Art Music by Caribbean Composers: Jamaica
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Art Music by Caribbean Composers: Jamaica Christine Gangelhoff Cathleen LeGrand 1 The College of The Bahamas INTRODUCTION The classical music tradition in Jamaica dates Jamaica is among the Caribbean islands that back to the 18th century. The "first oratorio Columbus claimed for Spain. The island was written in the Americas," Jonah, was captured by the British in 1655 and remained composed by Samuel Felsted sometime a British colony until its independence in around 1773 (Lumsden, 2004). Sir Frederic 1962 (Jamaica, 2005). Jamaica was settled by H. Cowen, the most prolific Jamaican Europeans who brought in a large number of classical composer, created a long list of African slaves to perform agricultural work, works including several operas. Cowen mainly on sugar plantations. Workers from moved to England during his youth and, in Asia, predominantly from India and China, addition to composing, had a notable career as who arrived after Emancipation also a performer and conductor (Lumsden, 2003). contribute to the nation's diversity. In Peter Ashbourne is the most versatile of the response to its rich diversity, the motto of younger generation of composers born and Jamaica is: Out of Many, One People. living in Jamaica. One of his recent works, Mikey, a reggae opera, displays his innovative "Jamaican music is as varied as the people approach to composition. Ashbourne points who inhabit the island... [M]uch folk music out that "when you consider that, in terms of retains features and functions of black African popular culture, Jamaica has an unusually music, blended with elements of European high profile, [and] art music is easily (primarily British) music" (Lewin & Gordon, overshadowed by the more conspicuous and 2007-2011). Jamaican musical genres, such populist genres. There is very little in the as ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dancehall, are way of financial support [or] sponsored popular and influential internationally. training [for art music]" (P. Ashbourne, personal communication, May 6, 2011). 1Christine Gangelhoff, Assistant Professor, School of Communication and Creative Arts; Cathleen LeGrand, Public Services Librarian, Libraries and Instructional Media Services, The College of The Bahamas, P.O. Box N-4912, Nassau, Bahamas. Cathleen LeGrand is now Librarian, at Royal Thimphu College, Ngabiphu, Thimphu, Bhutan. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank Peter Ashbourne, Rosina Moder, Paul Shaw, and Roger Williams for their help in compiling this chapter. The authors are grateful to The College of The Bahamas for the grant that made this research possible. E-mail: [email protected] How to cite this article in APA 6th ed. style: C. Gangelhoff, & LeGrand, C. (2011). Art music by Caribbean composers: Jamaica. The International Journal of Bahamian Studies, 17(1), 43-52. Retrieved from http://journals.sfu.ca/cob/index.php/files © C. Gangelhoff & C. LeGrand, 2011. Journal compilation ©The International Journal of Bahamian Studies, 2011. C. Gangelhoff & LeGrand. Art Music: Jamaica. 44 Describing his compositional approach, As simple as that folk song is, Oswald Ashbourne states: Russell takes the melody … he layers over Jamaica is a small island in the Caribbean it a rhythm (like this, an ostinato), and as it basin that is remarkably rich in folk turned out from some of the research that material. The quality and quantity are both I’ve done … that rhythm – you hear it in a impressive. [This richness helps to lot of Caribbean music – comes all the way explain] why I want to examine this folk from West Africa (Shaw, 2010). tradition [as a] resource. Some very The Edna Manley College offers several interesting music can result when these music-related degrees: an Associate of Arts in tuneful, mostly diatonic melodies are Music, a Bachelor of Music in Classical subjected to various compositional Performance, Jazz and Popular Music Studies, techniques. The tonal basis of this and a Bachelor of Music Education. Two traditional music can be conveniently other institutions, Northern Caribbean integrated with my current approach to the University and Mico University College, also musical poles of tonality and atonality. offer a Bachelor of Music Education. The (Personal communication, May 6, 2011) National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ) Oswald Russell’s THREE JAMAICAN DANCES is trains young people to play orchestral an example of a classical work that instruments. The NYOJ is a private non- incorporates folk music; the piece is based on profit orchestra, offering no-cost music Jamaican folk songs. JAMAICAN PIANIST lessons, and uses the El Sistema program of PAUL SHAW discusses the second movement, orchestral instrument education pioneered in which is based on the folk song, Sammy Venezuela. Dead: REFERENCES Jamaica. (2005). In Continuum: Encyclopedia Lumsden, J. (2003). Frederic H. Cowen: A of popular music of the world. Retrieved famous Jamaican composer. Jamaica's from classical musicians. