William Grant Still

Short bio William Grant Still

Birthday: 1895 in Woodville, MS

Died: 1978 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre: Classical

Period: 20th Century, Modern

Full biography William Grant Still

William Grant Still (May 11, 1895 - December 3, 1978) was an American composer, known for his contributions to classical music and his promotion of racial equality. He was born in Woodville, Mississippi and was a child of teachers, but he grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. Later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical career.

Still was the first African-American to conduct a symphony orchestra in the United States and is considered the "Dean of Afro-American Composers". He achieved great success as a composer, with nearly 200 works in his repertoire, including five symphonies, four ballets, and numerous other pieces of music, ranging from opera to chamber music.

One of Still's most notable compositions is Symphony No. 1, "Afro-American," which he wrote in 1930. It was the first symphony by an African-American composer to be performed by a major orchestra in the U.S. Other notable works by Still include his opera, "Troubled Island," which was the first opera by an African-American composer to be performed by a major opera company, and "Afro-American Symphony" (Symphony No. 3), which was the first symphony by an African-American composer to be performed by a major American orchestra.

Still was a strong advocate for racial equality in the arts and society, and he used his music to promote social change. He believed that music was a powerful tool for bridging cultural divides and bringing people together. Still passed away on December 3, 1978, but his legacy has lived on through his music, which is still performed and celebrated today.

