William Grant Still - Symphony No.2 (Song of a New Race) /William Levi Dawson - Negro Folk Symphony

William Grant Still

Symphony No. 2 in G minor, "Song of a New Race"

William Levi Dawson

 Negro Folk Symphony         

Edward "Duke" Ellington

Harlem

Detroit Symphon Orchestra

Neeme Jarvi

Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony had an early advocate in the person of Leopold Stokowski, who actually recorded it. It's a lively and colorful work, but the real find is the Second Symphony by Still. It's a thousand pities that no one has done the complete cycle (there are five of them), for he was a wonderful composer. If Gershwin had been a symphonist, this is what his music might have sounded like. There's the same "jazz fusion," but also a true elegance of utterance that places Still at the forefront of American composers of his era. Järvi and the Detroit Symphony do the music proud, and Ellington's classic, arranged for full symphony orchestra, sounds great. --David Hurwitz

This is part of Chandos's mostly successful American Music series, this time highlighting the music of three African-American composers. Still (1895-1978) is probably the most famous serious African-American composer of his era, with Ellington probably being the most famous popular composer of that time. Still's Symphony No. 2 (Song of a New Race) was written in 1937. It contains traditional Negro folk melodies, though without the blues element found in Ellington. It's more rural than urban. Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony (1934) has many of the same elements as the Still work. Ellington's Harlem (1950) is a bluesy, upbeat masterpiece--here performed quite well. --Paul Cook

William Grant Still

1. Symphony No. 2 in G minor, "Song of a New Race": I. Slowly           

2. Symphony No. 2 in G minor, "Song of a New Race": II. Slowly and deeply expressive    3. Symphony No. 2 in G minor, "Song of a New Race": III. Moderately fast      

4. Symphony No. 2 in G minor, "Song of a New Race": IV. Moderately slow  

William Levi Dawson

5. Negro Folk Symphony: I. The Bond of Africa  

6. Negro Folk Symphony: II. Hope in the Night       

7. Negro Folk Symphony: III. O, le' me shine, shine like a Morning Star!          

Edward "Duke" Ellington

8. Harlem