Black Horn (eBook)

The Story of Classical French Hornist Robert Lee Watt

Robert Lee Watt (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2014
300 Seiten
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (Verlag)
978-1-4422-3939-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Today, the number of African Americans who hold chairs in major American symphony orchestras are few and far between, and Watt is the first in many years to write about this uniquely exhilarating—and at times painful—experience.

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The Black Horn: The Story of Classical French Hornist Robert Lee Watt tells the story of the first African American French Hornist hired by a major symphony in the United States. Today, few African Americans hold chairs in major American symphony orchestras, and Watt is the first in many years to write about this uniquely exhilaratingand at times painfulexperience. The Black Horn chronicles the upbringing of a young boy fascinated by the sound of the French horn. Watt walks readers through the many obstacles of the racial climate in the United States, both on and off stage, and his efforts to learn and eventually master an instrument little considered in the African American community. Even the author's own father, who played trumpet, sought to dissuade the young classical musician in the making. He faced opposition from within the communitywhere the instrument was deemed by Watt's father a ';middle instrument suited only for thin-lipped white boys'and from without. Watt also documented his struggles as a student at a nearly all-white major music conservatory, as well as his first job in a major symphony orchestra after the conservatory canceled his scholarship.Watt subsequently chronicles his triumphs and travails as a musician when confronting the realities of race in America and the world of classical music. This book will surely interest any classical musician and student, particularly those of color, seeking to grasp the sometimes troubled history of being the only ';black horn.'

Autor

Robert Lee Watt studied French horn at the New England Conservatory of Music with Harry Shapiro of the Boston Symphony. In 1970, he was hired by the Los Angeles Philharmonic as assistant first French horn under maestro Zubin Mehta.

Inhalt

Chapter 1: Prelude Chapter 2: Early Memories Chapter 3: Back to Asbury Park Chapter 4: Left Back Chapter 5: First Love Chapter 6: Music Chose Me Chapter 7: Adolescent SecretsChapter 8: A Random BlessingChapter 9: First Date Chapter 10: Pleasure and PainChapter 11: Lessons in LifeChapter 12: My Great Escape Chapter 13: First Sweet VictoryChapter 14: TensionChapter 15: Welcome to the WorldChapter 16: Music Camp/Boston Pops Chapter 17: Best SummerChapter 18: Turning ProChapter 19: Loving a Colored Girl Chapter 20: Greeting ManhoodChapter 21: In Love / Tanglewood Chapter 22: The Musical MountainChapter 23: First Audition Chapter 24: Madness!Chapter 25: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Chapter 26: The DreamChapter 27: Black Los AngelesChapter 28: Deeper Into the DreamChapter 29: Emotions MiscellaneousChapter 30: To Viet Nam?Chapter 31: On with LifeChapter 32: Fear of Flying Chapter 33: Japan Chapter 34: The New Black Player / The Ark Chapter 35: Leave the LA Philharmonic? Chapter 36: What we fear the mostChapter 37: Conversations with Jerome Ashby Chapter 38: Challenged by a PeerChapter 39: Give it upChapter 40: My Sandbox BuddyChapter 41: Where had he been all my life?Chapter 42: Who was he really?Chapter 43: Tales from the SymphonyChapter 44: Final RevelationsChapter 45: The New Brass Ensemble / Madame Chapter 46: More European Adventures Chapter 47: A Black Brass Quintet in Finland ? Chapter 48: Enchanting EncountersChapter 49: What I live forChapter 50: “It’s Good to be Negro!”Chapter 51: Missing Miles Chapter 52: Salzburg Festival Chapter 53: FinaleAppendix: List of Negro Musicians at the New York Philharmonic, April 1969

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.10.2014
• Reihe/Serie: African American Cultural Theory and Heritage
• Zusatzinfo: 42 Illustrations including: - 42 Halftones, Black & White including Black & White Photographs.
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Biografien / Erfahrungsberichte
• Themenwelt: Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Musik ► Instrumentenkunde
• Themenwelt: Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Musik ► Klassik / Oper / Musical
• Schlagworte: African America musicians • African American Culture • African American Musicians • Biography • Bob Lee • brass player • Classical music • classical musician • Famous African Americans • horn player • music history and critcism • music history and criticism • Orchestral • Symphony
• ISBN-10: 1-4422-3939-5 / 1442239395
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4422-3939-5 / 9781442239395