Blacks in classical music: an international bibliography and resource guide, 2

In: Black music reference series volume 10

Abstract

"People of African descent have been active in Western art music since its inception. Black performers were valued members of court orchestras starting in the early 1500s, and since the 18th century have been acclaimed as both performers and composers in locales ranging from Europe and the United States to sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. However, this rich legacy remains little known. John Gray's monumental new work seeks to correct that oversight. A long-awaited sequel to his acclaimed Blacks in Classical Music it draws on more than three decades of research to survey the vast amount of print, digital and archival material that has emerged since the late 1980s. Fully annotated and cross-referenced it offers a comprehensive overview of all scholarly writings on the subject as well as a more selective representation of reportage from the mainstream and Black press.This new edition is organized in three easy to navigate sections--General Works; Regional Studies; and Biographical and Critical Studies--allowing users to quickly access the information they need. It covers all forms of chamber and symphonic music as well as every variety of sacred and secular vocal music from art songs and concert spirituals to choral music and opera. The book's large Regional Studies section chronicles developments in more than 30 American states and almost 60 foreign countries, while its even larger biographical section documents the lives and work of some 2000 artists, ensembles, and organizations. More than 600 of these are composers, along with an equally impressive number of singers, instrumentalists, librettists, music educators, and others. The work concludes with a detailed subject index that offers a key to all of the book's sections and another way to quickly pinpoint citations by musical idiom, instrument, topic, place, personal name, and composition."--Publisher's website