"Africa" Symphonic Poem - William Grant Still

[@jeffscott7832]

Sergio, thank you for sharing this and all of your postings of Still. For many this will be an introduction to some American symphonic music that has never graced their concert stages. Still's symphonies, operas, ballets, song cycles and chamber works, of which there are more than 150, are jewels and tell a huge part of the American story. This is what Dvorak meant when he said "The future of this country must be founded upon what are called the Negro melodies. This must be the real foundation of any serious and original school of composition to be developed in the United States." Thank you also John Jeter and the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra for championing this glorious music.

[@marcsmith3653]

Gorgeous orchestration. Brilliant piece.

[@newwayofthinking...2301]

One of the GREATEST COMPOSERS PERIOD!!!

[@teresaprete4639]

Hauntingly beautiful

[@Minabezerai]

That ending! Oh man, I've never felt such turmoil as an African. I can't get this image out of my head; on the one hand, an African man is navigating the travails of his life in some village on the west African coast, wondering what the shaman was prophesying. On the other, he climbs atop a hill before the sea, to see the oncoming vessels that would change the fate of his people forever.

[@lamsmenon2073]

Did you come up with that interpretation? Or is it from a source Still used?

[@Minabezerai]

@@lamsmenon2073 No its just an image that I had in my head. But it is sort of based on the description that Sergio Canovas gave in the box above. Dr Still is black. He is not African nor has he been to Africa, but this is the Africa of his imagination, as his ancestral land that he fantasised about I suppose in the same way a white American might fantasise about Europe and it's famous romantic cities. It doesn't really have anything particularly African sound that I can discern as an African myself who's lived in several countries and listens to the music of the whole continent, past and present. But considering that Dr Still is a black American who descended from those who were taken from the west coast of Africa, I feel a certain sense of fatalism when I listen to the ending: as if Still is lamenting the future that awaits the Africans who first saw the European ships. That ending leaves me wondering what he meant because he is no doubt a product of the slave trade and that brutal history, and this whole fantasy about his ancestral land seems to end on a dark and ominous note that seems to be aware of that destiny.

[@lamsmenon2073]

@@Minabezerai Your interpretation is really good and it fits with Still's description of the last movement, one of superstition and anxiety (the shaman could have predicted disaster in the future). The image you paint is amazing and fits with the ending. You should publish this analysis somewhere!

[@Minabezerai]

@@lamsmenon2073 thanks friend! You're very kind!

[@klop4228]

This is pretty great. My favourite of his so far!

[@erlandschneck-holze6931]

... außerordentlich anrührende Werke des afro-amerikanischen Meisters; in allen Aufnahmen glänzend interpretiert; Dank für die Postings...

[@jackiehard-bopladybrown6919]

du bist einer der ersten der es korrekt ausspricht er ist ein african-american komponist und dann kam ich . grüsse aus der schweiz

[@stirlingblackwood]

Beautiful, underrated composer

[@Dylonely_9274]

Brilliant !

[@maestrosdreamcafe3022]

This is great music

[@terabyter9000]

Beautiful.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

I learn something every day. I didn't know this lovely music and I have no idea where Fort Smith is, although it sounds like it is in Indian Country. Nice piece, nice orchestra.

[@marcvinit3938]

It's a very beautiful music. With a big influence of George Gershwin, particularly "Porgy & Bess".

[@iresine31]

William Grant Still orchestrated for Gershwin!

[@paulprocopolis]

'Africa' was written several years before 'Porgy and Bess', so the influence is likely to have been the other way round!

[@fredericfrancoischopin6280]

The I got rhythm by Gershwin was massively inspired by William still Grant's Symphony 1 3rd movement

[@kaelonroache8240]

13:17. Magic