Maud Cuney Hare of Boston, Mass., has for years been recognized as one of the leading pianists in America. She is nationally and internationally known and her playing has met the stamped approval of the most critical of critics. She is a member of the Music and Lecture Guild of New England (a white organization) and is also music critic for the Crisis Magazine.
As an accomplished musician, Hazel Harrison is one of the best among the best Colored or white pianists in America. Although a musical prodigy from early childhood, her youthful life has been one constant grind of theory, study and practical application under such world-known pianists and teachers as Busoni, Egan, Petri and Victor Heinne. And still she improves.
Helen Hagan is another pianist who is recognized as being among the foremost musicians in the United States, as the result of her strenuous studies under such noted French masters as Saint-Saens, Vincent D’Indy, Claude Debussy and her playing under the severe criticisms of Gabriel Faure, Paul Dukas, Chaussons and Severac. As one of the associate editors on the staff of Music and Poetry, she is doing great inspirational work in its piano department.
Carl Diton’s transcription of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” for the organ has been published by G. Schirmer Co., one of the largest white music publishers in America. This composition has a melody of remarkable sweetness and is one of the few pieces that brings into full play all parts of the organ. Mr. Diton has studied in Europe as well as in America and today is recognized as one of the leading pianists, organists and composers in this country.
Melville Charlton of Brooklyn, N. Y., is estimated by knowing critics as being one of the most talented and efficient pipe organist among Colored people in America. He is an unquestioned authority on this instrument that has taken up many of his years in theory study and practical application. The following named are a few mentioned from among the hundreds of other exceptionally trained organists in different parts of the country: Rudolph Grant, New York, William King, Phila., Pa., George Ruffin and Fred White, Boston, Mass., Mrs. Corinne Wilson, Chicago, Ill.
“It Takes Love to Cure the Heart’s Disease”, “Loveless Love” and “Caroline Shout” were among the first player-piano rolls that were recorded by Jas. P. Johnson, a Colored pianist, who has signed a contract to make recordings for the Q. R. S. Music Company, which is the largest player-piano roll manufacturers in the world.
One of the greatest musical wonders, Colored or white, America has ever produced was Thomas G. Bethune, who was born a blind slave at Columbus, Ga., He became known throughout the world as “Blind Tom”. He played difficult pieces on the piano when only four years old and began giving concerts when eight years old. Although he had never received any instructions he could correctly imitate the most difficult piece after hearing it played but once. He was taken to Europe where he won fame and honors playing before the crowned heads in all of the important countries. His audiences would sit spellbound and entranced as he imitated on the piano nearly every imaginable sound. Especially were they moved and seemed to feel they were going through the actual experience when he played “The Shipwreck.” At such times his magic fingers drew from the ivory keys the far and low rumblings of fast coming storms; the clanking of rattling chains among hastening crews; the weird moans of increasing winds; the blood-curdling shrieks of swooping sea-gulls; the distant booms of beach-breaking waves; the flapping slaps of wind-whipped sails; the creaking timbers of tossed-about ships; the soft murmurs of praying voices; the sudden crashes of lightning bolts; loud rolling peals of overhead thunder and the splashing sounds of down-pouring rains.
Another piano prodigy of the race is J. W. Boone of Columbia, Mo., who became blind in his infancy. He is known as “Blind Boone” and although he has been touring the country for forty years, he is still giving piano recitals that hold his audiences in wonder and awe. He has such a wonderful memory for musical details and such a delicate ear for detecting musical sounds that he frequently listens to the playing of a recognized pianist who has the sight of both eyes, and when that person has finished, “Blind Boone” will go to the piano and amuse the audience by showing the mistakes made by the other player and then presenting the piece correctly. By many critics he is considered today as the equal if not the superior of the famous “Blind Tom”. (Ref. Work’s Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, pgs. 327-28-29).
Named below are a few of the many Colored pianists in America today, many of them having studied under some of the best masters in Europe as well as in America, and all of them being finished musicians, and several of them of national renown.
Nettie C. Asberry, Tocoma, Wash., S. N. Arter, Neola Bailey, Hampton, Va., Bertha Beaumann, Boston, Mass., “Eubie” Blake, Lawrence Brown, Boston, Mass., J. H. Buchanan, Durham, N. C., Mrs. L. E. Cain, Princeton, N. J., Mae Clements, Mrs. R. N. Dett, Hampton, Va., Cleo M. Dickerson, Chicago, Ill., N. Doxey, Eva Dykes, Washington, D.C., J. H. Hebron, Phila., Pa., Mary Gibson, Washington, D.C., Clyde Glass, Wilhelmina Harrison, and Mildren B. Jones of Chicago, Ill., E. Aldama Jackson, N. Y., William King, Phila., Pa., Mrs. E. Lambert, Princeton, N. J., Wm. S. Lawrence, Boston, Mass., Andradas Lindsay, A. Matthews, Cincinnati, Ohio, Susie McDonald, Newark, N. J., Martha Mitchell, Nellie M. Mundy, N. Y., Josephine Muse, Washington, D.C., Portia W. Pittman, Maud Powell, A. W. Quarles, Cincinnati, Ohio., Helen H. Price, Brooklyn, N. Y., C. Luckeyth Roberts, N. Y., Arthur W. Ross, Ruth Rowan, Durham, N. C., Amy Steffens, Milwaukee, Wis., Samuel Stewart, Columbus, Ohio, T. T. Taylor, Chicago, Ill., Roy Tibbs, Washington, D.C., Hazel D. Thomas, E. Torney, Baltimore, Md.