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Xerox University Microfilms 300 Ncrtii Zeab Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 76-15,803 GREEN, Mildred Denby, 1938- A STUDY OF THE LIVES AND WORKS OF FIVE BLACK WOMEN COMPOSERS IN AMERICA. The University of Oklahoma, D.Mus.E., 1975 Music Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor,Michigan 48106 0 1976 MILDRED DENBY GREEN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PHIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE A STUDY OF THE LIVES AND WORKS OF FIVE BLACK WOMEN COMPOSERS IN AMERICA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSIC EDUCATION by MILDRED DENBY GREEN Norman, Oklahoma 1975 A STUDY OF THE LIVES AND WORKS OF FIVE BLACK WOMEN COMPOSERS IN AMERICA APPROVED BY DISSERTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLSD GEMENTS The writer has a profound sense of gratitude to Dr. Ernest L. Trumble, chairman of the committee which guided this dissertation. His invaluable assistance in gathering material for the discussion of Women's role in European Music is greatly appreciated. He gave generously of his time, scholarly insight and encouragement throughout the entire period of the research; Then sincere appreciation and thanks to the other committee members, Mrs. Celia Mae Bryant, for her active interest and encouragement throughout the study; Dr. Jerry N. Smith, for his stimulating reactions and sug­ gestions; Miss Alma Espinosa, for her helpful advice. The writer is indebted to Evelyn Pittman, Lena McLin and Julia Perry who responded graciously to requests for inter­ views, biographical information and other materials; to the late Ruby Clark (d. August, 1975) and Neumon Leighton both of whom provided valuable information and arranged interviews with relatives and friends of the two deceased composers, Florence B. Price and Margaret Bonds; to James C. McKeever, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs at Westminster Choir College, for providing valuable material on Julia Perry; and to the many relatives and friends without whose iii assistance much of the research could not have been amassed. Acknowledgement is also due Carl Fischer, Inc., Belwin Mills Publishing Corp., Sam Fox Publishing Co., Inc., Handy Brothers Music Co., Inc., Peer-Southern Organization, General Words and Music Co., Publisher, cind Evelyn Pittman, for permission to include reproductions of the musical examples used in this study. Finally, the writer wishes to express her gratitude to her family, Reuben I, Reuben II, Howard, Mother and Wa-rdo, for their help, understanding, love and devotion, without which thf^ project would have been impossible. To them and the memory o% my father this work is affectionately dedicated. XV TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................. iii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ......... .......... 1 Purpose of the study...................... 1 Need for the study............ 2 Limitations and Procedures......... 4 Review of Related Literature. ....... 10 II. WOMAN'S HISTORICAL ROLE IN AFRICAN, AFRO-AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN MUSIC.......... l4 Women's Role ir African M u s i c ............ l6 Black Women's Role in Music in America. 26 Women's Role in European Music. ...... 31 Prehistoric Evidence .......... 31 Greek Civilization.................... 38 The Middle A g e s .......... 4? Troubadours, Trouvères and Minnesingers ...................... 5^ The Renaissance....................... 59 The Seventeenth Century................ 63 The Enlightenment. ............ 73 The Nineteenth Century ......... 80 The Twentieth Century.................. 113 III. FLORENCE B. PRICE. .............. 119 Biographical Sketch ........ ....... 119 Analysis of Works .......... 124 Songs to a Dark Virgin ............ 124 V TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter (continued) Page III. (continued) An April D a y .............. 126 Two Traditional Spirituals ............ 127 My Soul's Been Anchored in de Lord . 129 Song for Snow. ............ é 134 Moon B r i d g e ............................ 136 Three Little Negro Dances. .......138 Sea Swallow ........ ......... 139 IV. MARGARET BONDS .................................l40 Biographical Sketch ............ l40 Analysis of W o r k s ..................... 152 The Ballad of the Brown King ...... 152 Three Dream Portraits. ..........1?0 To a Brown Girl Dead ....• ..........I85 I Got a Home in That Rock. ............188 The Negro Speaks of Rivers ............189 V. EVELYN PITTMAN ........................ ♦ . 195 Biographical Sketch ....................... I95 Analysis of W o r k s ........................ 202 Rich Heritage.......... 202 Rocka—Mah Soul ............. 206 Sit Down Servant ............209 Nobody Knows de Trouble I See. ..... 21Ü Anyhow . ............................ .. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter (continued) Page VI. JULIA P E R R Y ................. 2l4 Biographical Sketch. 2l4 Analysis of Forks. ................ 2l6 Stabat Mater. 2l6 Homunculus C . F . ........... 236 Our Thanks To Thee . 243 Ye Who Seek The Truth . 245 Song of Our Savior .......... 24? Lord! What Shall I Do?. ........ 250 Free at Last. 251 I’m a Poor Li'l Orphan in this Worl*. 253 VII.................... LENA MCLIN................. 255 Biographical Sketch. « ........ ..... 255 Analysis of Works................ 263 Free At Last. 263 The Torch Has Been P a s s e d . 280 Let the People Sing Praise Unto the L o r d .... 281 If They Ask You Why He Came ...... 283 VIII. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS......... 286 BIBLIOGRAPHY. ................................... 295 APPENDIX................... 304 V l l A STUDY OF THE LIVES AND WORKS OF FIVE BLACK WOMEN COMPOSERS IN AMERICA CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Study This study involves two subjects related to music that have occasionally been investigated in the past, but hardly ever in conjunction. One is the role of women in twentieth century composition and the other is the role of black composers in the same period. This dissertation puts the two subjects together for an investigation into the role of black women in twentieth century composition as revealed in their lives and works. Two interesting traditions are combined in this sub­ ject. We have the tradition of written composition coming together with the tradition of extemporaneous performance. Composition is essentially an expressive-intellectual art that is written down and preserved as accurately as possible. It began in Europe and gradually spread throughout the world until, by the twentieth century, its expansion is nearly complete. On the other hand,the music cf the black man was of an expressive-improvisatory origin. It was not written down, and, for the most part, was created spontaneously in order to express the feelings of the moment. 1 For centuries men have dominated the art of musical composition. This is especially true in the European tradi­ tion and holds true in some degree in the music of the black races. Women have, however, played a lesser but significant role in the music of both cultures. They have been involved on both a professional and amateur level as performers, tea­ chers, composers, collectors, innovators and as intellectual stimuli for the male composers. Need for the Study Many sources document the musical contributions made by women throughout history, but these are scattered. Only the very interested scholar would invent the time necessary first to find source material and then to work through it. Furthermore, accurate information about the cultural heritage of black people in America has been, until recently, in a rather unorganized, decentralized state. There is an in­ creasing awareness that the total creative efforts of the black American,