Watch the premiere of our virtual performance of
"My Lord, What a Mornin'"
available on Sunday, November 22 at 6:30 AM EST
"My Lord, What a Mornin'"
available on Sunday, November 22 at 6:30 AM EST
This exquisite spiritual arrangement by Harry Burleigh was conducted by Brett Karlin, Artistic Director, recorded from our homes (in our closets, bathrooms, and living rooms) and produced by Arts Laureate. We are grateful to our generous anonymous donors for supporting this performance. Watch the video on our YouTube channel starting this Sunday morning. The video will also be available through Arts Axis Florida shortly after the premiere.
About the Music: “My Lord, What a Mornin’” by Harry Burleigh first appeared in Slave Songs of the United States (1867), the first authoritative collection of this repertoire published after the Civil War, as “Stars Begin to Fall.” Burleigh’s arrangement embraces a simple and meditative setting with rich harmonies that seem to hint at double meanings. Originally conceived and performed by singers who learned the song without a printed text, the homophonous coincidence of the words “morning” and “mourning” are embraced in Burleigh’s bitter-sweet arrangement.
About the Composer: Henry “Harry” Thacker Burleigh played a major role in the development of American art music in the 20th Century, having composed a diverse repertoire of over two hundred works. He was the first black composer instrumental in developing characteristically American music, and made black music available to classically trained artists both by introducing them to traditional spirituals and by arranging them in a European-classical style. Burleigh also introduced famed composer Antonin Dvořák to Black American music, which influenced some of his (Dvořák’s) most famous compositions and led him to say that Black American music is the basis of the American classical music sound. In addition, Burleigh was an accomplished baritone, meticulous music editor, and charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).
About the Composer: Henry “Harry” Thacker Burleigh played a major role in the development of American art music in the 20th Century, having composed a diverse repertoire of over two hundred works. He was the first black composer instrumental in developing characteristically American music, and made black music available to classically trained artists both by introducing them to traditional spirituals and by arranging them in a European-classical style. Burleigh also introduced famed composer Antonin Dvořák to Black American music, which influenced some of his (Dvořák’s) most famous compositions and led him to say that Black American music is the basis of the American classical music sound. In addition, Burleigh was an accomplished baritone, meticulous music editor, and charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).
