# Samuel Coleridge-Taylor



## kamerwagnerian

Just discovered Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. I'm only a classical music amateur so I've mostly been exploring "Top 10" and "Best" compilations. These usually contain music from the greatest giants. I had never seen Coleridge-Taylor's name before. However the title "Song of Hiawatha" sounded familiar. Listening to it now is so magical and refreshing. Interestingly, there are many stains in it that remind me of Dvorak's "Symphony for A New World" which is said to be also inspired by Longfellow's poem. _Chapeau_. :tiphat:


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## MagneticGhost

I think Coleridge Taylor mined the same negro spirituals and other influences albeit from a completely different starting point. 
CT wrote some great works - listen out for his Clarinet Quintet and 24 Negro Melodies. 
I love his Hiawatha Trilogy also. Great set on Argo with Bryn Terfel and the Welsh National Opera


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## manyene

Welcome from a slightly 'older' new member. Yes, Coleridge-Taylor was one of the bright new stars in the world of Edwardian Britain, praised by Elgar, but was struck down by a severe illness before he reached his full potential. He wrote an interesting symphony (which you can find in a very cheap collection of English symphonies issued by Membran a couple years ago) and an even more interesting violin concerto. The 'Song'' was very popular fare between the two world wars, and most amateur choral societies will have attempted the very popular first part, Hiawatha's Wedding Feast 'at some stage in their existence.-it is very tuneful, technically not too demanding and has a glorious tenor solo in the middle.


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## kamerwagnerian

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm currently on his Romance in G Major. I love string music and this piece is so lovely. Will listen to your suggestions later during the day. I wonder what he would have become had he lived longer. And also which other budding great composers are out there that I am yet to discover. Its refreshing to be able to switch back and forth from lesser known to superstar and always get a quality musical experience. Cheers, guys.


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## Huilunsoittaja

I enjoy his Petite Suite for orchestra very much. That's the first work I ever heard by him.


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## Orfeo

His Variations on an African Air is pretty superb (what a coda!). And I would also track down his Twenty-four Negro Melodies for pianoforte if I were you. Here is a great album here.
http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Negro-...0230&sr=1-12&keywords=Samuel+Coleridge-Taylor


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## Figleaf

I used to have- probably do have somewhere- a 78 of Walter Glynne singing 'Onaway, awake, beloved' from Hiawatha. It's a lovely performance. I couldn't find that particular recording on Youtube- it was a good old plum label HMV from the 30s, but I found this, which has Glynne singing with the Royal Choral Society under Malcolm Sargent:






^^ The aforementioned tenor solo starts at 17.05. It's not the same performance nor indeed quite such an expressive one as the first of Glynne's recordings that I had, but it's still pure nostalgia for me. He's a very underrated lyric tenor whose records were very easy to find in British junk shops 25 years ago or so, when I was collecting.


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## manyene

Yes, this was the solo I tried to remember the title of in my previous post. It demonstrates yet another talent he was not able to develop, as an opera composer.


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## hreichgott

dholling said:


> Twenty-four Negro Melodies for pianoforte


These are definitely good, particularly Deep River and Wade in the Water.
I think Coleridge Taylor has suffered from exoticism over the last century in that the works of his that are performed tend to be the ones specifically Negro-identified. There is so much more. During his lifetime he was fortunate to have quite a number of pieces published of various kinds, and a lot are on imslp. His short piano works are a lot like the Dvorak short piano works, often better, I think.


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## Orfeo

hreichgott said:


> These are definitely good, particularly Deep River and Wade in the Water.
> I think Coleridge Taylor has suffered from exoticism over the last century in that the works of his that are performed tend to be the ones specifically Negro-identified. There is so much more. During his lifetime he was fortunate to have quite a number of pieces published of various kinds, and a lot are on imslp. His short piano works are a lot like the Dvorak short piano works, often better, I think.


I tend to agree with your assessment.


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## starthrower

I had this guy confused with English poet Taylor-Coleridge.


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