Compositora do Mês: Undine Smith Moore (1904-1989)

Compositora do Mês: Undine Smith Moore

Biografia:

Undine Eliza Anna Smith nasceu em Jarratt, Virginia, em 25 de agosto de 1904. Quando de seu nascimento, o estado da Virgínia era predominantemente rural. Seus avós foram escravos e seu pai trabalhou como operador de trens e ferrovias.

Não obstante, Undine teve uma educação musical formal, que combinou com a vivência da música de origem africana. Quando tinha 4 anos seus pais mudaram-se para Petersburg, visitando Jarratt durante as férias de verão da família. Sua mãe valorizava tanto a música como a literatura, proporcionando à filha um aprendizado musical que incluía, além da leitura de partituras, a composição. Iniciou os estudos de piano aos 7 anos com Lillian Allen Darden. Entre 8 e 9 anos a menina já criava pequenas peças, ao mesmo tempo em que ouvia os cantos de trabalho e os chamados spirituals – música religiosa passada oralmente de geração a geração, nas comunidades afro-americanas.  

Undine faria sua opção pela carreira musical quando ingressou na Tennessee’s Fisk University, em Nashville, na condição de bolsista. Lá estudou piano com Alice M. Grass. A instituição era conhecida pela excelente prática da música coral de raiz africana, desde 1870. Vendo o entusiasmo e progresso da filha nos estudos da música, particularmente ao piano, seu pai comprou-lhe um Steinway de cauda. De volta a Virginia e pensando numa carreira de concertista, a compositora aprofundou seus estudos dos clássicos europeus com um professor formado pela Fisk University.

Adquirindo duplo diploma em Piano e Teoria Musical, a musicista decidiu aprofundar os estudos em Educação Musical na Columbia University Teacher’s College de New York. Paralelamente passou pela Juilliard School of Music e pela Eastman School of Music. Integrou posteriormente o corpo docente da Virginia State College (atual Virginia State University) em Petersburg, de onde se retirou ao se aposentar em 1972. Nesta última conheceu aquele que seria seu marido a partir de 1938, o também professor James Arthur Moore. A filha do casal, Mary, se formaria dançarina e educadora.

Undine faleceu em 6 de fevereiro de 1989.

Composições:

A primeira composição de Undine após os exercícios dos tempos escolares é uma peça coral intitulada Sir Olafand the EH King’s Daughter. O texto foi adaptado do folclore norueguês.

Embora seu estilo tenha grande influência do período romântico alemão, observa-se a inclusão de elementos da música afro-americana que floresceu no Harlem durante as primeiras décadas do século XX. Ela também recorda em suas obras as músicas que ouvia a mãe cantar na infância.

Undine compôs diversas peças curtas com finalidade pedagógica, seja para piano ou para coro. Entre 1930 e 1940 ela fez arranjos para spirituals que ensinaria aos grupos que ensinava e regia. Somente na década de 1950 ela se dedicou mais fortemente à composição de grandes formas, tendo aulas com um de seus professores na Columbia, o compositor Howard Murphy. Ele também se interessava pela inserção de elementos da música africana nas composições de tradição europeia. Data de 1952 a composição de Daniel, Daniel, servant of the Lord.

Compôs o coral Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee para a comemoração dos 100 anos do Fisk Jubilee Singers em 1971. Entre 1971 e 1972 a autora viajou à África, o que teve efeito marcante em sua vida pessoal e musical. Em 1980 completou a cantata dedicada a Martin Luther King Scenes from the Life of a Martyr, para narrador, solistas, coro e orquestra. A cantata, cujos textos foram adaptados da Bíblia pela própria compositora, foi indicada ao Prêmio Pulitzer de composição em 1982.

Seu primeiro e único trio, Soweto, é de 1987. Utiliza a técnica dodecafônica sobre o ritmo da palavra soweto. Formada pelas sílabas iniciais de South Western Townships, (bairros do Sudoeste), soweto designava a reunião de bairros habitados por comunidades negras, formando uma cidade à parte de Johannesburg na época do apartheid. A cidade foi foco de resistência anti-racismo, pelo que foi violentamente atacada em junho de 1976.

Uma das canções cantadas por sua mãe foi transcrita pela compositora e publicada pela Warner Bros, alcançando grande sucesso. Undine trabalharia em prol da pesquisa, valorização e divulgação da música afro-americana em seus últimos anos como professora na Virginia State, estabelecendo um centro de investigação, arquivo e difusão da Música Negra.

Para conhecer sua obra:

Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord (chorus), 1952. Coral: NDSU. Disponível em:  https://youtu.be/JrEZOTKkkRQ.

Afro-American Suite (flute, cello, piano), 1969. Coral: The Eastside Preparatory School Choir. Regente: David Chaidez, teclados: Jansen Verplank. Disponível em:  https://youtu.be/azDQ41WyVfA.

Scenes from the Life of a Martyr (narrator, chorus, soloists, orchestra), 1980. Disponível em: https://youtu.be/7W_875VzSqA.

Come Down Angels (traditional); I Am in Doubt (Florence Hynes Willette); Watch and Pray (traditional). Marlissa Hudson, soprano; Marvin Mills, piano. Disponível em:  https://youtu.be/iLAQbjIxIA8.

We Shall Walk through the Valley (arr. U.S. Moore). Coral: Vocal Essence Ensemble Singers, regente: Philip Brunelle. Disponível em: https://youtu.be/3ItO8m2eCCI.

