by Editor
Composition for saxophone quartet (soprano, two tenor, and baritone). The archive includes professionally copied parts in manuscript, with notes indicating percussion. This piece was part of the Wind/Rhythms suite; it was written for the Word Saxophone Quartet’s concert with Max Roach and M’Boom, “The Grand Collaboration,” 1981. It was also recorded by the Julius Hemphill Sextet on the posthumous album At Dr. King’s Table (1997).
Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.
by Editor
Composition for saxophone quartet (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone), recorded by the Julius Hemphill Sextet for the album At Dr. King’s Table (1997).The score appears in Music Manuscript Notebook 1 (MMN1).
Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.
by Editor
Composition originally written for the World Saxophone Quartet, with woodwind doubling (two flutes, clarinet, and tenor saxophone), found in Music Manuscript Notebook 1 (MMN1). The archive includes parts in Hemphill’s hand, as well as a transposition of the clarinet part for alto clarinet, apparently made by Hamiet Bluiett. This arrangement of the piece was recorded by Marty Ehrlich as “Children’s Song: First Version” on the album At Dr. King’s Table (1997).
Hemphill arranged the piece for saxophone sextet for his collaboration with choreographer Bill T. Jones, “Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin / The Promised Land.” The Julius Hemphill Sextet also recorded this version on At Dr. King’s Table. The archive includes the complete score of “Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin / The Promised Land” as well as a sextet version of “Children’s Song” prepared by Marty Ehrlich.
Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.
From Marty Ehrlich: By its placement in MMN1, I believe this piece was composed c. 1975-1978. (Bill T. Jones speaks about this work in the film Jazz Dancing, present in the archive.)
by Editor
Composition for saxophone quartet (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone). The archive includes professionally copied parts, which Marty Ehrlich used to assemble a score that was published by Subito Music in the Saxophone Quartet collection. The piece was recorded posthumously by the Julius Hemphill Sextet on At Dr. King’s Table (1997).
Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.
by Editor
“A Bitter Glory” was a theatrical piece Hemphill was developing toward the end of his life. One movement bears the title “Opening Song” and appears in the archive as a two-page score for soprano or alto vocalist, with un-orchestrated accompaniment. This movement was later arranged for saxophone sextet and recorded as “A Bitter Glory” by the Julius Hemphill Sextet on the album At Dr. King’s Table (1997). There are seven notebooks in the Hemphill Papers with material related to “A Bitter Glory,” largely instrumental parts used in performance–reeds/woodwinds (soprano and alto saxophone, clarinet, flute), brass (trumpet, French horn, trombone), cello, and bass. There is an archival recording of this piece at its premiere performance in the collection of Baikida Carroll.
From Marty Ehrlich: A Bitter Glory was a music-theater collaboration between Julius Hemphill and librettist Dalt Wonk. It was co-commissioned by the Walker Arts Center (Minneapolis) and the American Music Theater Festival (Philadelphia) with funding from the Meet the Composer/Reader’s Digest Commissioning Program. It premiered as a work-in-progress on December 7, 1994, at Ted Mann Concert Hall, on the University of Minnesota campus.
Vocalists: Peter Steward, Herbert Scott, Bruce Henry, Faye Washington, Thomasina Taylor
Instrumentalists: Andy Laster, Sam Furnace, John Clark, Baikida Carroll, Stephen Swell, Randall Davidson, Mark Helias
Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.
The Julius Hemphill Papers is an archival collection at New York University. The collection contains scores, audiovisual documentation, and other material related to the life and career of composer and saxophonist Julius Hemphill. Materials are accessible by appointment. Click here to learn more.