Compositions featuring William Grant Still

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Threnody: In Memory of Jan Sibelius, tone poem for orchestra	6:13 min	Orchestral	1965
2	The Prince and the Mermaid, incidental music for children's fairy tale for piano	7:29 min	Show/Musical	1965
3	Preludes (5), for flute, strings & piano (arr. of piano Preludes)	10:10 min	Orchestral	1964
4	Preludes (5), for piano (adapted from Preludes for String Orchestra & Piano)	12:47 min	Keyboard	1964
5	Elegy, for organ	5:18 min	Keyboard	1963
6	Folk Suite No.2, folksong arrangements for flute, clarinet, bassoon (or cello) & harp	7:13 min	Chamber Music	1962
7	Vignettes, for oboe, bassoon & piano	6:40 min	Chamber Music	1962
8	Folk Suite No.1, folksong arrangements for flute, string quartet & piano	7:30 min	Chamber Music	1962
9	Folk Suite No.3, folksong arrangements for flute, oboe, bassoon & piano	5:52 min	Chamber Music	1962
10	Folk Suite No.4, folksong arrangements for flute, clarinet, bassoon (or cello) & piano	5:16 min	Chamber Music	1962
11	Reverie, for organ	4:09 min	Keyboard	1961
12	Lyric Quartette (Lyric String Quartette; Musical Portraits of Three Friends: Impressions), for string quartet (withdrawn)	14:46 min	Chamber Music	1960
13	From the Hearts of Women, song cycle for voice & piano	12:05 min	Vocal Music	1959
14	Symphony No. 3 ("Sunday Symphony")	19:32 min	Symphony	1958
15	Ennanga for harp, string quintet & piano	16:19 min	Concerto	1958
16	Serenade, for orchestra	6:49 min	Orchestral	1957
17	The American Scene: Suite I: The East, for orchestra	10:12 min	Orchestral	1957
18	The American Scene: Suite IV: The Far West, for orchestra	8:58 min	Orchestral	1957
19	The American Scene: Suite V: A Mountain, A Memorial and a Song, for orchestra	15:16 min	Orchestral	1957
20	Citadel, for voice & piano	2:42 min	Vocal Music	1956
21	Romance for Saxophone, for saxophone & piano (or chamber orchestra)	5:19 min	Chamber Music	1954
22	I Feel Like My Time Ain't Long, spiritual arrangement for chorus & piano	2:19 min	Choral	1954
23	Grief, for voice & piano (or orchestra)	3:03 min	Vocal Music	1953
24	A Song for the Lonely, for voice & piano	3:34 min	Vocal Music	1953
25	Costaso, opera in 3 acts with ballet		Opera	1949
26	Miniatures for flute, oboe & piano	12:17 min	Chamber Music	1948
27	Danzas de Panama, for string quintet	13:24 min	Chamber Music	1948
28	Symphony No. 4 ("Autochthonous")	26:13 min	Symphony	1947
29	Wood Notes, suite for orchestra	16:38 min	Orchestral	1947
30	Pastorela, for violin & piano, or violin & orchestra	9:09 min	Chamber Music	1946
31	Wailing Woman, for soprano, chorus & orchestra	9:13 min	Choral	1946
32	Marionette, for piano	1:03 min	Keyboard	1946
33	Fanfare for the 99th Fighter Squadron, for orchestra	0:50 min	Orchestral	1945
34	Symphony No. 5 ("Western Hemisphere")	19:37 min	Symphony	1945
35	Songs of Separation, song cycle for voice & piano	4:21 min	Vocal Music	1945
36	Poem for Orchestra	10:28 min	Orchestral	1944
37	Festive Overture, for orchestra	7:56 min	Orchestral	1944
38	Suite for violin & piano	15:13 min	Chamber Music	1943
39	In Memoriam: The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy, for orchestra	7:28 min	Orchestral	1943
40	Bells, pieces (2) for piano	8:16 min	Keyboard	1943
41	Incantation and Dance, for oboe & piano	5:20 min	Chamber Music	1941
42	Caribbean Melodies, folk song settings (16) for choruses, soloists, percussion, piano & dancers (collab. with Z.N.Hurston)		Ballet	1941
43	Here's One, for chorus & piano	3:20 min	Choral	1941
44	And They Lynched Him on a Tree, for double chorus, narrator & orchestra (also in voice & piano score)	6:54 min	Choral	1940
45	Miss Sally's Party, ballet	19:05 min	Ballet	1940
46	Can'tcha Line 'Em, for orchestra	4:02 min	Orchestral	1940
47	Seven Traceries, for piano	16:55 min	Keyboard	1939
48	Song of a City (also know as Rising Tide; Victory Tide), for chorus & orchestra	1:48 min	Choral	1939
49	Symphony No. 2 in G minor ("Song of A New Race")	28:15 min	Symphony	1936
50	Visions (3), for piano	10:18 min	Keyboard	1935
51	Lenox Avenue, ballet for chorus, orchestra & piano	23:09 min	Ballet	1935
52	Quit Dat Fool'nish, for piano	1:26 min	Keyboard	1935
53	Dismal Swamp, poem for orchestra with piano	13:47 min	Orchestral	1935
54	Summerland, for piano	4:03 min	Keyboard	1935
55	Kaintuck, poem for piano & orchestra	11:32 min	Concerto	1935
56	A Deserted Plantation, suite in 3 movements for piano	12:00 min	Keyboard	1933
57	Symphony No. 1 ("Afro-American")	25:09 min	Symphony	1930
58	Scherzo, for orchestra or band (arr. from 3rd mvt. of Symphony No.1)	3:52 min	Orchestral	1930
59	The Breath of a Rose, for voice & piano	3:58 min	Vocal Music	1927
60	La Guiablesse, ballet & orchestral suite		Ballet	1927
61	Sahdji, ballet with orchestra, chorus & bass solo	20:31 min	Ballet	1926
62	Darker America, tone poem for chamber orchestra	11:53 min	Orchestral	1924
63	Africa (also known as: Darker Africa; Darkest Africa), suite in 3 movements for orchestra (or piano)	25:53 min	Orchestral	1924
64	From the Black Belt, suite for chamber orchestra (also arr. for full orch.)	11:04 min	Orchestral	1924
65	Memphis Man, for voice & piano	3:19 min	Vocal Music	1923
66	American Suite, for orchestra	7:42 min	Orchestral	1918
67	Gwinter Sing All Along de Way, for voice & piano	1:36 min	Vocal Music	-
68	Songs (3) for flute & piano	9:15 min	Chamber Music	-
69	Get on Board, spiritual arrangement for woodwind quartet, string quartet & piano	1:26 min	Chamber Music	-
70	Little Folk Suites from the Western Hemisphere No.4, suite of folksong arrangements for string quartet	1:20 min	Chamber Music	-
71	Two Cameos, for violin & piano	2:58 min	Chamber Music	-
72	Little Folk Suites from the Western Hemisphere, suites (5) of folksong arrangements for string quartet	6:51 min	Chamber Music	-
73	The Blues, for violin & piano (arranged from "Lenox Avenue")	2:51 min	Chamber Music	-
74	Bayou Home, for flute & piano	4:21 min	Chamber Music	-
75	Panamanian Dances (2), for strings	5:32 min	Orchestral	-
76	Phantom Chapel, for string orchestra & piano	6:40 min	Orchestral	-
77	Entrance of the Porteuses, for piano (from "La Giuablesse")	1:46 min	Keyboard	-
78	Christmas in the Western World, cantata for chorus, piano, string quartet & orchestra	18:42 min	Choral	-
79	Rhythmic Spirituals (3), spiritual arrangements for chorus & piano	5:21 min	Choral	-
80	Golden Days, for soprano, string quartet & harp	4:17 min	Vocal Music	-
81	Dance from Costaso, for piano	2:48 min	Keyboard	-
82	Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, for flute & piano	5:27 min	Chamber Music	-

