2: Michelle CANN on Florence PRICE• Living the Classical Life Ep.113B
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- Опубликовано: 17 июл 2024
- "I am inspired by her strength because in the face of so much rejection, she kept writing." -Pianist Michelle Cann
Our second episode with Michelle Cann focuses on the life and works of pianist-composer Florence Price. An inspired evaluation of a life and work that was mostly rejected, and of the sudden spotlight on pieces that Michelle Cann passionately loves and believes in. Her reflections on life circumstances, sincerity, and mission are as pertinent for today's world as they were for Florence Price's.
0:00 Opening and Price Sonata
1:27 Cleveland Travelogue
3:29 Connecting with Florence Price
8:53 Historic Firsts • Philadelphia Orchestra
12:48 Difficult questions promoting good music
18:03 What we focus on: responses to passion
27:27 Closing credits
Episode 113 Part 2 • Running time 28 minutes • Filmed in Cleveland Ohio September 2022
Video www.Katalog-film.de
For more and to support the show please visit www.classical-life.com
We thank you for watching
![[excerpt] The Caged Bird: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price](/img/1.gif)
"We have to normalise anyone who is playing good music." So right. Thanks for your authentic voice, Michelle Cann. Zsolt Bognar, you are such a great interviewer because of your musicianship, understanding of the musical world, humanity, gentleness and musical curiosity.
Thank you so so much for these wonderful words of encouraging feedback! We are so grateful to have you here-zsolt ✨🙏
What a fantastic interview. Such thoughtful questions (Zsolt is as virtuosic with his interviewing skills as his guests are with their instruments), and I just love her answers. Imagine what our classical music landscape would look like if composers like Florence Price had been accepted and embraced. Hopefully that is starting to change.
I'm looking forward to seeing Michelle play the Rach 2 next month in Atlanta.
Just getting to your incredible comment now, much delayed-thank you so much for your detailed feedback and support! How was the performance in Atlanta? We are envious! -zsolt ✨
That part, beginning at 12:48. True story, in 1998, I was at Valparaiso University as an adjunct piano teacher, about to give a recital with my graduate school friend, a program of music by African American female composers, mind you. I was finishing a rehearsal with my student at the same time the VU Law School was conducting its mock trials. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas was coming out of the theater at the same time as my student and I were coming out of the recital hall. My student wanted to meet him. Reluctantly (on my part), we went up to him and introduced ourselves. I told him we were preparing for a recital the following night. He looked interested and asked the fatal question, "Oh really? What are you singing?" I explained that we were pianists, but this happens so many times. If you're African American and female, you must be a singer. I applaud Michelle Cann's fortitude to play the music that matters. We continue to strive.
That’s an incredible story you share, and very important. Thank you so much for watching and adding to the conversation!
Wow. The music of a genius performed by a genius. Doesn't get better.
So glad you enjoyed-thanks for watching! ✨🙏
@@Living-the-Classical-Life Both Bognar and Cann are sensitive, thoughtful, and intelligent. A wonderful experience.
You go girl! I'm working on the Sonata in e minor by Florence Price. I will be performing it on my Masters recital. Thank you for reinforcing my commitment.
Thanks so much for watching-we’re glad this episode resonated in such a way as to inspire your own performances! Let us know how it goes ✨👍
Good luck!
She composed splendid music!
Thank you ❤
Beautifully performed!
Grazie Maestra ❤
Thanks for watching! We were so delighted to have the chance to share this story and some of her music from such a passionate performer. -zsolt
This channel has turned out to be one of the most meaningful, and frankly beautiful, experiences for me on RUclips. And, I’m not even a musician, I’m an architect. The stories are truly inspiring in confronting how other creative souls struggle with their technē and poiesis. Congratulations Zsolt, please keep it up! Congratulations Michelle, your voyage of discovery is truly appreciated. We see you!!!
