorvenues.HiscompositionBleuewasselectedin1998fortheDetroitSymphonyUnisysAfrican-Americancom-poser’sreadingprogram,andhehasreceivednumerousfellowships,includingtheGoddardLiebersonFellowshipfromtheAmericanAcademyofArtsandLetters,andresidenciesattheVirginiaCenterfortheCreativeArtsandtheMacDowellColony.HeisonthemusicfacultyatDrewUniversity.

Thenew black Music Repertory ensemble,theperformancearmoftheCenterforBlackMusicResearchatColumbiaCollegeChicago,isanensembleofapproximately70professionalmusicianswiththemissiontoperformthewidestpossiblerangeofmusicalexpressionfromtheAfricandiaspora.Themusiciansrepresentprofessionalperformancepracticeexpertisefromthepopularandvernacularrepertories(jazzandjazzprecursors,blues,R&B,gospel,soul,rock,andmanyothers),concertandartmusicrepertories(vocalandinstrumentalworksrangingfromsolostochambermusicandfullsymphonicworks),andmusicalstylesandgenresfromthroughouttheCaribbeanandLatinAmerica.

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FoundedatColumbiaCollegeChicagoin1983,thecenter for black Music Researchistheonlyorganizationofitskind.Itexiststoilluminatethesignificantrolethatblackmusicplaysinworldculturebyservingasanexusforallwhovalueblackmusic,bypromotingscholarlythoughtandknowledgeaboutblackmusic,andbyprovidingasafehavenforthematerialsandinformationthatdocumenttheblackmusicexperienceacrossAfricaandthediaspora.Visitwww.colum.edu/cbmr.

ColumbiaCollegeChicagoisanundergraduateandgraduatecollegeofmorethan12,500studentswhoseprincipalcommitmentistoprovideacomprehensiveeduca-tionalopportunityinthearts,communication,andpublicinformationwithinacontextofenlightenedliberaleducation.

ThisisthethirdrecordinginRecorded Music of the african diaspora,aseriesthatembracesthewidest-possiblerangeofmusicalstyles,genres,periods,andprov-enances,spanningpopularandvernacularmusicsinmyriadblackmusicperformancepracticestoconcertandartmusicbyblackcomposersfromaroundtheworld.Theseriesisco-producedbytheCenterforBlackMusicResearchandAlbanyRecords.

AcknowledgementsMorrisPhibbs(DeputyDirector,CBMR),ProducerHoraceMaxile(AssociateDirectorofResearch,CBMR),AssociateProducerMonicaHairstonO’Connell(ExecutiveDirector,CBMR),ExecutiveProducerEricArunas,Recording,Editing,andMasteringEngineerReneéBaker,MusicianCoordinatorChristinaHarris,StageManager

RecordedMarch21–22,2011,inWentzConcertHallandFineArtsCenter,locatedonthecampusofNorthCentralCollege,Naperville,Illinois;KyleGettelman,VenueTechnicalDirector.

CoverArt: “DancingthroughtheNight’sDesire”(2004),usedbypermissionoftheartist,EvelynPatriciaTerry.TheworkispartoftheMagic Seriesandreferencesromance,music,anddance.AmonoprintthatutilizestheChinecolléprintmakingprocess,itiscomposedofinkandsewnrecycledetchings.ToviewmoreworkintheMagic Series, pleasevisittheartist’swebsiteatevelynpatriciaterry.com.

PhotoofFlorencePrice,usedwithpermission.Picturecollection,number3062.SpecialCollections,UniversityofArkansasLibraries,Fayetteville.PhotoofLeslieB.DunnerbyPeterSchaaf.

Special ThanksTrevorWeston(AssociateProfessorofMusic,DrewUniversity),whorecreatedthefullscoreandinstrumentalpartsforConcertoinOneMovementbyFlorenceB.Price.

AbigailAllison,whoproducedthesolopianorehearsalscoreforConcertoinOneMovementbyFlorenceB.Price.

RaeLindaBrown(VicePresidentforUndergraduateEducation,LoyolaMarymountUniversity),Pricescholarandco-editorwithWayneShirleyofSymphonyinEMinorbyFlorenceB.Price.

MadelineMurphyRabb,President,MurphyRabbInc.,FineArtAdvisors,Chicago.

ThisrecordingissupportedinpartbyawardsfromtheAnnandGordonGettyFoundation,theIllinoisArtsCouncil,astateagency,andtheNationalEndowmentfortheArts,whichbelievesagreatnationdeservesgreatart.