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 Threnody

From Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar

Recorded 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 @ToniMariePalmertree

You can follow Donovan Elliot Smith on his YouTube page.

This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.