Page 40 - CJSept24

Book Reviews
Book Reviews

Gregory Pysh, editor

gregory.m.pysh@gmail.com

William Levi Dawson: The second chapter chronicles not only his years as
American Music Educator the head of the School of Music at Tuskegee, but also
Mark Hugh Malone the history of music education at the Institute and the
University Press of Mississippi changes brought about by economic depression and
203 pp. war.
$25.00 (Softcover), $23.75 (Kindle) Chapter three focuses on the nationally renowned
Tuskegee Institute Choir under Dawson’s direction,
William Levi Dawson: American Music Educator is an ex- tracing the choir’s multiple tours and appearances
cellent resource for a deeper look into the life and work on radio and television. One of these was their per-
of William Dawson. The author, who both personally formance at the opening of Radio City Music Hall in
interviewed Dawson and spent countless hours in the Manhattan in December 1932. A review of that per-
Rose Archives at Emory University in Atlanta, presents formance in the Wall Street Journal stated:
“information on Dawson that could be used by a vari-
ety of scholars such as historians, musicologists, critical Mr. Dawson plays upon the voices of his mixed
theorists, and others” (p. 5). choir as if he were playing an organ, and an
The book is divided into five chapters. Chapter one organ is the only instrument to which the tones
presents the first thirty years of Dawson’s life, including he evokes are comparable. It is grand music.
his education at the Tuskegee Institute, his first posi- (p. 57)
tion at a high school in Kansas, and his pursuit (really,
a lifelong quest) of additional education. His skill and Also included are the many media critics who respond-
experience as a fine trombone player is also mentioned, ed to the choir’s performances at that time, allowing
including this review from a concert the Tuskegee Male the reader to form a sense of the way Dawson and his
Quintette presented in Burlington, Vermont, on Au- choir were received by mainstream—largely white—
gust 17, 1921: America.
The fourth chapter shares a timeline of Dawson’s life
William L. Dawson, second tenor, was also a as a composer and his compositions within the frame-
trombone artist of note. His three trombone work of American music, delving into his approach to
solos during the day were among the features authentically compose and perform African American
of the program and patrons would gladly have folk music for both choral and instrumental ensembles.
heard more had there been time for it. (p. 21) The composer’s preferences for the nomenclature of
his arrangements was:

38 CHORAL JOURNAL September 2024 Volume 65 Number 2