In Memoriam "The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy" - William Grant Still

Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Jeter

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Written in 1943, the brief orchestral work "In Memoriam" was the most successful of a group of works on patriotic themes commissioned by the League of Composers during the Second World War. The work displays Still's fully mature style: harmonically rich, unique in orchestration, and with it's own recognizable style coming from Still.

It was first performed by the New York Philharmonic on 5th January, 1944, with Artur Rodzinski conducting. The New York Times critic Olin Downes remarked on its powerful "simplicity and feeling, without affectation or attitudinizing". The wording of the title does carry an ironic aspect, reflecting the fact that African-Americans were fighting for world freedom and civilisation abroad while being denied those very freedoms at home.

Picture: On parade, the 41st Engineers at Ft. Bragg, NC in colour guard ceremony.

Sources: https://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs... and https://www.allmusic.com/album/releas...