Make a tax deductible contribution

Join the MHS eNewsletter Mailing List! myrtlehart.org - Black Orchestras Part 8
image
 
Main Menu
Home
About Us
Contact Us
MHS eNewsletter
Composers
Conductors
Instrumentalists
Vocalists
Featured Artists & Groups
Reviews
Donors
Search Site for...
Links
Newsflash
Fun Stuff
Hot Topic!
Bibliography
Events
Myrtle on the Web
Guestbook
Finding the truth is not enough.
What we also have to find is justice.
                               ~Rigoberta Menchu
Black Orchestras Part 8
Sunday, 10 June 2007

This series on Black Orchestras focuses on the 19th century and makes connections to the present. Although it’s informative, it’s also really frustrating that after three (3) centuries of documented evidence of the Black presence in classical music, racial authenticity in the symphonic and operatic works by Black composers is still an issue. *sigh*

To recap, I’ve demonstrated the emergence of the classical music ensembles (collective groups) from slave culture, and have spoken not only about what the groups produced, but how they were received by society. I’ve also addressed the overall emergence of the Black presence in classical music, as well as the progress of disadvantaged populations as they moved towards social acceptance and equality. How have I been doing so far? ;-)

Now what I want to discuss is the representation of concert music in the Black and the White communities respectively, and how concert music was a vehicle of integration in the 19th century. Ultimately, the fact that (mostly) Black orchestras were formed and maintained in the 19th century slave society demonstrates not only America’s fixation with European society and culture (manifested at the time in concert music), but also demonstrates critical and fascinating examples for the way our society operates.

So as you can tell, I like the writings of W.E.B Du Bois. In 'Dusk of Dawn' he stated that, “There is no way in which the American Negro can force this nation to treat him as equal until… the majority of whites, are willing to grant equality” (1940:194). He who holds the power..., right D.B? Du Bois viewed the engrained nature of racism and its consequent segregation problem (and ever-impending resolution) as dependent on White thought and society. He makes it clear that until those in control are ready to give you something, you gets nada. So you can kick and scream and advocate all you want, little Rashida “Revolutionary” Black. But in the end, it won’t happen for you until they’re good and ready, until they’ve figured out how they too can benefit from the modicum of leniency given to pacify you. Du Bois made his claim as if to say that knowing and accepting it as fact would diminish the oppressed struggles and frustrations with the world. But no one likes the truth, D.B.

But as concerns Blacks in classical music, and as I’ve stated before, 19th century Whites needed people to play at their social functions and entertain them with their own music, music with which they could identify, music from their homeland. So they trained those who already served them. And what did Blacks do? We did what we always do to enjoy our time here in purgatory: we managed to find a way to justify our presence in the music and make it work for us politically, economically and socially. It all breaks down to power and how to gain more, how to better even the playing field as we inch closer and closer to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Dream.” 

But think about what Du Bois is saying. It’s not JUST about Blacks fighting for equality, but about Whites also fighting for equality. Du Bois says “the majority of whites” must be on board to make changes happen. It’s hard for Black organizations to get a majority White vote. But thinking systematically, most of our White supporters are already in the institutions that grant (control) equality, so it’s really on them to work from the inside on our behalf! If they believe in equality for all, they’ve got to convince their contemporaries.

So essentially, I say all of this to test your memory (and provoke you to discussion). You know that this series is called Black Orchestras, but what I've suggested is that they were rarely all-Black. It was (and still is) difficult for all-Black anythings to exist. Integration in these orchestras may not have come about because the horn player got sick at that last minute and a White player filled-in last minute because there weren't any other available Black horn players. Politically (and probably monetarily) Blacks probably needed to racially integrate their orchestras. Whites' participation was essential to the survival of the Black ensemble. There were, of course, all-Black performing groups, but I'll bet you dimes to donuts, it served the group much better to integrate which made them more socially acceptable (elevated social status), economically profitable (money=power=elevation of social status) and thusly elevated politically. 

But maybe it wasn't all that complicated. Maybe Black orchestra organizers already accepted what Du Bois stated.  Maybe the two groups, Black performers and White supporters, struggled together for compromise for integration and racial advancements to take place. And really, is there anything wrong with integration? Why not show that both races can co-exist harmoniously (pun intended)? Why not demonstrate that the two can work together to produce appealling music? Why segregate? Perhaps inclusion makes granting equality easier for Blacks...

What say you?
 
< Prev   Next >
   
 
© 2012 myrtlehart.org
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.
   
