H. Leslie Adams (1932-2024) is best-known for his vocal compositions, with a large output of art songs and song cycles to choose from, and his works have been performed all over the world. His music is accessible to audiences and performers alike, and our guest today, countertenor Darryl Taylor, of the African American Art Song Alliance, offers amazing insight into Leslie as a person and a composer, as well as shows us the deeper meaning in the songs we discuss.Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Ricky L. Owens, Jr., countertenor, Donovan Elliot Smith, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:Five Millay Songs (click on the titles for purchase information)For You There Is No SongNightsongsCreole GirlPrayerCollected Songs (several of the songs come in more than one key in this volume!)Love MemoryAmazing GraceRecorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA, the Carnegie Mellon School of Music Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA, and The Church Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA.Darryl Taylor has recorded all of these songs as well:For You There Is No SongCreole GirlPrayerLove MemoryAmazing Grace***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertreeFor more information on Ricky L. Owens, Jr., countertenor, visit his website.You can follow Donovan Elliot Smith on his YouTube page.

Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) is probably best known for her setting of "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands", but has an extensive repertoire of art songs, which have a lot more crunch than most people expect!Our special guest hosts today are baritone Lester Lynch, who balances his international career with teaching at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and composer M. Roger Holland, II, from the University of Denver, who runs The Spirituals Project and composed Ubuntu: I Am Because You Are, premiered by Kantorei (as soon as there is a clip, we will add this to the show notes!).Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Gracyn Blu Louis, mezzo-soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:from Six Songs on Poems by Edna St. Vincent MillayEven In The Moment (performed by Toni)What Lips My Lips Have Kissed (performed by Toni)Women Have Loved Before As I Love Now (performed by Gracyn)You can also find more of Bonds' songs in the anthology Rediscovering Margaret Bonds.Recorded at the Carnegie Mellon School of Music Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA and Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA.***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at https://cincysong.transistor.fm/.You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertreeFor more information on Gracyn Blu Louis, visit their website, or you can follow them on Instagram @gracynblu

Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) decided to become a classical pianist when she heard Hazel Harrison (the first Black musician to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic) in concert, and went on to study with R. Nathaniel Dett! She became friends with Eleanor Roosevelt, who helped fund her studies. Her songs have a distinct sound, with some dissonance and notes of counterpoint and a level of interest in the piano parts that makes them fun for the singer and the pianist.Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Donovan Elliot Smith, tenor, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:From ThrenodyThrenodyFrom Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence DunbarSunsetLifeRecorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA, and the Carnegie Mellon School of Music Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA.***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertreeYou can follow Donovan Elliot Smith on his YouTube page.

Howard Swanson (1907-1978) studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and went on to study at Fontainebleau with Nadia Boulanger. He was close with poet Langston Hughes and his settings of Hughes' texts are considered definitive. Swanson has a unique sound, which makes his music well-suited for more mature musicians, but is still very accessible for an audience. Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Donovan Elliot Smith, tenor, Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:One Day from Songs for PatriciaGoodnight from Songs for PatriciaPrelude 1 from Four PreludesWe also mentioned his settings of Langston Hughes texts, many of which are performed on this episode of Song of America radio series. UPDATE: We updated this episode to include a clip from a performance of Swanson's The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Nicolas Newton, bass-baritone, and Blair Salter, pianist, from the archives of Cincinnati Song Initiative!Recorded at the Carnegie Mellon School of Music Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA, and Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA.***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertreeYou can follow Donovan Elliot Smith on his YouTube page.For information on Nicolas Newton, see his website.For information on Blair Salter, see her website.

Undine Smith Moore (1904-1989) was a classical pianist who trained at several prestigious universities, and despite her professors urging her to become a professional, she chose to become a public school music teacher and professor. She preferred to compose vocal music; her songs have a sweep and line to them that make them a joy to play and sing. Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Gracyn Blu Louis, mezzo-soprano, Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:From An Anthology of African and African Diaspora SongsI Want To Die While You Love Me (sung by Gracyn)I Am In Doubt (sung by Toni Marie)From the Anthology of Art Songs by Black ComposersLove Let The Wind Cry... How I Adore Thee (sung by Toni Marie)Recorded at Carnegie Mellon School of Music Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA, and Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA.***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertreeFor more information on Gracyn Blu Louis, visit their website, or you can follow them on Instagram @gracynblu