Listen to Symphony in G Major, op. 11, no. 1: I. Allegro from The Music of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Tafelmusik's landmark recording devoted to the music of Joseph Bologne, the influential Black 18th-century composer.
The Music of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges digital album includes orchestral excerpts from the composer’s opera L’amant anonyme, the Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 3, no. 1, and the Symphony in G Major, op. 11, no. 1 by Saint-Georges; the Allegro from the Violin Concerto in F Major, op. 10, no. 4 by Leclair; and the Symphony in D Major, op. 5, no. 3, “Pastorella” by Gossec. Jeanne Lamon, Linda Melsted, and Geneviève Gilardeau are the featured violin soloists.
Who was Joseph Bologne and why has his music been neglected for centuries? The son of a wealthy plantation owner and his mistress, an enslaved woman on the plantation in Guadeloupe, Bologne confronted enormous adversities around class and race throughout his life. He eventually rose to the pinnacle of Parisian society to become one of France’s heroes, a highly regarded 18th-century composer, and a violin virtuoso.
In this digital reissue of Saint-Georges’ music, Tafelmusik engaged Marlon Daniel—a champion of works by composers of African descent, and the Artistic and Music Director of the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges—as a consultant, and commissioned a brand new portrait of Bologne, titled Opus 7, from visual artist Gordon Shadrach.
Joseph Bologne is often compared to Mozart, and has commonly been referred to as the “Black Mozart”. In 2003, Tafelmusik recorded an album devoted to the music of Joseph Bologne, titled “Le Mozart Noir”. We recognize that by using the title "Le Mozart Noir", we contributed to and facilitated the erasure of Joseph Bologne’s name and his legacy. With the goal of properly centring Bologne's achievements, this album is a re-release featuring a new title, The Music of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Learn more about Joseph Bologne; Tafelmusik’s recording of and commitment to his work; and further reading and resources about Bologne and Black artistry in classical music today by visiting https://www.tafelmusik.org/bologne
