LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to do the following:

Identify the lives of notable Black classical composers, conductors, and musical performers.
Demonstrate the concept of the linkage between the music of the “old guard”—musicians of yesteryear—and their impact on the contemporary Black classical musicians and compositions.
Describe the importance of Slave Songs of the United States and Music and Some Highly Musical People to the development of the survey of American music history.
List a few important African American classical singers who were strategic to the early development of establishing the bar for singers of the twentieth century.
Identify classical singers who were influential upon concert life in Black America during the first half of the twentieth century.

Band Music in Philadelphia: Other Composers

Other composers in Philadelphia during this period include the following:

Francis (Frank) Johnson (1792–1844)
Isaac Hazzard (1804–c1864)
William Appo (1808–1877)
Aaron J. R. Connor (d. 1850)
James Hemmingway (1800–1849)
Henry F. Williams (1813–1903)

These composers, including Francis Johnson, were part of a leading group of musicians from Philadelphia who were the first generation of Black composers—the "old guard"—to compete successfully with White musicians, largely immigrants, for public patronage.

Henry F. Williams from 1881

Eileen Southern

The Black musician has created an entirely new music—in a style peculiarly Afro-American—that today spreads its influence over the entire world. And ever since his arrival in the New World, he has enriched with his contributions the European-based musical traditions of the nation.

William C. Banfield

We got some Black Beethovens living up in here, and what's most sad is, y'all don't even know it!