Page 12 - October.indd

George Walker: His Story, His Song, His Legacy

intentional. The text reads: our profession continues the work of bringing the mu-
sic of underrepresented composers to our venues across
I cannot always stand upon the peak and the world, let us endeavor to ensure the musical voice of
touch the stars. George Walker reverberates for years to come.
Sometimes the wind is thick with snow and
bleak,
And there are scars of sorrow that are long Suggestions for Further Reading
since past.
How long they last, how long they last. Banfi eld, William. Musical Landscapes in Color: Conversations
with Black American Composers (Boston: Scarecrow Press,

This unaccompanied song for mixed voices with inci- 2003).
dental divisi opens with imitation—a frequent composi- “Beyond Elijah Rock: The Non-Idiomatic Choral Music
tional device throughout this short work. The second and of Black Composers,” curated by Marques L.A. Garrett.
third lines of the text are sung by the treble voices as ten- www.mlagmusic.com/research/beyond-elijah-rock
or and bass complete the former lines, and the fi nal line
is fi rst stated by the tenor and bass with treble voices en- De Lerma, Dominique-Renè. “The Choral Works of
tering in canon as a response. Finally, the work ends with George Walker.” American Choral Review, USA 23/1
a retelling of the first line—unlike the polyphony stated (1981): 1-30.

in the beginning—now homophonic, and it is plaintive
and attentive to the importance of the text. “Stars is the Frank J. Oteri. “George Walker: Concise and Precise,”
only choral work of Walker’s that maintains a consistent NewMusicUSA (Sept 2017) https://newmusicusa.org/
time signature of 3/4 throughout the entire piece and nmbx/george-walker-concise-and-precise/
does not incorporate metrical shifts.” 3
Stars is to be performed gently, as its opening mark- Terry, Mickey. “An Interview with George Walker.” Mu-
ings indicate. There is a sense of ease that fl ows through sical Quarterly 84/3 (Fall 2000): 372-388.
the voices that expresses the humanity of mankind in an
ever-reaching posture. While the poem mentions an at- Walker, George. Reminiscences of an American Composer and
tempt to touch the stars, Walker masterfully allows the Pianist (Boston: Scarecrow Press, 2009).
stars to descend via cascading voices. One could possi-
bly see this as a deliberate eff ort to bring that which can
seem celestial down to earth. In two minutes, a short, NOTES
largely tonal work offers its listeners a soundscape that

brings the best of old and new musical styles, a unique 1 Tom Huizenga, “George Walker, Trailblazing American
characteristic of George Walker’s music. For one whose Composer, Dies at 96.” NPR. NPR, August 24,
work is oftentimes known for its complexity, Stars off ers a 2018. https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecaden
sophisticated yet attainable response.
ce/2018/08/24/641606061/george-walker-trailblazing-
american-composer-dies-at-96.
2 George Walker, Reminiscences of an American Composer and Pianist
George Walker: His Legacy
(Boston: Scarecrow Press, 2009), 122-23.
The music of George Walker is a beautiful joining of 3

styles that provide a fulfilling experience for those who Jeffrey L. Ames, “A Pioneering Twentieth Century African-

American Musician: The Choral Works of George T.
wish to present it. His choral music is best performed Walker” (Ph.D. diss., The Florida State University, 2005).
by mid-level and advanced ensembles, although there is
output that gives amateur choirs the opportunity to ex-
perience a complete dive into this incredible music. As

10 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2022 Volume 63 Number 3