Piano Works by African American Composers Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins - Thomas Bethune (1849-1908) A blind, slave pianist, autistic savant, musical prodigy from Georgia • The Battle of Manassas (1866) • The Oliver Gallop (1860) • Water in the Moonlight (1892) • Sewing Song (1889) • Rain Storm (1865) • March Timpani (1880) • Reve Charmant (1881) • Wellenklange: Voices of the Waves (1882) Scott Joplin (1867-1917) The “King of Ragtime”, an African American composer and pianist, achieved fame for his ragtime compositions • Great Crush Collision • Something Doing (1903) • Heliotrope Bouquet (1907) March (1896) • Weeping Willow (1903) • Fig Leaf Rag 1908) • Combination March (1896) • Palm Leaf Rag (1903) • Sugar Cane (1908) • Harmony Club Waltz • The Sycamore (1904) • Sensation (1908) (1896) • The Favorite (1904) • Pine Apple Rag (1908) • Original Rags (1899) • The Cascades (1904) • Pleasant Moments 1909) • Maple Leaf Rag (1899) • The Chrysanthemum • Wall Street Rag (1909) • Swipesy Cakewalk (1900) (1904) • Solace (1909) • Peacherine Rag (1901) • Bethena (1905) • Country Club (1909) • Sunflower Slow Drag • Blinks’ Waltz (1905) • Euphonic Sounds (1909) (1901) • The Rosebud March • Paragon Rag (1909) • Augustan Club Waltz (1905) • Stoptime Rag (1910) (1901) • Leola (1905) • Felicity Rag (1911) • The Easy Winners (1901) • Eugenia (1906) • Scott Joplin’s New Rag • Cleopha (1902) • The Ragtime Dance 1906) (1912) • A Breeze from Alabama • Antoinette (1906) • Kismet Rag (1913) (1902) • The Nonpareil (1907) • Silver Swan Rag (1914) • Elite Syncopations (1902) • Gladiolus Rag (1907) • Magnetic Rag (1914) The Entertainer (1902) • • Searchlight Rag (1907) • Pretty Pansy Rag (1915?) • March Majestic (1902) • Lily Queen (1907) • Recitative Rag (1915?) • The Strenuous Life (1902) • Rose Leaf Rag (1907) • Reflection Rag (1917) Piano Works by African American Composers Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949) African American classical composer, arranger, and professional singer known for his baritone voice • From the Southland, six pieces (1914) [Through the Moanin’ Pines, The Frolic, In De Col’ Moonlight, A Jubilee, On Bended Knees, A New Hidin’ Place] Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) Composer, organist, pianist, choral director, professor, born in Canada, moved to the U.S. at age 11 • After the Cakewalk (1900) • Enchantment (1922), a Romantic Suite for solo • Cave of the Winds (1902), march and two-step piano [Incantation, Song of the Shrine, Dance • Magnolia, Suite for Piano (1912) of Desire] • In the Bottoms (1913), Suite for piano [Prelude • The Cinnamon Grove (1928), a Suite for piano (Night), His Song, Honey (Humoresque), • Tropic Winter (1938), a Suite for Piano Barcarolle (Morning), Juba Dance] • Eight Bible Vignettes (1941–1943) • Eight Bible Vignettes • Nepenthe and the Muse • Inspiration Waltzes James Sylvester Scott (1885-1938) Ragtime composer and pianist, regarded as one of the three most important composers of classic ragtime • A Summer Breeze (1903) • Peace and Plenty Rag • The Fascinator (1903) • Ophelia Rag • Efficiency Rag • Honey Moon Rag • Sunburst Rag, two step for piano • Hilarity Rag • Ragtime Oriole • Grace and Beauty - A Classic Rag • Rag Sentimental • Frog Legs Rag • Quality Rag • Broadway Rag (1922) Nora Holt (c.1885-1974) Singer, composer, music critic, first African American to receive a Master’s Degree in composition in the United States • Negro Dance (1921) Piano Works by African American Composers Florence Price (1887-1953) African American classical composer, pianist, organist, music teacher, from a mixed-race Arkansas family • Tarantella (1926) • [Ten Negro Spirituals for the Piano] [1937-42): • Impromptu No. 1 (1926) Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler; I’m Troubled • Valsette Mignon (1926) in My Mind; I Know the Lord Has Laid His Hands • Preludes (1926-32): No. 1 Allegro moderato; No. on Me; Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho; Gimme 2 Andantino cantabile; No. 3 Allegro molto; No. 4 That Old Time Religion; Swing Low, Sweet [“Wistful”] Allegretto con tenerezza; No. 5 Allegro Chariot; I Want Jesus to Walk with Me; Peter, Go Ring dem Bells; Were You There When They • At the Cotton Gin (1927) Crucified My Lord; Lord, I Want to Be a Christian • Song without Words in G Major (1928 or early Remembrance (1941 or earlier) 1930s) • • Village Scenes (1942): "Church Spires in • Meditation ([ca. 1929]) Moonlight," "A Shaded Lane," "The Park" • Fantasie nègre [No. 1] (E minor) (1929, rev. 1931); based on the spiritual "Sinner, please • Your Hands in Mine (1943) (originally don't let this harvest pass" titled Memory Lane) • Clouds [ca. 1940s] • On a Quiet Lake (June 23, 1929) Cotton Dance (Presto) ([ca. 1940s]) • Barcarolle (ca. 1929-32) • • 2 Fantasies on Folk Tunes (date unknown) • His Dream (ca. 1930-31) • In