Born in Anniston and educated at the Tuskegee Institute, Alabama composer William Dawson was well-known for his choral arrangements, and for his 1934 masterpiece, Negro Folk Symphony premiered by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. This work is an exploration of Dawson’s heritage, and incorporates beloved spiritual melodies, original tunes inspired by spirituals, and intricate polyrhythms of West Africa. The MSO fellows are on the first half as soloists in Brahms’ Double Concerto.
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