@@dionwilson8913 thank you so much for this incredibly meaningful feedback-my older brother and father are also architects! I’m really hoping to lead these conversations from the angle of human interest stories and what it means to follow a passion and to navigate the path. It actually means especially a lot when we hear we are reaching people who are not musicians. Please keep in touch! We are so grateful-zsolt ✨🙏
😮 OMG, is your dad Boltond Bognar?
Oops, wrong spelling, Botond.
What a joy to watch and listen to both of you. Wonderful music too. And now I also know who Fl. Price is. 💖🌷 Thank you for this musical lesson ! (Netherlands)
Thank you for being a beautiful spirit and for the light you bring into this world and to us ✨🙏-zsolt
I love William Grant- Still who just happened to be Florence Prices' neighbor.
I love his music too and need to know it better-didn’t realize they were neighbors! -zsolt ✨
Madam Michelle Cann, Your wits, intelligence and pure honesty is incredible. Continue to speak truth to conscience and be a voice for change. Hopefully this question from Florence Price's letter will be a fulfillment for diversity, equality and inclusion, purely based on the same level of competence everyone possesses irrespective of race and not a token. This is except from Florence Price's letter:
In 1943 she wrote a now infamous letter to the conductor of the Boston Symphony, Dr Koussevitsky, saying “To begin with I have two handicaps, that of sex and race. I am a woman and I have negro blood in my veins. Knowing the worst, would you be good enough to hold in check the inclination to regard a womans composition as long on emotionalism and short on virility and thought content until you have examined some of my work?”
We just heard a radio documentary last night in which they shared this incredible and heartbreaking letter-thanks for sharing it here ✨ So astonishing what she had to navigate.
Another great interview. I've been intrigued by the renewed interest in Florence Price's work over the past couple years. Although some of her compositions--e.g. the second violin concerto--show some interesting originality, I haven't always been convinced that her work merits being placed alongside other great composers of the 20th century. Michelle Cann's performance of the piano sonata is nonetheless quite lovely. She has convinced me to listen again to Price's other works.
Glad you enjoyed the episode! It's been fascinating to learn some of the history and context of Price's works, and to just get familiar with her output--we've been exploring the symphonic works--really interesting. Thanks for being in touch! -zsolt
LOL I heard the sonata once and had no idea who the composer was. What is so crazy about the negligence is that pianists (like myself) and audiences are always going on about playing the "same old thing" but the alternative is wildly unpopular "modern" music for which the conductor must preface: "Remember that melody, rhythm and harmony are techniques only ..blah blah"
Romantic music fits that bill so well and there are so many unknowns out there with incredible music - Szymanowski, Bortkiewicz, etc Really surprised someone has not issued the "complete recordings" of Price - what an undertaking that would be, ripping the veil on a world hidden until now.
Glad we were able to help put the name of the composer to the piece! We are definitely of the same opinion that there is fantastic music out there deserving much more attention in many avenues. We are grateful to you for following our episodes and for writing to us! ✨🙏
Wonderful interview. Michelle is such an interesting person.
I'd like to hear Michelle talk about how she grew up. Isn't she from the Bahamas? There are few well-known classical musicians from the Caribbean.
That’s a really good point-I’d love to hear more about her background too-it was hard to prioritize everything for the conversation, since it was indeed long enough to divide it into two parts, which is a first for us! Didn’t want to cut anything! I think Michelle‘s parents immigrated and she herself was born in Florida-zsolt
@@Living-the-Classical-Life Never be afraid to make longer videos. Once the content is good (and this IS good content), people listen, even if it takes us a while to finish it all.
I don't know why I thought she was from the Caribbean. One day we'll have a part 3. We wait patiently. 🙂
I'm producing a feature film about the untold, true story of Florence Price - America's forgotten musical genius and it's first Black female classical compser. I have interest in Hollywod an investor in New York and in discussion with top agency CAA. Next month there will be a crowdfunding campaign to coincide with Women's History Month.
That’s incredible-please keep us posted and we will help get out the word on our social media channels ✨👍
@@Living-the-Classical-Life