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Julius Hemphill : Composer

Ralph Ellison's Long Tongue

Sir Preacher

August 15, 2018 by Editor

Composition for tenor saxophone, flugelhorn, cello, and marimba. The first part of the score in the Julius Hemphill Papers has the title “Hymn,” and consists of sixteen measures of half-note chords. “Sir Preacher” is part of the theater work Ralph Ellison’s Long Tongue, where it is scored for a quartet of tenor saxophone, French horn, and cello. The archive includes professionally copied parts on manuscript for tenor saxophone, flugelhorn, cello, and marimba. 

From Marty Ehrlich: This work appears on video recordings in the archive from performances of Ralph Ellison’s Long Tongue at the Kitchen in New York City in 1981. See Archival Audiovisual Material for more information.

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Filed Under: Compositions S-Z Tagged With: Julius Hemphill Quartet, Ralph Ellison's Long Tongue

Ralph Ellison’s Long Tongue

August 15, 2018 by Editor

Multimedia theater piece developed by Hemphill with Malinké Elliott, first performed in November, 1978, in Washington, D.C., at the Corcoran Gallery. A new version was performed at the Kitchen in New York City in January, 1981. Some material from this performance was later incorporated into “Long Tongues: A Saxophone Opera.”

The Julius Hemphill Papers includes a score  in Hemphill’s hand featuring the movements “Sketch 1,” “Sketch 2,” “Sketch 3,” “Sketch 4,” and “Sir Preacher.” The instrumentation includes alto and tenor saxophone, trumpet, flute, French horn, and cello, though it varies by movement. There are parts in Hemphill’s hand for “Carnival Barker” and “Orator,” both of which were also part of the performance at some point. There is also archival audio of the work for solo percussion called “Bells,” developed by Hemphill and Malinké Elliott and incorporated into this theatrical work.

The Julius Hemphill Papers includes a video recording of the performance from The Kitchen on January 2, 1981.

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Filed Under: Compositions M-R Tagged With: Large-scale works, Malinké Kenyatta, Ralph Ellison's Long Tongue

Orator

August 9, 2018 by Editor

One of the movements in the theatrical work Ralph Ellison’s Long Tongue. For “Orator,” the Julius Hemphill Papers has parts for trumpet, soprano saxophone, and cello. These parts include settings of text, based on Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man.

From Marty Ehrlich: The text in this piece is based on the funeral oration from Chapter 21 in Invisible Man.

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Filed Under: Compositions M-R Tagged With: Ralph Ellison's Long Tongue

Images II

August 8, 2018 by Editor

Composition for large ensemble (saxophone section, with strings, brass, woodwinds, and rhythm section). The fifty-one measure score in the Julius Hemphill Papers includes the subtitle “Sketch II,” which is the title for movements in the large-scale pieces “Ralph Ellison’s Long Tongue” and “Long Tongues: A Saxophone Opera.” There are various annotations indicating orchestration, backgrounds, and ways in which the material is to be extended through improvisation. The archive also includes a full set of parts, not professionally copied, and not in holograph. 

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Filed Under: Compositions F-L Tagged With: Long Tongues, Ralph Ellison's Long Tongue

Carnival Barker

August 2, 2018 by Editor

One of the movements of the theatrical piece “Ralph Ellison’s Long Tongue,” which was performed in 1978-1981 in Washington, D.C. and New York City. The archive contains a part for alto saxophone in Hemphill’s hand, with a text based on Ralph Ellison’s novel, Invisible Man (1952).

Return to Annotated Composition List.

Filed Under: Compositions A-E Tagged With: Ralph Ellison's Long Tongue

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Julius Hemphill : Composer

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About the Julius Hemphill Papers

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.

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