Albums featuring William Grant Still

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	William Grant Still, Ric'key Pageot – A Deserted Plantation(3×File, MP3, EP)	2023	Steinway & Sons
2	Itamar Zorman, Ieva Jokubaviciute, William Grant Still – Summerland(File, MP3, Single)	2022	First Hand Records
3	William Grant Still / Zina Schiff, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Avlana Eisenberg – Summerland	2022	Naxos
4	Copland, Mason, MacDowell, Grant Still, Farwell, Ornstein, Cecile Licad – Anthology Of American Piano Music Vol. 3: American Landscapes(CD, Album)	2018	Danacord
5	Prokofiev, Skrowaczewski, Grantham, Still, Bernstein, North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Migliaro Corporon – Conclave(CD, Album)	2014	GIA WindWorks
6	William Grant Still, Fort Smith Symphony, John Jeter – Symphonies Nos. 2 And 3; Wood Notes(CD, Album)	2011	Naxos
7	William Grant Still - Fort Smith Symphony, John Jeter – Symphonies Nos. 4 And 5(CD, Album)	2009	Naxos
8	William Grant Still – Mark Boozer – Piano Music: Africa • Seven Traceries • A Deserted Plantation	2005	Naxos
9	William Grant Still - Fort Smith Symphony, John Jeter – Afro-American Symphony • In Memoriam • Africa (Symphonic Poem)	2005	Naxos
10	William Grant Still, Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and Chorus With Orchestra, William Warfield, Yolanda Williams (3), Hilda Harris, Leigh Morris (2) – Skyward My People (Music Of Willam Grant Still(CD, )	2004	Clarion (6)
11	Troubled Island(CD, Album)	2003	Cambria
12	Kenneth Tse (2) Music By Libby Larsen, William Grant Still, David DeBoor Canfield, John Cheetham, Leonard Mark Lewis, Jay Vosk , & Walter Hartley – An American Exhibition(CD, Album)	2002	Crystal Records (5)
13	Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still, Fela Sowande, Chicago Sinfonietta, Paul Freeman (3) – African Heritage Symphonic Series • Vol I	2000	Cedille Records
14	William Grant Still / Amy Beach - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Krueger – Afro-American Symphony / Gaelic Symphony, Op. 32(CD, Compilation, Remastered)	1999	Bridge Records (4)
15	Lawrence Gwozdz, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, Kirk Trevor, Steffen Hass , Works By Carl Anton Wirth, Karel Husa, William Grant Still, Warren Benson, John C. Worley – An American Concerto Tribute To Sigurd Raschèr(CD, Album)	1999	Albany Records
16	William Grant Still, Olly Wilson, Cincinnati Philharmonia Orchestra, Richard Fields (6), Jindong Cai – Afro American Symphony • Kaintuck' • Dismal Swamp • Expansions III(CD, Stereo)	1997	Centaur Records
17	William Grant Still, Philip Brunelle – Witness Volume II(CD, Album)	1996	Collins Classics
18	Barber, Bernstein, Bloch, Copland, Flagello, Griffes, Herrmann, Larsen, Persichetti, Rozsa, W.G. Still, Ticheli – American Dreams; The American Sampler Volume II(CD, Compilation, Sampler, Stereo)	1995	Koch International Classics
19	William Grant Still - Alexa Still, Susan DeWitt Smith, New Zealand String Quartet – Summerland(CD, Stereo)	1994	Koch International Classics
20	Lawrence Gwozdz - Henry Cowell, Karel Husa, John David Lamb, Armand Russell, William Grant Still, Carl Anton Wirth, John C. Worley - Michael Reimer (2), Lois Leventhal, David Evenson – An American Tribute To Sigurd Rascher(CD, Album)	1994	Crystal Records (5)
21	William Grant Still, Northern Arizona University Wind Symphony – From The Delta(CD, Stereo)	1994	Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
22	William Grant Still / William Levi Dawson, Duke Ellington - Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi – Symphony No. 2 (Song Of A New Race) / Negro Folk Symphony / Harlem	1993	Chandos
23	William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi – Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American) / Suite From 'The River'	1993	Chandos
24	William Grant Still, Isaiah Jackson (2), Alexa Still, Berliner Symphoniker – William Grant Still: La Guiablesse, Danzas Da Panama, Quit Dat Fool'nish, Summerland(CD, Album)	1993	Koch International Classics
