February 12th: Chevalier de Saint-George, the "Black Mozart"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8-sIoTQfio

Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George (December 25, 1745 – June 10, 1799) was an important figure in the Paris musical scene in the second half of the 18th century as composer, conductor, and violinist. Prior to the revolution in France, he was also famous as a swordsman and equestrian. Known as the "black Mozart"[1] he was one of the earliest musicians of the European classical type known to have African ancestry.

Joseph Bologne was born in Guadeloupe to Nanon, a Wolof former slave, and a white French plantation owner, Georges Bologne de Saint-George.

He studied music in Saint-Domingue with the black violinist Joseph Platon before emigrating to Paris in 1752. Platon would later play an unspecified Saint-George violin concerto at Port-au-Prince (Haiti) on April 25, 1780.
After 1764, works dedicated to him by Lolli and Gossec suggest that Gossec was his composition teacher and that Lolli taught him violin. Saint-George’s technical approach was similar to that of Gaviniés, who may also have taught him. In 1769 he became a member of Gossec’s new orchestra, the Concert des Amateurs, at the Hôtel de Soubise, and was soon named its leader.

While still a young man, he acquired multiple reputations; as the best swordsman in France, as a violin virtuoso, and as a composer in the classical tradition. He composed and conducted for the private orchestra and theatre of the Marquise de Montesson, morganatic wife of the King's cousin, Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. In 1771, he was appointed maestro of the Concert des Amateurs, and later director of the Concert de la Loge Olympique, the biggest orchestra of his time (65-70 musicians). This orchestra commissioned Joseph Haydn to compose six symphonies (the "Paris Symphonies" Nr. 82-87), which Saint-George conducted for their world premiere. In respect of his skill as both a composer and musician, he was selected for appointment as the director of the Royal Opera of Louis XVI.

Despite his noted talents and success, Chevalier de Saint-George was not immune from the racism. When he was proposed as music director of the Opéra in 1776, many protested and made a petition to the queen declaring that “their honor and their delicate conscience could never allow them to submit to the orders of a mulatto.” In spite of these noted objection, he persevered on and became one of the biggest stars in 18^th century France.
Bob Marley advised “Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold…”. Only through gaining knowledge of our rich culture and history will we be able to quire the wisdom Bob Marley spoke of. The story of Chevalier de Saint-George provides not only as an important part of African world history, but it also serves as an inspiration for aspiring artists.

February 11th: Did You know --- Ludwig Van Beethoven was half black

http://open.salon.com/blog/ronp01/2009/09/27/the_african_heritage_of_ludwig_van_beethoven

I recently found out that Ludwig Van Beethoven, long considered Europe’s greatest classical music composer was a black man. Specifically, his mother was a Moor, that group of Muslim Northern Africans who conquered parts of Europe. Emil Ludwig, in his book “Beethoven,” says: “His face reveals no trace of the German. He was so dark that people dubbed him Spagnol [dark-skinned].” ” Frederick Hertz, German anthropologist, used these terms to describe him: “Negroid traits, dark skin, flat, thick nose.”

Moors: The Moors came from the North African country of Morocco and crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to get into the Iberian Peninsula. In Spain, modern colloquial Spanish use of the term "Moro" is derogatory for Moroccans in particular

and North Africans in general. Similarly, in modern, colloquial Portuguese, the term "Mouro" was primarily used as a designation for North Africans and secondarily as a derogatory and ironic term by northern Portuguese to refer to the inhabitants of the southern parts of the country (Lisbon, Alentejo and Algarve). However, this designation has gained more acceptance in the South.

In speaking of the immortal Haydn, who was Beethoven's teacher, Andre de Hevesy says: "Everybody knows the incident at Kismarton or Eisenstadt, the residence of Prince Esterhazy. In the middle of the first allegro of Haydn's symphony, His Highness asked the name of the author. He was brought forward. "'What!' exclaimed the Prince, 'the music is by this Blackamoor? 'Well, my fine Blackamoor, henceforward, thou art in my service.'"
Carpani, who originally related this says that "Haydn's complexion gave room for the sarcasm." And that Haydn had the title of "second professor of music but his new comrades called him "The Moor"." (G. Carpani: Le Haydn, etc. Letter 5. Milan, 1812).

To back up more of my facts, referring to the above incident, Alexander W. Thayer, perhaps the foremost authority on Beethoven, says, "Beethoven had even more of the Moor in his features than his master, 'Haydn.'" (Beethoven, Vol. I, p. 146). By "Moor" was meant "Negro." Until recent times, the German for "Negro" was "Mohr."

Beethoven's family originated in Belgium, which had been ruled for centuries by the Spaniards, who had large numbers of Negro soldiers in their army there. Theophile Gautier speaks of a Belgian type characterized by brown skin and dark hair "a second race which the soldiers of the Spanish Duke of Alva have sown between Brussels and Cambrai."

In short, the general description of Beethoven, even to his frizzly hair, fits that of many an Aframerican or West Indian mulatto. In the Southern States Beethoven would have been forced to ride in the jim-crow car.

Everything indicates that Beethoven, one of the greatest musical composers of all times, was Black. Why aren't we generally taught this? What are your opinions on this?