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A Composer’s Viewpoint

A Composer’s Viewpoint I would like to preface my remarks by stating what will soon be an obvious fact to all of you, namely that I am a composer, and not an orator. You may well decide that composers such as I ought to devote themselves to composing, not talking. However, I have been asked to speak in public so often in recent years that I have tried to accustom myself to what is expected, and I ask you to bear with me now through my ordeal. Furthermore, although we are committed to an extensive discus­ sion of Black music, I would like to emphasize that I speak not only as a Negro, but also as an American. For a long time we Afro- Americans needed something like the fact that Black can be beauti­ ful to give us identity and pride in our racial heritage. Now that has been accomplished. Most of us have come to realize that Black is indeed beautiful, but only as White, Brown, or Yellow are beautiful: when we make it so. The term has served its purpose, so I hope from this time forward we will all want to emphasize our American ties, as well as http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Black Sacred Music Duke University Press

A Composer’s Viewpoint

Spencer, Jon Michael
Black Sacred Music , Volume 6 (2) – Sep 1, 1992
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Copyright
Copyright © 1992 by Duke University Press
ISSN
1043-9455
eISSN
2640-9879
DOI
10.1215/10439455-6.2.215
Publisher site
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Abstract

I would like to preface my remarks by stating what will soon be an obvious fact to all of you, namely that I am a composer, and not an orator. You may well decide that composers such as I ought to devote themselves to composing, not talking. However, I have been asked to speak in public so often in recent years that I have tried to accustom myself to what is expected, and I ask you to bear with me now through my ordeal. Furthermore, although we are committed to an extensive discus­ sion of Black music, I would like to emphasize that I speak not only as a Negro, but also as an American. For a long time we Afro- Americans needed something like the fact that Black can be beauti­ ful to give us identity and pride in our racial heritage. Now that has been accomplished. Most of us have come to realize that Black is indeed beautiful, but only as White, Brown, or Yellow are beautiful: when we make it so. The term has served its purpose, so I hope from this time forward we will all want to emphasize our American ties, as well as

Journal

Black Sacred Music – Duke University Press

Published: Sep 1, 1992

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