Julia Amanda Perry was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1924 but she was raised in Akron, Ohio and died there also. She was an African American woman that composed during the neoclassical style period. She earned her bachelors and maters from Westminster choir college and also studied at the Julliard school. In 1959 she taught for a short time at Florida A&M and Atlanta University. She had a stroke in 1971 and was so determined to continue to compose that she taught hers how to write with her left hand. She is discussed in The Music of Black Americans: A History by Eileen Southern; it talks about her style of music, the texture she uses and the many different forms she wrote in.
http://africlassical.blogspot.com/2007/12/julia-amanda-perry-1924-1979-african.html
Julia Amanda Perry singing "Im a Poor lil Orphan (Negro Spiritual). There is an organ and just vocals. It has a very soulful sound to it and also sort of an opera feel to it. There is an ABA form to it, she starts off in a low voice and then when the chorus comes she gets to a really high soprano notes. I think she does this it really emphasize what she is trying to say or the story shes trying to tell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6fQctPhHwQ
Another very interesting person! I am very fond of Eileen Southern's book; she was an interesting lady. I met her once before she died and very much appreciated the opportunity to chat with her. We were at a conference. A respected musicologist.
ReplyDeleteNice video of Perry's arrangement, but it's not her singing.