Woodwind Music of Black Composers

Subjects:

• The Arts » Ethnomusicology
• Multicultural Studies » Black Studies

Reviews:

• Compiled from numerous sources, including personal contacts, Dominique-René de Lerma's monumental Bibliography of Black Music, John Gray's Blacks in Classical Music, and Eileen Southern's classic Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians, this work includes 90 woodwind composers whose 430 musical compositions range from solos to works requiring up to 13 instruments. Limited to published works of 20th-century African-American composers, most entries include a very brief biographical sketch (a good starting point for researchers and students), a list of the composer's published works, and sources consulted. For ease of identification, the compilation lists African, Afro-American, Afro-Latin, and Afro-European composers separately. Includes a woodwind music index (conveniently arranged by categories of performing media), a discography of 38 recorded woodwind works by 26 of the 90 composers in this collection, and a very useful 68-item bibliography. Horne's admirable compilation stands alone, and is highly recommended to woodwind and ensemble players, conductors, music teachers, researchers, and libraries serving serious music patrons.
  —Choice
• Biographical data on 19th and 20th century Black composers and thorough information on their compositions. A distinctive feature is the separate woodwind music index of both published and unpublished works for solo and chamber ensembles that groups the music by medium and numbers into 27 categories and contains some 430 works. Exact instrumentation, dedication or commission, premiere performance, and publisher are also found here.
  —Reference & Research Book News

Table of Contents:

• Foreword
• Key to Publishers, Collections, and Manuscripts
• Biographical Background and a Bibliography of Black Composers and their Woodwind Works
• African Composers
• Afro-American Composers
• Afro-Latin Composers
• Afro-European Composers
• Woodwind Music Index
• Discography
• Bibliography