Sentimental Mood (1947) • Cotton Dance (Dance of the Cotton Blossoms) (1931) • Whim Wham (July 6, 1946) • Fantasie nègre No. 2 in G minor (March, 1932) • Placid Lake (July 17, 1947) • Fantasie nègre No. 3 in F minor (March 30, • Memories of Dixieland (1947) 1932) • Sketches in Sepia (September, 1947) • Fantasie nègre No. 4 in B minor (April 5, 1932 - • Rock-a-bye (1947) [ca. 1937]) (4 versions) • [Three Roses]: To a Yellow Rose, To a White • Piano Sonata in E minor (1932) Rose,To a Red Rose (1949) • 3 Little Negro Dances (1933); also arranged for • To a Brown Leaf (1949) for two pianos (1949) • First Romance(ca. 1940s) • Tecumseh (published 1935) • Waltzing on a Sunbeam (ca. 1950 • 3 Sketches for little pianists (1937) • Snapshots: I. Lake Mirror (1952), II. Moon • Arkansas Jitter (1938) behind a Cloud (1949), III. Flame (1949) • Bayou Dance (1938) • Until We Meet (1952) • Dance of the Cotton Blossoms (1938) • Dances in the Canebrakes (1953) • Summer Moon (for Memry Midgett)' (April 6, • about 70 teaching pieces 1938) • I'm Troubled in My Mind • Down a Southern Lane (April 29, 1939) • Pieces to a Certain Pair of Newlyweds • On a Summer's Eve (June 15, 1939) • Three Miniature Portraits of Uncle • Rocking chair (1939) Ned (originally "Three Miniature Portraits of Uncle Joe"; later "Two Photographs” Piano Works by African American Composers James Hubert “Eubie” Blake (1887-1983) Composer, lyricist, pianist of ragtime, jazz and popular music • The Charleston Rag • Rhapsody in Ragtime • Memories of You • Poor Jimmy Green • Bandana Days • Eubie Dubie • Troublesome Ivories • Brittwood Rag • Eubie’s Classical Rag • The Baltimore Todolo • The Chevy Chase Rag • Poor Katie Redd • Capricious Harlem • Kitchen Tom Duke Ellington (1899-1974) Composer, pianist, leader of a jazz orchestra • Soda Fountain Rag • Lotus Blossom • The Single Petal of a Rose • The Clothed Woman • Bird of Paradise • The Lake • Fleurette Africaine • Blues • Dancers in love [Perfume Suite No.3] • Black Beauty • Melancholia • Sacred Concerts Suite [The Lord’s Prayer, • Swampy River Meditation, New World A-Comin’] • Reflection in D • Fast and Furious • Black and Tan Fantasy William Grant Still (1895-1978) The “Dean of Afro-American Music,” classical composer and conductor from Mississippi • A Deserted Plantation, suite in 3 movements • Kaintuck for 2 pianos (1933) • Entrance of the Porteuses • 3 Visions (1935) [Dark Horsemen, • Bells (1943) [The Phantom Chapel, Fairy Knoll] Summerland, Radiant Pinnacle] • Marionette (1946) • Quit Dat Fool’nish (1935) • Preludes [5] for piano • 7 Traceries (1939) [Cloud Cradles, Mystic Pool, • Five Animal Sketches Muted Laughter, Out of the Silence, Woven • Swanee River, arrangement Silver, Wailing Dawn, A Bit of Wit] Piano Works by African American Composers John Wesley Work III (1901-1967) Composer, educator, choral director, musicologist, scholar of African-American folklore and music • Sassafras, pieces for piano (1946) • Big Bunch of Roses Undine Smith Moore (1904-1989) The "Dean of Black Women Composers," a notable, prolific American composer, professor of music, classical pianist • Valse Caprice (1930) • Before I'd Be a Slave (1953) Howard Swanson (1907-1978) African American composer of classical music • “The Cuckoo” Scherzo for piano (1948) • Piano Sonata (1950) Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) Composer, professor from Oklahoma • Childhood Capers (1935) • Soliloquy (Rev.1979) • Rhapsody (1960) • March (Three Notes) (1980) • Nocturne (1961) • Blaize (1985) • Times Seven (1964, Rev. 1985) • Suite from Tawawa House (1985, Rev.2014) • Orrin and Echo (1970) [Overture, Cake Walk, Sunday Dance Tune, • Flight (1970) Prelude, Fire Music, Jumping Over the Broom] • Ties (1970) • A Jazz Trifle (1986) • Teeta (1972, Rev.1988) • Vignette No.1 (1990) • Round and Round (1977) • Vignette No.2 (1990) Piano Works by African American Composers Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981) Jazz pianist, arranger, composer from Georgia • Runnin’ Wild (1922), arrangement • Twinklin’ (1944) • The Moon is Low (1929), arrangement • Special Freight (1944) • Sleepy Time Gal (1924), arrangement • I Never Knew (I Could Love Anybody) • In a Mist (1927), arrangement • Bobo and Doodles (1944) • Little Joe from Chicago (1938) • Mary’s Boogie, transcription • Lullaby in Rhythm (1938) • The Moon is Low • Duces Wild (1944) • Drag ‘em • Chili Sauce (1944) • Nite Life • The Duke and the Count (1944) Margaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972) African American composer and pianist from Chicago • Lillian M. Bowles: For the piano • Troubled water John Len Chatman “Memphis Slim” (1915-1988) Blues pianist, singer and composer • Mr. Freddie • 44 Blues • Sail On Blues • 88 Boogie • Walkin’ the Boogie • Down Home Blues • Cow Cow Blues • Down That Big Road • Jefferson County Blues • Roll and Tumble • Four