William Grant Still: ... And They Lynched Him on a Tree [w/ score]

Performed by the Harry T. Burleigh Society and Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra:    • Video   While he is best known for an early stint of pieces inspired by his African-American heritage, William Grant Still proved a versatile composer across genres. Though he moved to a more eclectic, personal idiom in the mid-1930s, he returned to the subject of race on several occasions afterwards, including in this large cantata. "... And They Lynched Him on a Tree" has received less than thirty performances since it was written, due to the unusual nature of the composition and the particular forces involved, with a text that can be problematic both in its dialectical spelling and in its framing of the titular lynching. Still sets Katherine Chapin's words to two choruses, divided by race, in a theatrical performance where entrances and exits are timed to certain rehearsal marks, making for a highly theatrical piece that includes opportunities (not taken in this performance) for extramusical sounds to heighten the ambiance. The discrepancies between the score and the performance towards the end are rooted in the context of its 1940 premiere, as premiering conductor Artur Rodzinski feared that the pessimistic denouement of Chapin's text would impact the ability of his family members to secure visas during a time of great global strife. More information:    • "The Dean of Afro-American Composers:" Wil...