The night is beautiful,
So the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful,
So the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.~Langston Hughes
In a few short weeks I will be performing on Thursday Musical’s Artist Series Concert ‘I dreamed a World.’ In a matter of moments I knew what I’d be doing. Parts of ‘Genius Child’ by Ricky Ian Gordon as I’ve had a particular fondness of this song cycle for about 10 years. Text by an infamous black poet and music by a contemporary white man who brought in jazz and blues and all sorts of nifty little nuggets based in the African American traditions. As I was choosing I almost just chose songs that I’d already done, but I thought I’d give myself a little challenge and learn some of the new ones. After all, I’m probably doing the whole cycle (FOR THE FIRST TIME) in June.
Anyway, this particular text and song gave me pause. Firstly, because it’s quite a high setting and as you’ll learn as this blog goes along is my…interesting relationship with my voice. Despite being a soprano, my high notes have never come out quite how I thought they should, slim and brilliant and effortless. But enough on that, the second thing that gave me pause was the text. It speaks about Hughes’ people, representing them by the nature that surrounds us. And I got to wondering…am I black enough to be singing this? Who are my people? Did Gordon have any right setting this text? At first, I reached for anger that yet another uniquely African American saying was overrun by a white person and used for his gain. But then I relaxed into it, I listened to Harolyn Blackwell and Nicole Cabell sing it. I tried it and I felt home. It is a classical melody with interesting chords underneath and is unbelievably gorgeous. A simple tune set with beautiful text and harmonies. And I answered my questions: yes, I am bi-racial it is represented in my voice, my people are my community that I have built through this wonderful thing called music and absolutely Gordon had every right to set this text.