Artists Reckon With Legacy And History In Classical And Traditional Music

Plus, new music from Beyoncé; Remembering Peter Green.

by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Michelle Lotker/Courtesy of the artist Our national conversation about racial injustice continues, expanding in scope. We’ve seen major cities question policing policies, professional sports leagues grapple with racist names and educational institutions confront years of systemic inequality.  Of course, music has always been part of this conversation, across genres and styles. This week, two separate controversies involving anti-Black racism in classical music were front and center on social media. One involved an accusation that two high-profile international soloists, pianist Yuja Wang and violinist Leonidas Kavakos, made racist remarks about a Black audience member after a recital several years ago. In statements to NPR, Wang said she did not remember the incident and Kavakos said he finds “accusations of any form of racism deeply upsetting and abhorrent”; both offered apologies. Meanwhile, classical music's academic sphere was roiled by the publication of responses to an address from last November titled Music Theory's White Racial Frame. Meanwhile, the traditional music community across the United States has been reckoning with some of the stereotypes and racist imagery in its musical past and present. At events like the annual Youth Traditional Song Weekend, which encourages young people’s involvement in traditional music, musicians of color and white allies have been hosting conversations and workshops that tackle these issues. Jake Blount, a 24-year-old banjoist and fiddler, is one such artist working to educate others on the genre's Black roots; at the 2020 Youth Traditional Song Weekend, he led three workshops focused on music from the Black community. Listening and learning, Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Newsletter continues after sponsor message New Music Beyoncé is back. This week, Queen Bey released her highly anticipated new project, Black Is King, a “celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience.” The film is a companion to 2019's The Lion King: The Gift, which Beyoncé curated for Disney's photorealistic remake of the 1994 animated classic. If anyone could take her career to the next level during lockdown, it's Los Angeles wunderkind Billie Eilish. This week, she released a sophisticated, sweet single called "My Future.” Jazz drummer Makaya McCraven, who calls himself a “beat scientist,” records his live performances and then manipulates them in creative ways. His new album pulls from the body of recordings that shaped his 2018 widely acclaimed double album, Universal Beings. After Taylor Swift surprise-released Folklore, co-produced with The National’s Aaron Dessner, we gathered a group of critics to dive into the album and discuss how it fits into her career. Featuring Rapper Malik Abdul Baset, best known for his work in The Roots as Malik B., died this week at the age of 47. His death was confirmed by Questlove and Black Thought, who in a statement, praised his innovation, calling him “one of the most gifted MCs of all time.”  Thousands of musical instruments stolen from Jewish families by Nazis during World War II were never recovered. The search continues today as families and researchers work through government records, dealer records, confiscation records and claims scattered across multiple countries.  Peter Green, a brilliant guitarist and one of the co-founders of Fleetwood Mac, died on July 25 at the age of 73. One of the most soulful British blues singers of his generation, Green was a searcher, and his music served as an expression of his restless spirit. New York authorities are investigating a Southampton, N.Y., charity fundraiser concert that’s drawn criticism from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Safe & Sound event claimed the concert would “safely bring people together”; video of the event, however, depicted concertgoers closely dancing during The Chainsmokers’ headlining set.  Tiny Desk NPR Since we haven’t been in our office in months to see a real Tiny Desk concert, it’s thrilling to see a concert performed in someone else’s office. So we love Lucinda Williams’ Tiny Desk (home) concert at Thirty Tigers' headquarters in Nashville, where she performed tracks from her new album, Good Souls Better Angels. This week, we also shared a set from Thao Nguyen of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down featuring accompaniment from musicians (and neighbors) Elisabeth Reed and Andy Luchansky, plus a performance from Bostonian Lyric Jones, a quintuple threat who wrote, rapped, sang, drummed and engineered her latest album, Gas Money. Incoming This year’s Tiny Desk Contest was truly one unlike any other. Next week, we’ll be announcing the winner of the 2020 Contest. In the meantime, check out this season of Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf, where Contest judges and friends joined Bob Boilen to talk about their favorite entries this year. One More Thing "You Can't Take It with You” — but evidently you can perform it forever. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music! You received this message because you're subscribed to NPR Music emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy