Florence Price

Florence Beatrice Smith Price ( born April 9, 1887 in Little Rock, Arkansas, † June 3, 1953 in Chicago (Illinois ) was the first African American woman who became known as a composer of classical music in the United States.

Biography

Price joined at the age of four years for the first time as a pianist. At the elementary school her hometown, she had piano lessons with Charlotte Andrews Stephens. Her first composition was published when she was eleven years old. After visiting the Capitol High School, she studied from 1903 to 1906 at the New England Conservatory Music Theory at Frederick Shepherd Converse and George Whitefield Chadwick and organ with Henry Morton Dunham.

From 1906 to 1910, she taught at Shorter College in Arkansas, then to 1912 at Clark Atlanta University. In 1912 she married the lawyer Thomas J. Price and settled in Little Rock, where she gave private lessons and devoted himself to composition. After race riots in 1927 or 1928 she moved to Chicago.

It was here that compositions like the fantasy Nègre for Violin and Piano ( 1929) and Symphony in E minor, with which she won the 1932 Wanamaker Prize and was performed for the World Expo in 1933 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Frederick Stock. At the American Conservatory and the Chicago Musical College, she studied composition and orchestration at Carl Busch and Wesley La Violette.

After her divorce from Thomas J. Price, she lived from her income as a piano teacher and the composition of popular songs, which she published under the pseudonym Vee Jay. She also worked as Stummfilmorganistin and orchestrated pieces for radio. On June 3, 1953, she died in Chicago a stroke.

Works

Orchestral works

Chicago suite for orchestra
Colonial dance symphony for orchestra
Concert overture based on Sinner please do not let this harvest pass for orchestra
Concert overture on Negro spirituals, no 1 for orchestra
Concert overture on Negro spirituals, no 2 for orchestra
Concerto for piano, D minor
Concerto for piano, F minor, 1932
Concerto for violin, no 1, D major, 1952
Concerto for violin, no 2, 1952
Ethiopia 's shadow in America for orchestra, 1932
Mississippi River suite; the river and the songs Of Those dwelling upon its banks for orchestra, 1934
Overture no 1 for orchestra
Overture no 2 for orchestra
Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra
Song of the oak for orchestra
Suite of Negro dances for orchestra
Symphonic tone poem for orchestra
Symphony no 1, E minor, 1932
Symphony no 2, G minor, 193?
Symphony no 3, C minor, 1940
Symphony no 4, D minor
The oak for orchestra

Choral works

Abraham Lincoln for choir, organ and orchestra
After the first and sixth commandments for choir
Alleluia for choir
An Indian summer on the prairie for female choir
Banjo song for female chorus
Blue bell for female choir
Communion service for choir
Heav'n bound soldier for women's choir and piano
Hold out yo 'light for female choir
Lincoln walks at midnight for chorus and orchestra
Nature's magic for women's choir and piano
Nod for male chorus, text: Walter de la Mare
Ode to you for choir, piano and organ
Poem of praise for chorus and piano, text: Elizabeth Coatsworth
Seagulls for women's choir, flute, violin, viola, cello and piano, 1951
Song for snow for chorus and piano, 1930
Spring journey for female choir and orchestra
Summer clouds for choir
The new moon for women's choir and piano
The waves of Breffney for choir
The wind and the sea for Choir, Piano and String Orchestra
Witch of the meadow for women's choir and piano, text: Mary Gamble Rolofson

Chamber Music

American folksongs in counterpoint for String Quartet
By candlelight for Violin and Piano, 1929
Elfin Dance for Violin and Piano
2 Moods for Flute or Violin, Clarinet and Piano
Negro folk songs for string quartet
5 Negro folksongs in counterpoint for String Quartet
Piece for Violin and Piano
Playful rondo for violin and piano, 1928
Quartet, string quartet
Quintet, Piano Quintet e.Moll, 1936
Suite for Winds and Piano
The deserted garden for Violin and Piano

