This page is the Facebook home of a Wesley Harrell documentary looking to create exposure for composers of African descent in the Western Art Music (classical) tradition. This page grew out of a desire to learn more about black classical music composers and recitalists, as well as a desire to expand exposure to this group. I’ve been an avid lover of classical music for about 20 years, but it was o
nly around 2010 or 2011 that I learned for the first time that composers of African descent had historically had prominent careers in the 18th and 19th centuries. It started with my learning of 19th century British virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, and continued with my discovery of 18th century French virtuoso violinist Joseph Boulogne, known more broadly as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges. While conducting research for a 2012 documentary project on the African diaspora, I encountered many more, including the also-British Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (yes, you read that right), and the Americans Florence Price and the “Dean” of African-American composers, William Grant Still. While finishing up work on the African Diaspora project, I resigned to research and create a documentary of my own on Western Art Music composers of African Descent. On this page, I will present the music of these composers (with maybe some minor commentary), as well as some basic info / facts on those represented. Primarily, this will be Afro-European (Black-British, Black French, etc.) and Afro-American composers, but as often as possible, and where they exist, others will be represented as well. I hope you enjoy what you find here while learning something.