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/contp http://www.joyousjam.com/jamaicasclassica mwl/jamaica lmusicians/id7.html Lewin, O., & Gordon, M. G. (2007-2011). Lumsden, J. (2004). Samuel Felsted, organist Jamaica. Grove Music Online / Oxford and composer. Jamaica's classical Music Online. Retrieved from musicians. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com www.joyousjam.com/jamaicasclassicalmusi cians/id8.html The International Journal of Bahamian Studies Vol. 17, no. 1 (2011) C. Gangelhoff & LeGrand. Art Music: Jamaica. 45 COMPOSERS On a bat's back I do fly Eleanor Alberga (1949-) Only a wish away (for piano) Peter Ashbourne (1950-) Piano quintet Paulette Bellamy Remember Frederic Hyman Cowen (1852-1935) Resolution Noel Dexter Roald Dahl's "Snow White & the Seven Samuel Felsted (1743-1802) Dwarfs" (for orchestra) Orville Hammond String quartet, no. 1 Andrew Marshall String quartet, no. 2 Oswald Russell (1933-) String quartet, no. 3 Don Shirley (1927-) Sun warrior (for chamber orchestra) Stephen Earl Tucker 3-day mix (for piano) Marjorie Whylie Two-piano suite Violin concerto COMPOSITIONS The wild blue yonder Alberga Ashbourne Animal banter Alleluia (1995; choral concert, with drums) Chasm (for piano) Avia (1986; for wind ensemble) Clouds Carib colours (2002; for orchestra) Dancing with the shadow (1990; ballet score) Elena and her variations (1985; with soprano De profundis (for voice) recorder solo) Fizz (for piano) Five songs (2005; for high voice & piano) Glinting glancing shards The fly, the bell and the bicycle (1984; for chamber orchestra) Her lament: one Cezanne apple (for voice) Folk suite (1996; for string quartet) Hill & gully ride (for piano) The hidden garden (2010; for oboe & strings) Ice flow (for piano) Jamaica folk (1985; for string quartet) If the silver bird could speak (for piano) Jamaican suite (1981; for symphonic wind Jamaican medley (for piano) ensemble) Letters of a love betrayed (Chamber opera; Little prelude (1984; for flute & string Based on a story from Isabel Allende's Eva quartet) Luna) Mapadua (2010; for chamber orchestra) My heart danceth (for voice) Medley of Jamaican folk tunes (1963; for Mythologies (for orchestra) violin & piano) Nightscape (the Horniman serenade) Mikey (2011; reggae opera) No-man's land lullaby The International Journal of Bahamian Studies Vol. 17, no. 1 (2011) C. 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Art Music: Jamaica. 46 O’er our Blue Mountain (2009; for string In the olden time, Suite, in D major (1883; for quartet) strings) Parakeet in de garden (2003; for soprano, Indian rhapsody (1903) clarinet & piano; or tenor, flute & piano) Jephthah (1900; oratorio, unfinished) Ring games and jubilee (2003; for chamber John Gilpin (1904; for chorus & orchestra) orchestra) The language of flowers: Suite de ballet, Set 1 Bellamy (1880) Improvisations of jackass a jump and bray The language of flowers: Suite de ballet, Set 2 (1914) Cowen The magic goblet: The luck of Edenhall All hail the glorious reign (1897) (1934; for orchestra) Barbaric march (1883) March (1886) The butterfly's ball (1901) Miniature variations (1934) Christmas scenes (1894) Minna-waltz (1858; for piano) Concertstück (1900; for piano & orchestra) Monica’s blue boy (1917; pantomime) La coquette (1873; for piano) The months (1912) Coronation march (1902) Niagara, characteristic overture, in C major The corsair (1876) (1881) Cupid’s conspiracy (1918; comedy ballet) Nights of music (1900; for violins) A daughter of the sea (1896) Ode to the passions (1898; for chorus & orchestra) The deluge (1878; oratorio) One too many (1874; operetta) Deux morceaux (1901) Melodie Overture, in D minor (1866) Á l’espagne Pauline (1876; opera) The dream of Endymion (1897; for tenor & Piano concerto, in A minor (1869) orchestra) Piano trio, no. 1, in A major (1865) The fairies' spring (1891) Piano trio, no. 2, in A minor (1868) Festival overture (1872) A phantasy of life and love (1901) Flower fairies (for piano) Reverie (1903; for violin &orchestra) Four old English dances Set 1 (1896) The rose maiden (1870) Set 2 (1905) The rose of life (1895) Garibaldi, or the rival patriots (1860; Ruth (1887; oratorio) operetta) Signa (1893; opera) He giveth His beloved sheep (1907; oratorio) Sinfonietta, in A major (1881) Harold, or the Norman conquest (1895; Sleeping beauty (1885; cantata) opera) Snowflakes (for voice & piano) In fairyland: Suite de ballet (1896) The International Journal of Bahamian Studies Vol. 17, no. 1 (2011) C. Gangelhoff & LeGrand. Art Music: Jamaica. 47 The spirit of carnival (operetta, unfinished) Felsted St. John's eve (1889) Jonah: An oratorio (c.1775; for chorus & piano) St. Ursula (1881) Six voluntaries to the organ or harpsichord String quartet, in C minor (1866) (c. 1793) Summer on the river (1893) Symphony, no. 1, in C minor (1869) Russell The beachcomber (for flute) Symphony, no 2, in F major (1872) Berceuse (1993; for piano) Symphony, no.3, in C minor (The Scandinavian) (1880) Caraïbes (for wind ensemble) Symphony, no. 4, in B flat minor (The Welsh) D’alpha en alpha (1884) Élégie (The lone tree by the sea) (for cello) Symphony, no. 5, in F major (1887) Games of arms (1963; ballet) Symphony, no.