Piano Works

A lovely winter day for Piano, 1949
A morning sunbeam for Piano
A photographer for Piano
A sachem 's pipe for piano, 1935
A wee bit of Erin for Piano
Annie Laurie for piano four- hands, 1928
Anticipation for Piano
Arkansas jitter for piano, 1938
Autumn echoes for Piano
At the cotton gin; a Southern sketch for piano, 1927
Bayou dance for piano, 1938
Birds in the forest for piano
Blue skies for Piano
Bright eyes for Piano
Brownies on the seashore for Piano
Cabin song for piano
Climbing the mountain for Piano
Clover blossom for piano, 1947
Cotton dance for piano, 1931
Criss -cross, rock-a - bye for piano, 1947
Dainty feet for Piano
Dance of the cotton blossoms for piano, 1938
Dances in the canebreaks for piano, 1953
Dark pool for Piano
Doll waltz for piano
5 Easy pieces for grade 2 for piano, 1928
Echoes for Piano
Evening for Piano
Nègre fantasy for piano, 1929
Fantasy nègre no 2 for piano
Fantasy nègre no 3 for piano
Fantasy nègre no 4 for Piano
2 Fantasies on folk tunes for piano
Golden corn tassles for Piano
Here and there for piano, 1947
Hiking for Piano
Hoe cake for two pianos
In the land o ' cotton for piano, 1926
Joy in June for Piano
Lake mirror for Piano
Levee dance for piano, 1937
3 Little Negro Dances for Piano, 1933
Little pieces on black keys for piano
Litte pieces on white keys on the piano
March of the beetles; clover blossom for piano, 1947
Mellow twilight, tone poem for piano, 1929
Memories of Dixieland for piano, 1947
Memory crap for Piano
3 Miniature portraits of Uncle Joe, written to depict various stages of his life at 17, 25, and 70 for piano, 1947
Moon behind a cloud for Piano
3 Negro dances for piano
Nimble feet for piano, 1953
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen for Piano, 1938
Nodding poppies for Piano
On higher ground for Piano
On parade for Piano
On top of a tree for Piano
Pensive mood for Piano
Placid lake for piano
Rock-a- bye for piano, 1947
Rocking chair for piano, 1939
Silent night for piano
3 Sketches for little pianists, 1937
Sonata E minor for Piano, 1932
Strong men, forward! for piano
Swaying buttercups for Piano
Tecumseh for Piano
The bridle path for Piano
The butterfly on piano
The engine for Piano
The flame for Piano
The froggie and the rabbit for Piano
The gnat and the bee for piano, 1936
The goblin and the mosquito for piano, 1951
The old boatman for piano, 1951
The rose on piano
The sea swallow for piano, 1951
The swing for piano
The waltzing fairy for piano, 1928
The waterfall for Piano
The zephyr; el cefiro, Mexican folk song for piano
To a little girl for Piano
Three bough for Piano
Two traditional Negro spirituals
Tropical Moon for Piano
Undecided for Piano
Up and down the stairs; up and down the ladder for Piano
Were you there whenthey crucified my Lord? for piano, 1942
Who wants to dance with me? for piano

Organ Works

A pleasant thought for Organ, 1951
Adoration for Organ, 1951
Allegretto for Organ
Andantino for organ
Dainty let for Organ
Evening song for Organ, 1951
Festal march for organ
Hourglass for Organ
In quiet mood for Organ, 1941
Little melody for Organ
Offertory for organ
Passacaglia and Fugue for Organ
Prelude and Fantasy for organ, 1942
Retrospection for Organ
Short works for organ
Sonata no 1, D minor for organ
Suite no 1 for Organ
The hourglass for Organ
Variations on a folk song, Peter go ring the bells for Organ

