Posted on Nov 18, 2021
Four centuries of Black American history are told in new Kronos Quartet performance
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https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2021/11/17/ [login to see] /four-centuries-of-black-american-history-are-told-in-new-kronos-quartet-performa
In her speech, Finney traced a line from an 18th-century proclamation, which decreed that slaves were forbidden from learning to read or write, to the proud, Black literary giants in the room. Taking the stage afterward, John Lithgow, the event's host, looked stunned. "That was the best acceptance speech for anything that I've heard in my life," he said.
Another person who saw that speech, on television some time later, was violinist David Harrington, the founder of Kronos Quartet.
"It was clear that I had to be in touch with Nikky after hearing that," Harrington says, "because I didn't know anyone alive could give a speech like that."
In her speech, Finney traced a line from an 18th-century proclamation, which decreed that slaves were forbidden from learning to read or write, to the proud, Black literary giants in the room. Taking the stage afterward, John Lithgow, the event's host, looked stunned. "That was the best acceptance speech for anything that I've heard in my life," he said.
Another person who saw that speech, on television some time later, was violinist David Harrington, the founder of Kronos Quartet.
"It was clear that I had to be in touch with Nikky after hearing that," Harrington says, "because I didn't know anyone alive could give a speech like that."
Four centuries of Black American history are told in new Kronos Quartet performance
Posted from npr.org
American History
Music
Violence
Poetry
Violin
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."He cites a line: "'They will dismiss your wailing, inventive mouth,' and then it goes on to talk about other things they will do to keep you down. And at times in my career where things weren't going well, I really did feel like my work was being dismissed. And not for any reason—not even knowing the reason was frustrating. And so there is a long passage where the chorus just repeats the words: 'They will dismiss you.' It felt right to repeat that line again and again and again. And then I realized: because that's how I felt."...
..."He cites a line: "'They will dismiss your wailing, inventive mouth,' and then it goes on to talk about other things they will do to keep you down. And at times in my career where things weren't going well, I really did feel like my work was being dismissed. And not for any reason—not even knowing the reason was frustrating. And so there is a long passage where the chorus just repeats the words: 'They will dismiss you.' It felt right to repeat that line again and again and again. And then I realized: because that's how I felt."...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel A powerful speech, filled with emotion. I could feel her words. Thank you.
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