Florence Price possessed the ability to write in diverse styles, from Impressionism to Romanticism to Jazz, while maintaining a unique voice shaped by the Black experience.
Composer Biography
Florence Price (1887-1953), a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, studied at the New England Conservatory and composed symphonies, concertos, chamber works, and many art songs and Spiritual arrangements.
Performer Biography
Grammy-nominated countertenor Reginald Mobley is known for his interpretations of baroque, classical, and modern repertoire and is an advocate for diversity in music programming.
Cultural Impact
The singing of Harry Thacker Burleigh, a scholarship student at the National Conservatory in New York, captivated Antonín Dvořák, who saw in 'negro melodies' the foundation for a great school of music.
Interpretation
On this album, Reginald Mobley and Baptiste Trotignon use a jazz lens to revisit Spirituals, Gospel, art songs, and even a Motown classic.
Cultural Impact
Negro Spirituals, born from the crucible of slavery, are described as 'diamonds of song and spirit' that are both brilliant and durable, passed down through generations.
Historical Context
The year 1925, when the first volume of the Johnson brothers' Spirituals was published, also marked 60 years since the abolition of slavery in the United States.
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