79 queries executed
1
SELECT folder, element, published, params
 FROM jos_mambots
 WHERE published >= 1
 AND access <= 0
 AND folder = 'system'
 ORDER BY ordering
2 SELECT template FROM jos_templates_menu WHERE client_id = 0 AND ( menuid = 0 OR menuid = 141 ) ORDER BY menuid DESC LIMIT 1
3 DELETE FROM jos_session WHERE ( ( time < '1328524207' ) AND guest = 0 AND gid > 0 ) OR ( ( time < '1328524207' ) AND guest = 1 AND userid = 0 )
4 SELECT * FROM jos_session WHERE session_id = '3569443d70ba5a7ae6acd7211a95c07d'
5 SELECT session_id FROM jos_session WHERE session_id = '162a6acc27f710890a19713fdddacf10'
6 INSERT INTO jos_session ( `session_id`,`time`,`username`,`gid`,`guest` ) VALUES ( '162a6acc27f710890a19713fdddacf10','1328525107','','0','1' )
7 SELECT `params` FROM `jos_mambots` WHERE `element`='azrul.system'
8 SELECT COUNT(*) FROM jos_stats_agents WHERE agent = 'Unknown' AND type = 0
9 UPDATE jos_stats_agents SET hits = ( hits + 1 ) WHERE agent = 'Unknown' AND type = 0
10 SELECT COUNT(*) FROM jos_stats_agents WHERE agent = 'Unknown' AND type = 1
11 UPDATE jos_stats_agents SET hits = ( hits + 1 ) WHERE agent = 'Unknown' AND type = 1
12 SELECT COUNT(*) FROM jos_stats_agents WHERE agent = 'Unknown' AND type = 2
13 UPDATE jos_stats_agents SET hits = ( hits + 1 ) WHERE agent = 'Unknown' AND type = 2
14 SELECT * FROM jos_menu WHERE id = 141
15 SELECT a.*, u.name AS author, u.usertype, cc.name AS category, s.name AS section, g.name AS groups, s.published AS sec_pub, cc.published AS cat_pub, s.access AS sec_access, cc.access AS cat_access, s.id AS sec_id, cc.id as cat_id FROM jos_content AS a LEFT JOIN jos_categories AS cc ON cc.id = a.catid LEFT JOIN jos_sections AS s ON s.id = cc.section AND s.scope = 'content' LEFT JOIN jos_users AS u ON u.id = a.created_by LEFT JOIN jos_groups AS g ON a.access = g.id WHERE a.id = 154 AND ( a.state = 1 OR a.state = -1 ) AND ( a.publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_up <= '2012-02-06 03:45' ) AND ( a.publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_down >= '2012-02-06 03:45' ) AND a.access <= 0
16 SELECT a.id FROM jos_content AS a WHERE a.catid = 1 AND a.state = 1 AND a.access <= 0 AND ( a.state = 1 OR a.state = -1 ) AND ( a.publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_up <= '2012-02-06 03:45' ) AND ( a.publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_down >= '2012-02-06 03:45' ) ORDER BY a.ordering
17 UPDATE jos_content SET hits = ( hits + 1 ) WHERE id = '154'
18 SELECT folder, element, published, params FROM jos_mambots WHERE access <= 0 AND folder = 'content' ORDER BY ordering
19 SELECT * FROM jos_jreactConfig LIMIT 1
20 SELECT a.* FROM jos_components AS a WHERE ( a.admin_menu_link = 'option=com_syndicate' OR a.admin_menu_link = 'option=com_syndicate&hidemainmenu=1' ) AND a.option = 'com_syndicate'
21 SELECT id, title, module, position, content, showtitle, params FROM jos_modules AS m INNER JOIN jos_modules_menu AS mm ON mm.moduleid = m.id WHERE m.published = 1 AND m.access <= 0 AND m.client_id != 1 AND ( mm.menuid = 0 OR mm.menuid = 141 ) ORDER BY ordering
22 SELECT m.* FROM jos_menu AS m WHERE menutype = 'mainmenu' AND published = 1 AND access <= 0 ORDER BY parent, ordering
23 select published from jos_categories where id=3
24 select s.published from jos_sections s, jos_categories c where c.id=3 and c.section=s.id
25 SELECT * FROM jos_content WHERE catid=3 AND ( publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR publish_up <= now() ) AND ( publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR publish_down >= now() ) AND state = 1 ORDER BY created DESC LIMIT 100
26 select published from jos_categories where id=22
27 select s.published from jos_sections s, jos_categories c where c.id=22 and c.section=s.id
28 SELECT * FROM jos_content WHERE catid=22 AND ( publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR publish_up <= now() ) AND ( publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR publish_down >= now() ) AND state = 1 ORDER BY created DESC LIMIT 100
29 select published from jos_categories where id=39
30 select s.published from jos_sections s, jos_categories c where c.id=39 and c.section=s.id
31 SELECT * FROM jos_content WHERE catid=39 AND ( publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR publish_up <= now() ) AND ( publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR publish_down >= now() ) AND state = 1 ORDER BY created DESC LIMIT 100
32 SELECT m.* FROM jos_menu AS m WHERE menutype = 'funstuff' AND published = 1 AND access <= 0 ORDER BY parent, ordering
33 SELECT COUNT( id ) FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1
34 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219'
35 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=198'
36 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=175'
37 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=171'
38 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164'
39 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163'
40 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8'
41 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=153'
42 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=160'
43 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155'
44 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=169'
45 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=154'
46 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=152'
47 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=147'
48 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9'
49 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=143'
50 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=206'
51 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=209'
52 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=205'
53 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=137'
54 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=201'
55 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=196'
56 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=202'
57 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=195'
58 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=203'
59 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=197'
60 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=200'
61 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=192'
62 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=204'
63 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=191'
64 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=207'
65 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190'
66 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=185'
67 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134'
68 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=182'
69 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131'
70 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=173'
71 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128'
72 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=127'
73 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122'
74 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=115'
75 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108'
76 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97'
77 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62'
78 SELECT id FROM jos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53'
79 SELECT * FROM jos_jreactConfig LIMIT 1