We Shall Walk In Peace. Disponível em: https://youtu.be/t4nVN1uBd-8.

Mais informação:

"Moore, Undine Smith." Contemporary Musicians. . Encyclopedia.com. 19 Jun. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.

FLOYD, Samuel, ed., International Dictionary of Black Composers, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1999.

HITCHCOCK, H. Wiley, The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, Macmillan, 1986.

SADIE, Stanley, ed., The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., Macmillan, 2001.

SMITH, Jessie Carney, ed., Notable Black American Women, Book I, Gale, 1992.

Composer of the Month: Undine Smith Moore

Biography:

Undine Eliza Anne Smith was born in Jarratt, Virginia, on August 25, 1904. At the time of her birth, the state of Virginia was predominantly rural. Her grandparents were slaves and her father worked as a railroad operator.

Nevertheless, Undine had a formal musical education combined with the experience of music of African origin. When she was 4 years old, her parents moved to Petersburg, visiting Jarratt during the family summer vacations. Her mother valued both music and literature, giving the daughter a musical learning that included, in addition to reading scores, composition. Began her piano studies whe she was 7, with Lillian Allen Darden. Between 8 and 9 years old, the girl was already creating small pieces, while listening to the chants of work and the so-called spirituals - religious music passed down orally from generation to generation in African-American communities.

Undine would make her musical career choice when she joined the Tennessee's Fisk University in Nashville as a scholarship holder. There she studied piano with Alice M. Grass. The institution was known for the excellent practice of African root choral music since 1870. Seeing her daughter's enthusiasm and progress in music studies, particularly at the piano, her father bought her a Steinway grand piano. Back in Virginia and thinking about a concert career, the composer deepened her studies of the European classic masters with a professor graduated from Fisk University.

Acquiring double degree in Piano and Musical Theory, the musician decided to deepen the studies in Musical Education at Columbia University Teacher's College of New York. In parallel she passed the Juilliard School of Music and the Eastman School of Music. She later joined Virginia State College faculty in Petersburg, Virginia, where she retired in 1972. There she met her husband, James Arthur Moore, who was also Professor in the institution. They got married in 1938. The couple's daughter, Mary, would become a dancer and educator.

Undine died on February 6, 1989.

Compositions:

Undine's first composition after the school exercises is a choral piece entitled Sir Olafand the EH King's Daughter. The text was adapted from Norwegian folklore.

Although her style has great influence of the German romantic period, it is observed the inclusion of elements of the African American music that flourished in Harlem during the first decades of the 20^th century. She also recalls in her works the songs she heard her mother sing as a child.

Undine composed several short pieces for pedagogical purposes, whether for piano or for choir. Between 1930 and 1940 she made arrangements for spirituals, which she would teach to the groups she taught and conducted. It was not until the 1950s that she devoted herself more strongly to composition in great ways, taking classes with one of her teachers at Columbia, the composer Howard Murphy. He was also interested in the insertion of elements of African music in the compositions of European tradition. Date of 1952 the composition of Daniel, Daniel, servant of the Lord, by Undine Smith Moore.

In 1971, she composed the choral Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee for the 100th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Between 1971 and 1972 the author traveled to Africa, which had a marked effect on her personal and musical life. In 1980 she completed the cantata dedicated to Martin Luther King Scenes from the Life of a Martyr, for narrator, soloists, choir and orchestra. The cantata, which texts were adapted from the Bible by the composer herself, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for composition in 1982.

Her first and only trio, Soweto, is from 1987. She uses the twelve-tone technique on the rhythm of the word soweto. Formed by the first syllables of South Western Townships, soweto designated a meeting of black communities forming a city apart from Johannesburg in the apartheid era. The city was anti-racism, reason why it was violently attacked in June of 1976.

One of the songs sung by her mother was transcribed by the composer and published by Warner Bros., achieving great success. Undine would work for the research, appreciation and spreading of African American music in her later years. As a teacher at Virginia State, she established a research center, archive and diffusion of Black Music.

To know her work:

Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord (chorus), 1952. Choir: NDSU. Available at:  https://youtu.be/JrEZOTKkkRQ.

Afro-American Suite (flute, cello, piano), 1969. Choir: The Eastside Preparatory School Choir. Director: David Chaidez, keyboard: Jansen Verplank. Available at:  https://youtu.be/azDQ41WyVfA.

Scenes from the Life of a Martyr (narrator, chorus, soloists, orchestra), 1980. Available at https://youtu.be/7W_875VzSqA.

Come Down Angels (traditional); I Am in Doubt (Florence Hynes Willette); Watch and Pray (traditional). Marlissa Hudson, soprano; Marvin Mills, piano. Available at:  https://youtu.be/iLAQbjIxIA8.

We Shall Walk through the Valley (arr. U.S. Moore). Choir: Vocal Essence Ensemble Singers, conductor: Philip Brunelle. Available at: https://youtu.be/3ItO8m2eCCI.

We Shall Walk In Peace. Available at: https://youtu.be/t4nVN1uBd-8.

More information:

"Moore, Undine Smith." Contemporary Musicians. . Encyclopedia.com. 19 Jun. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.

FLOYD, Samuel, ed., International Dictionary of Black Composers, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1999.

HITCHCOCK, H. Wiley, The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, Macmillan, 1986.

SADIE, Stanley, ed., The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., Macmillan, 2001.

SMITH, Jessie Carney, ed., Notable Black American Women, Book I, Gale, 1992.