In addition to paying tribute to great composers throughout the year, Black History Month is a particularly appropriate time to pay tribute to Black composers whose music has played a crucial role in bringing joy to so many millions of people around the world.
Throughout the history of film scoring, the 12 men and women included on this list have been relentless in pushing the boundaries of their creativity. Some were the pioneers of new genres such as ragtime and jazz, while others were the first to gain access to the biggest stages.
A few years ago, trumpeter Terence Blanchard had the honor of becoming the first Black composer in 138 years to be presented by the Metropolitan Opera for his work, “Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” This trailblazing is the result of Blanchard’s commitment to always moving music forward, and it is a testament to the commitment of those listed below.
JOSEPH BOULOGNE, CHEVALIER DE SAINT-GEORGES (1745 – 1799)
As well as being the earliest European musician/composer of African descent to receive widespread critical acclaim, Saint-Georges was an operatic composer, a string quartetist, a concerto writer, and a musician. From 1771 to 1779, Saint-Georges composed and published a great number of operas, string quartets, concerts, and symphonies.
In a 2020 New York Times article, we are given a rationale for the “Black Mozart” moniker. The article points out how certain passages from a Boulogne violin concerto and Mozart’s K. 364 exhibit remarkable similarities.
As in Boulogne’s solo string writing, the same phrasing recurs: “a difficult sequence climbing to the highest register of the instrument, followed by a dramatic dip — a technique that had never been seen in Mozart’s work until this Presto. There are a number of Boulogne’s compositions that bear his name, including “L’Amant anonyme, Ouverture: I. Allegro presto” and “Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 3 No. 1: II. Adagio.”
FRANCIS “FRANK” JOHNSON (1792 – 1844)
A noted composer of ragtime and jazz, Johnson was also proficient on the bugle, violin, and piano. He wrote more than 200 compositions that included operatic airs, Ethiopian minstrel songs, patriotic marches, ballads, and quick steps. Johnson’s catalog features a number of his songs, including “Princeton Gallopade” and “The Grave of the Slave,” that are the first African-American songs to be published as sheet music.
HENRY THACKER BURLEIGH (1866 – 1949)
In addition to his rich baritone voice, this American classical composer and arranger earned himself a scholarship to study at the National Conservatory of Music in New York. By introducing them to spirituals and arranging them in a classical manner, he made Black music more accessible to classically trained artists. As the late 1890s approached, Burleigh began publishing his own arrangements for art songs and eventually became one of the most prominent composers in the genre.
“You Ask Me if I Love You” and “The Prayer I Make for You” are among the most well-known of his works.
SCOTT JOPLIN (1868 – 1917)
In addition to being the “King of Ragtime,” Joplin was also a pioneer of a genre that has a strong syncopation in the melody with a rhythmical accompaniment in stride piano style that is regularly accented. Over 40 ragtime songs have been written by Joplin, along with a ragtime ballet and two operas. During the 1970s, ragtime music enjoyed a revival after the Oscar-winning motion picture The Sting featured Joplin’s song, “The Entertainer.”
We present here two of his best known compositions: “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer”, which were both performed by him.
HARRY LAWRENCE FREEMAN (1869 – 1954)
One of the first African-American composers of operas was Harry Lawrence Freeman, whose works were successfully produced. He wrote Epthelia in 1891 and The Martyr in 1893, both of which were staged at the Deutsch’s Theater in Denver by his company, Freeman Opera. During the early 1900s, the Freeman family moved to Harlem, one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in New York.
Also in 1912, Scott Joplin, a ragtime composer living in the city, asked Freeman for his assistance with reimagining his three-act opera Treemonisha, which had been stalled for a period of a year. I would like to share with you the music of Freeman: “Chloe’s aria from Act II of Voodoo” and “Mando’s aria from Act I of Voodoo”.
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (1875 – 1912)
In addition to being a composer and conductor, Coleridge-Taylor was also a political activist whose musical sense was influenced by his multicultural parents, one of whom was an Englishman and the other one of whom was a Sierra Leonean. Taylor’s classical compositions were greatly influenced by African musicians, making him one of the most innovative artists of his time due to his awareness of his heritage. Among his compositions, you will find “Deep River” and “Nonet in F Minor.”
ROBERT NATHANIEL DETT (1882 – 1943)
In January 1914, 40 members of the Hampton Institute Choir, led by Robert Nathaniel Dett, performed at Carnegie Hall under the baton of Mr. Dett, showcasing his talent as a conductor. It was also on December 17, 1926, when 80 members of Hampton University’s choir performed at the Library of Congress, another milestone for the college, now known as Hampton University.
He published approximately 100 works for piano, vocals and choral ensembles, which included arrangements of some of the most famous songs that have appeared in film and television.
FLORENCE BEATRICE PRICE (1887 – 1953)
A major orchestra in the United States played Florence Beatrice Price’s music for the first time in history as the first Black woman composer. She wrote more than 300 works, including four symphonies and four concertos, which were premiered on June 15, 1933 as the result of her first-place victory in the Wanamaker Competition the previous year. It was for this reason that she wrote Symphony No.1 in E minor on June 15, 193
“The Mississippi River Suite” and “Ethiopia’s Shadow in America” are two of Price’s most memorable compositions.
WILLIAM GRANT STILL JR. (1895 – 1978)
A composer with a diverse repertoire, he composed over 200 symphonies, ballets, operas, and choral works. The artist arranged popular music for NBC Radio shows, and also for movies such as Bing Crosby’s Pennies from Heaven ( 1936) and Frank Capra’s Lost Horizon (1937) in the 1930s. Still also distinguished himself as the first African American to conduct a major American orchestra with his own music at the Hollywood Bowl in the 1930s.
The following are two examples of Still’s works that can be found on the Internet: “Afro-American Symphony no.1” and “Troubled Island.”.
EDWARD KENNEDY “DUKE” ELLINGTON (1899 – 1974)
The Smithsonian Magazine states that Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, a legendary composer of the 20th century, wrote more than 3,000 songs not only for his own band, but also for the orchestras of other bands that he led.
With songs such as “Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me,” “In a Sentimental Mood,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” Ellington on his own, and in collaboration with co-writers like Billy Strayhorn, added to the repertoire of standards.
“Following Duke Ellington’s death, trumpet legend Miles Davis told the New York Times: “There should at least be one day of the year when all musicians put down their instruments and take the time to give thanks to the man who raised them.”.
MARGARET ALLISON BONDS (1913 – 1972)
She is best known for her collaboration with novelist Langston Hughes, who wrote the novel “I, too, sing America” and “Songs of the Seasons.” Margaret Allison Bonds was an American composer, pianist, and arranger. Bonds was one of her creative inspirations, providing the soundtrack for Hughes’ work with her personal and professional relationship between the two. Their collaborations include “I, too, sing America” and “Songs of the Seasons.”
JULIA AMANDA PERRY (1924 – 1979)
This American composer infused her classical training from Westminster Choir College, Berkshire Music Center (now Tanglewood) and Juilliard with her African-American sensibilities in order to create her own unique style of music. In 1951, she was able to demonstrate her interest in Black spiritual music with her arrangements of “Free at Last” and “I’m a Poor Li’l Orphan.” In 1954, her opera, The Cask of Amontillado, was performed at Columbia University for the first time.
As well as writing a number of concertos, Perry composed a series of symphonies, two piano concertos, a violin concerto and several other types of chamber music. Her most memorable compositions include “Prelude for Piano” and “Pastoral”.
