William Grant Still
Portrait of William Grant Still By Carl Van Vechten - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID van.5a52662. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433419
William Grant Still, born in 1895, is considered by many to be the outstanding African American classical composer of his generation. A major landmark of his career was the first performance of his Afro-American Symphony in 1931. This symphony was said to be the first such work by an African American composer. Recorded several times, it reflects Still's desire to introduce the "blues" into mainstream classical music.
On this week's Classics of the Phonograph, Saturday at 11 am on WILL-FM, we will hear this seminal work.