A Legacy Of The African American Classical Spirit
Albany, 2024
9/10
Listen to A Legacy Of The African American Classical Spirit
The composer/conductor Julius P. Williams guides the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra through these pieces by black composers, where Petr Zdvihal and Daniel Washington are also in attendance.
“Song Cycle for Baritone & Orchestra” starts the listen with a Julius P. Williams piece, which showcases Washington’s soaring baritone complements the rich strings, and William Grant Still’s “Plain Chant for America” follows with much care, as the booming percussion illuminates the textured presence.
Williams’ “Fantasy in G for Violin & Chamber Orchestra” arrives in the middle, and allows Petr Zdvihal’s intimate violin that suits the dreamy and poetic landscape, while Edmund Thornton Jenkins’ “Rhapsodic Overture” flows with a cinematic quality that’s light and airy, but can also build into fuller moments of percussive intrigue.
At the end, “Still With Thee”, by Augustus O. Hill, has Washington’s expressive pipes aligning with the moving musicianship that tugs on the heartstrings.
Williams has had his work interpreted by the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Detroit Symphony, and this timeless and rich body of work is another important part of his discography.
Travels well with: Rochelle Sennet- Bach To Black: Suites For Piano, Volume III; Patrick Yim- New Waves