Adolphus Hailstork: Songs (ft. Darryl Taylor and Kenneth Overton)

Adolphus Hailstork is an active, award-winning composer with a great output of art songs - and he's another name in our growing list of fabulous composers who studied with Nadia Boulanger! His works blend African, American, and European musical traditions in a unique way that is satisfying to both performers and audiences. We also have personal stories about Hailstork today from countertenor Darryl Taylor of the African American Art Song Alliance and baritone Kenneth Overton.

The exciting news from the episode intro: you can order Tyson Deaton's new anthology Songs of Joseph Bologne de Saint-Georges Vol 3 from Classical Vocal Reprints! We discussed that with him on Season 1 Episode. Additionally, soprano Karen Slack (also a CSI Digital family member with  #KikiKonversations!) has published the works of Florence Price on her album Grammy Award-winning Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price. The scores can be purchased from ONEcomposer.

Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Gracyn Blu, mezzo-soprano, Donovan Elliot Smith, tenor, Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Ricky L. Owens, Jr., countertenor, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:

• A Charm At Parting (Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers) (sung by Gracyn)
• Loveliest of Trees (An Anthology of African and African Diaspora Songs) (sung by Donovan)
• Song (Art Songs for High Voice) (sung by Toni)
• Vocalise (Art Songs for High Voice) (sung by Ricky)

Recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA, the Carnegie Mellon School of Music Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA, and The Church Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA.

Check out Darryl Taylor and Brent McMunn performing Yet Do I Marvel by Adolphus Hailstork!

Be sure to check out Kenneth Overton and Casey Robards' new CD What Dreams We Have: The Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar, which includes some pieces by Hailstork!

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So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.

You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.

You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree

For more information on Gracyn Blu, visit their website, or you can follow them on Instagram @gracynblu

You can follow Donovan Elliot Smith on his YouTube page.

For more information on Ricky L. Owens, Jr., countertenor, visit his website.

This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

Creators & Guests

Host

Ellen Rissinger

So Lit Song Lit Creator & Co-Host

Host

Toni-Marie Palmertree

So Lit Song Lit Co-Host

What is So Lit Song Lit?

This is So Lit Song Lit, where we reimagine the repertoire by introducing less familiar songs through sound clips and lively discussion! Together we’ll be exploring songs by composers that you may or may not have heard of already, showing how they compare to standard works, and giving you a taste of what they sound like. Join us down the rabbit hole as we expand the song canon!