Lawrence Brownlee’s new album, Rising, is out tomorrow

Rising, Lawrence Brownlee's new album, sees the tenor commission six of today's leading African American composers to set poetry from the Harlem Renaissance to song. Warner Classics releases the album on 2 June to celebrate Black Music Month.

The programme will be toured throughout the United States with pianist Kevin J. Miller.

Rising showcases new works from African American composers Damien Sneed, Brandon Spencer, Jasmine Barnes, Joel Thompson, and Shawn E. Okpebholo. Inspired by poetry of the great African American writers of the Harlem Renaissance like Alice Dunbar Nelson, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, and James Weldon Johnson, the compositions revolve around themes of joy, empowerment, faith, love, and strength in the face of challenge.

Brownlee says,

These past years have been a trial, both for humanity as a whole, and the African American population here in the United States. But through all these many challenges we have faced, I have also seen moments of strength, inspiration, hope, and great beauty. It is those themes of uplift, elevation, and rebirth that we have tried to focus on with this new project Rising, taking poems from the giants of the Harlem Renaissance, and working with some of today's most talented African American composers, to create something that speaks not just to our struggles, but to our triumphs.

Brownlee has also collaborated closely with Dr Louise Toppin, soprano and vocal professor at the University of Michigan, to revive select works from well-known composers Margaret Bonds and Robert Owen, in addition to works from composer Jeremiah Evans.

Toppin says,

I hope this project inspires other performers, scholars and students to give African American art song full consideration for concerts and recording as there is much variety, breadth and depth found within this body of work and yet to be explored. I am honoured to have been asked by Larry to suggest some of the composers that now appear on this album and it is thrilling to hear the work of our modern day concert hall “griots” who continue to carry forward stories from the Black experience for years to come.  Bravo to Larry, the composers, and the poets for such a wonderful project.

Brownlee and pianist Kevin J. Miller will tour the Rising programme throughout the United States in March and April 2024 with tour stops for the Celebrity Series in Boston, Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, among others.

Rising

Robert Owens – Desire Song Cycle (6 min)

Desire
Dream
Juliet
Man

Jeremiah Evans

April Song
Lost Illusions
Southern Mansion

Robert Owens – Silver Rain Cycle. (9 min, 33 sec)

In time of silver rain
Fulfillment
Night Song
Silence
Carolina Cabin
Songs
Sleep

Margaret Bonds – “Songs of the Seasons” Cycle

Poeme d'Automne
Winter Moon
Young Love in Spring
Summer Storm

Carlos Simon

Vocalise I

Jasmine Barnes

Peace
Invocation

Brandon Spencer

I Know My Soul
Dance of Love

Carlos Simon

Vocalise II

Damien Sneed

Beauty That Is Never Old
The Gift to Sing
To America

Shawn E. Okpebholo

Romance

Carlos Simon

Vocalise III

Joel Thompson

Supplication
Compensation
My People

Rising Tour Dates

March 5, 2023
Boston, MA
Celebrity Series of Boston

March 8, 2023
Princeton, NJ
Princeton University

March 17, 2023
Atlanta, GA
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts

March 19, 2023
Wilmington, NC
Opera Wilmington

March 23, 2023
New York, NY
Carnegie Hall

March 26, 2023
Washington, DC
Kennedy Center

March 29, 2023
Philadelphia, PA
Kimmel Center

April 1, 2023
Ithaca, NY
Ithaca College

April 4, 2023
Mucie, IN
Ball State University

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.