Songs

A sailor 's song for medium voice and piano, 1946
A smiling face for Voice and Piano
A song of living for medium voice and piano
A white rose for medium voice and piano
On April day for medium voice and piano, text: Joseph F. Cotter, 1949
Ardella for medium voice and piano, 1935
Baby my own for voice and piano, 1928
Because for medium voice and piano
Beside the sea for medium voice and piano
Bewilderment for medium voice and piano
Bruno, the bear for Voice and Piano, 1948
City called heaven for Voice and Piano
Cobbler for medium voice and piano
Cresent moon for Voice and Piano
Dat 's my gal for medium voice and piano, 1935
Dawn's awakening for medium voice and piano, 1936
Death's gwineter lay his cold icy hands on me for medium voice and piano
Desire for Voice and Piano
Deep river for high voice and piano
Dream ships for Voice and Piano, 1935
Dreamin ' town for medium voice and piano, text: Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1936
Dream Ships for medium voice and piano
Easy goin 'for medium voice and piano
4 Encore songs for voice and piano
Every dream Has A scheme for voice and piano, 1929
Every time I feel the spirit for high voice and piano
Fantasy in purple for medium voice and piano, text: Langston Hughes
Feet o ' Jesus for medium voice and piano
Foggy night for medium voice and piano, 1946
Forever for medium voice and piano, for text: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Go down, Moses for medium voice and piano
God gives me you for medium voice and piano, 1946
Goo - bye jinks for medium voice and piano
Hitch up your belts, boys! for Voice and Piano, 1942
Hold fast to dreams for voice and piano, text: Langston Hughes
I am bound for de kingdom, and I'm workin ' on my buildin ' for medium voice and piano, 1939
I grew a rose for medium voice and piano
I remember for Voice and Piano, 1934
If I did not love you for voice and piano ( under the pseudonym Vee Jey ), 1945
I'm going to lay down my heavy load for medium voice and piano
In back o ' the clouds for voice and piano, 1930
It's all on account of the sunshine for Voice and Piano
It's snowing for medium voice and piano
Just a dream that never came true for voice and piano, 1929
Just to be near you for voice and piano, 1948
Let's build a little love nest for voice and piano, 1930
Listen, baby, for voice and piano, 1928
Little things for Voice and Piano
Looking for someone to love for voice and piano, 1934
Lord, I can not stay away for Voice and Piano
Love dreams for voice and piano, 1930
Love in a crap for medium voice and piano, text: Mary Rolofson
Lover's lane for Voice and Piano
Memories of you for voice and piano
Moon Bridge for High Voice and Piano, 1930
Morning for medium voice and piano
My dream for medium voice and piano, text: Langston Hughes
My little soul 's goin 'to shine for medium voice and piano
My neighbor for medium voice and piano
My soul 's been anchored in the Lord for medium voice and piano
Night for medium voice and piano, text: Louise C. Wallace
Nightfall for medium voice and piano, text: Paul Laurence Dunbar
O lamb of God for Voice and Piano
On the other shore for Voice and Piano
On the playground for Voice and Piano
Out of the south blew a soft sweet wind for medium voice and piano, text: Fannie Carter Woods
Pittance for voice and piano, text: Don Vincent Gray
Resignation for Voice and Piano, 1946
Roll, Jordan, roll for high voice and piano
Save me, Lord, save me for medium voice and piano
Sentimental moonlight for Voice and Piano, 1947
Ships did pass in the night for medium voice and piano
Some o ' These Days for medium voice and piano
Song is so old for Voice and Piano
Song of hope for medium voice and piano
Song of the open road for medium voice and piano
Song to the dark virgin for medium voice and piano, 1941
2 Songs for Voice and Piano
4 Songs for bass baritone and piano
Summer night for medium voice and piano
Sunset for Voice and Piano, 1938
Sympathy for medium voice and piano, text: Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1943
The bowl is cracked for Voice and Piano
The envious wren for medium voice and piano, text: Alice Cary and Phoebe Cary
The glory of the day what in her face for voice and piano, text: James Weldon Johnson
The heart of a woman for medium voice and piano
The Iceland of my dreams for voice and piano, 1928
The moo -cow, Fido and Kitty for Voice and Piano, 1949
The moon bridge, for high voice and piano, text: Mary Rolofson Gamble, 1930
The poet and his song for medium voice and piano
The retort for medium voice and piano
The washerwoman for medium voice and piano
Then I found heaven when i found you for voice and piano, 1938
They lie, They lie for medium voice and piano, text: David Morton. 1946
To my little son for high voice and piano, text: Julia Johnson Davis
Travel 's end for high voice and piano, text: Mary Falwell Hoisington
Trouble done come my way for medium voice and piano
Hiking thirst for medium voice and piano
We have tomorrow for medium voice and piano
Weary traveler for medium voice and piano
What is love? for Voice and Piano
What's the use? for medium voice and piano, 1930
Who grope with love for hands for medium voice and piano
Winter idyll for medium voice and piano
Winter must come for Voice and Piano
Will not you please play Santa Claus? for Voice and Piano, 1928
Words for a spiritual for medium voice and piano, 1948
You did not know this baby for voice and piano, 1928
You're in my heart to stay for Voice and Piano, 1948
Your leafy voice for medium voice and piano

Swell

AfriClassical.com - Florence Beatrice Price (1887-1953)
Classical Composers Database - Florence Price
University of Arkansas Library - Florence Beatrice Smith Price (1888-1953)

American composer
Born in 1887
Died in 1953
Woman

Century of Progress Integrated Authority File

340044