Burleigh,Harry / Boatner,Edward / Talbert,Florence Black Swans: Earliest African-American Classical CD

An amazing revival of a lost area of African American cultural history: classical music performances from the early part of the 20th century. These souvenirs of the earliest such commercial recording ventures showcase forgotten examples of a great culture's accomplishments. The engineering and re-mastering, along with the exquisitely researched and annotated accompanying booklet are the joint labor of love of the Parnassus triumvirate team of Leslie Gerber, Tim Brooks, and Steve Smolian, making BLACK SWANS in my list, at least one of the top albums of the year.

1. Go Down Moses; Harry Burleigh 2. I don't feel No Ways Tired; Edward Boatner 3. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child; Edward Boatner 4. Dett: in the bottoms Barcarolle; R. Nathaniel Dett 5. Dett: Magnolia Suite-Mammy; R. Nathaniel Dett 6. Delibes: Lakme Bell Song; Florence Cole-Talbert 7. The Last Rose of Summer; Florence Cole-Talbert 8. Dell'Acqua: Villanelle; Florence Cole-Talbert 9. Arditi: Il Baccio; Talbert 10. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen; Talbert 11. White: Cradle Song; Clarence Cameron White (violin) 12. White: Lament; Clarence Cameron White 13. Make More Room; Hattie King Reavis 14. Gounod: There is a Green Hill; Hattie King Reavis 15. Leoncavallo: Vesti La Giubba (Pagliacci); Roland Hayes 16. Donizetti: Una Furtiva Lagrima (L'Elisir d'Amore); Roland Hayes 17. Verdi: Sollene in quest'ora (La Forza del Destino; Roland Hayes 18. Katherine Glen: Twilight; Roland Hayes 19. Bye and Bye; Roland Hayes 20. Steal Away to Jesus; Roland Hayes 21. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Roland Hayes 22. Verdi: Caro Nome (Rigoletto); Antoinette Garnes 23. Verdi: Ah! Fors'e lui (La Traviata); Antoinette Garnes 24. Haydn: My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair; Antoinette Garnes 25. Faure: Les Rameaux; Harry Burleigh