Hannah Comia
Stan Still Jordan- Betty Jackson King
Arrangement of traditional African American spiritual Stan Still Jordan by composer Betty Jackson King. In this arrangement, King writes a circular, chromatic movement of 4ths in the lowest register of the piano. This musical figure emulates the sound of a cotton plow. We decided that as the piece ends, Africa would start louder and decrescendo until the end, while I would start softer and crescendo to the point of almost drowning her out. It’s a compositional reminder that as we perform these spirituals, we must always be aware that they were first sung by enslaved people as a source of refuge and relief.
Africa Gray, mezzo-soprano
Hannah Comia, piano