Page 17 - CJSept24

forded me an invaluable primary resource from which music in a Nationalistic style, taking direct inspiration
I later forged a dissertation prospectus. Once doctoral from the indigenous folk music of the Czech people.
course work and comprehensive examinations were Boldly, Dvořák overcame the dominance of German-
completed, my committee enthusiastically embraced ic music in Czechoslovakia to musically refute the
Dawson as a worthy dissertation topic that, when prevailing notion of the insignificance of Czech folk
completed, would make a huge contribution to the music. Dawson felt empowered to replicate Dvořák’s
field of choral music education. example by not only deriving inspiration from the or-
ganic melodic material of his own race, but quoting it
In your book, William Levi Dawson: Ameri- exactly, and extending its importance through his own
can Music Educator, you mention that Daw- compositional ideas.
son consciously understood in the 1930s that Dawson saw a direct parallel to the path trod by
there was a “complete disregard for the 14th Dvořák with his own struggles for racial and social
Amendment that granted full citizenship to the uplift in America. William Dawson’s compositional
formerly enslaved and promised equal protec- choices and his educational style were a direct reflec-
1
tion under the law.” Could you explain how tion of his alignment with the experiences and ac-
this might have informed his compositional complishments of Antonin Dvořák in order to over-
choices and his educational style? come “second-class citizenship.”

More than thirty years before William Dawson was William Dawson composed various genres
born, the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitu- including choral/symphonic works, solo art
tion of the United States was ratified in 1868, giving song, and other concerted compositions. What
full citizenship to those recently enslaved and assured do you think drew him to primarily focus on
equal treatment through lawful protection. Yet from the “Negro Spiritual” as his dominant form of
birth, Dawson continued to face inequalities and bla- composition?
tant discrimination as an African American. Public
schools for Black children did not exist in his home- Hildred Roach, Lawrence Jackson, and others have
town of Anniston, Alabama; members of the Ku Klux commented on the dearth of instrumental composi-
Klan wreaked havoc and terror to keep Black people tions following the successful premiere of the Negro
“in their place”; and though persons of color techni- Folk Symphony in 1934. After presenting lecture/recit-
cally had the right to vote, Jim Crow laws left African als across America during the 2022-2024 academic
Americans disenfranchised. Once at Tuskegee Insti- years, I am amazed that so many voice instructors and
tute, one of the early Historically Black Colleges and other music professors are unaware of Dawson’s vocal
Universities (HBCUs), Dawson thrived in what could solo compositions.
be considered a semi-safe environment. Ventures out Explanations for Dawson’s compositional concen-
into the world at large, however, brought harassment tration on “Negro spirituals” include first, that since
from white people, refusals to allow lodging in hotels, The Tuskegee Choir was the premier performance
outright confrontation from officials regarding enter- group under Dawson’s direction at Tuskegee Institute
ing buildings through the front door, and barring ad- from 1930 to 1955, his compositional efforts seemed
mission to colleges due to the color of his skin. geared to establish and continue the national reputa-
Having learned of composer Antonin Dvořák as tion of the choir. Second, Dawson’s choir at Lincoln
a student at Tuskegee, and through his association High School, the Tuskegee Choir, and performances
with African American composer Harry T. Burleigh, of his choral opus that Dawson chose for all-state and
which began in 1921, Dawson emulated the Bohemi- special event choirs throughout America and abroad
an (Czech) composer. The early admiration of Dvořák led to his continued national and international fame.
soon led to a feeling of oneness with the composer for
his rise to international success through composing

CHORAL JOURNAL September 2024 Volume 65 Number 2 15