25	Howard Hanson, Eastman-Rochester Orchestra – Fiesta In Hi-Fi	1992	Mercury
26	Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still(CD, Album, Stereo)	1991	Koch International
27	Lenox Avenue (The Music Of William Grant Still)	1991	Cambria
28	William Grant Still, Albert Dominguez – Piano Music(LP)	1987	Not On Label
29	Strings, Keyboard, And Harp(LP, Compilation)	1987	Not On Label
30	Peter Christ - William Schmidt / Randall Thompson / William Grant Still / Vincent Persichetti – Oboist Peter Christ(CD, Album)	1986	Crystal Records (5)
31	William Grant Still Conducts William Grant Still(LP, Album)	1984	Glendale Records
32	Peter Christ - William Schmidt / Randall Thompson / William Grant Still / Vincent Persichetti – The Sparrow And Mr. Avaunt / Suite For Oboe, Clarinet, Viola / Miniatures For Flute, Oboe, Piano / Parable For Solo Oboe(LP, Album)	1979	Crystal Records (5)
33	Frances Walker (2), Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still – Coleridge-Taylor: 24 Negro Melodies / Still: Seven Traceries(2×LP, Album, Stereo)	1978	Orion
34	William Grant Still / Fela Sowande / George Walker (4) – Sahdji / African Suite / Lyric For Strings	1975	Columbia Masterworks
35	William Grant Still / Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – Afro-American Symphony / Two Arias From "Highway 1, U.S.A." / Danse Nègre / Onaway! Awake, Beloved From "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast"	1974	Columbia Masterworks
36	William Grant Still, Siegfried Landau / Ulysses Kay, Paul Freeman (3) – From The Black Belt / Darker America / Six Dances For String Orchestra	1974	Turnabout
37	The Music Of William Grant Still	1972	Orion
38	William Grant Still – Louis Kaufman, Annette Kaufman – Music For Violin And Piano(LP, Album, Stereo)	1971	Orion
39	Lipkin, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Alan Hovhaness / Bernard Rogers (2) / Roy Travis / Arthur Cohn / William Grant Still – The Holy City / Apparitions / Collage / Kaddish / Festive Overture	1970	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
40	William Grant Still, Karl Krueger, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Of London – Afro-American Symphony(LP, Stereo)	1965	The Society For The Preservation Of The American Musical Heritage
41	Still / Ginastera / Guàrnieri, Howard Hanson, Eastman-Rochester Orchestra – Sahdji Ballet / Creole Faust / Three Dances	1960	Mercury
42	William Grant Still - Karl Krueger, Orchestra Of The Vienna Opera, Gordon Manley – Afro-American Symphony(LP)	1952	AAO New Records Inc.
43	Richard Fields (6), William Grant Still, Gary Steigerwalt – Richard Fields plays music of William Grant Still(LP, Stereo)	-	Orion Master Recordings Inc.
44	Marya Martin - Joseph Suk • William Grant Still • Gareth Farr • Antonin Dvořák – Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival(CD, )	-	Not On Label
45	Ulysses Kay / George Walker (4) / William Grant Still / William Dawson / William Fischer / Arthur Cunningham / Stephen Chambers - Cynthia Bedford / Robert Hughes (2) / Oakland Youth Orchestra – The Black Composer In America(LP, Album)	-	Desto
46	William Grant Still / Henry Hadley - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Krueger – Afro-American Symphony / Salome(CD, Compilation, Remastered)	-	The Library Of Congress

Videos featuring William Grant Still

V. Akinla: Allegro non troppo

Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America

V. Akinla: Allegro non troppo · Chicago Sinfonietta

African Heritage Symphonic Series, Vol. 1

℗ 2000 Cedille

Released on: 2000-01-01

Orchestra: Chicago Sinfonietta

Composer: Fela Sowande

Conductor: Paul Free

Songs of Separation - William Grant Still

William Grant Still, composer ; Robert Honeysucker, Baritone

Idolatry (Arna Bontemps) ; Poeme (Philippe Thoby Marcelin) ; Parted (Paul Lawrence Dunbar) ; If You Should Go (Countee Cullen) ; A Black Pierrot (Langston Hughes)