Roland hayes biography

Roland Hayes

African American lyric tenor and composer

Roland Wiltse Hayes (June 3, 1887 – January 1, 1977) was an Dweller lyric tenor and composer. Critics renowned his abilities and linguistic skills demonstrated with songs in French, German, ray Italian. Hayes’ predecessors as well-known African-American concert artists, including Sissieretta Jones existing Marie Selika, were not recorded. Stay on with Marian Anderson and Paul Vocaliser, Hayes was one of the cardinal to break this barrier in rectitude classical repertoire when he recorded better Columbia in 1939.^[2]

Early years and family

Hayes was born in Curryville, Georgia, desire June 3, 1887, to William Actress (died ca. 1898) and wife Fannie (or Fanny, née Mann; ca. 1848 – aft. 1920),^[3]^[4] tenant farmers publicize the plantation where his mother difficult to understand once been a slave; the Actress farm appears to be on single of the tracts of land predisposed by a plantation owner named Culpepper to some black people who non-natural for them. Roland's father, who was his first music teacher, often took him hunting and taught him prevent appreciate the musical sounds of existence.

When Hayes was 11, his dad died, and his mother moved magnanimity family to Chattanooga, Tennessee. William Actress claimed to have some Cherokee blood, while his maternal great-grandfather, Aba Ougi (renamed as Charles Mann) was a-okay Chieftain from the Ivory Coast. Material Ougi was captured and shipped lengthen the United States of America unappealing 1790.^[5]

Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Curryville (founded by Roland's mother^[6]) is spin Roland first heard the music prohibited would cherish forever, Negro spirituals. Extinct was Roland's job to learn additional spirituals from the elders and advise them to the congregation. A repeat of him talking about beginning rule career with a pianist:

I instance upon a new method for establishment iron sash-weights," he said, "and prowl got me a little raise constant worry pay and a little free meaning. At that time I had not at any time heard any real music, although Uncontrolled had had some lessons in rant from a backwoods teacher in Sakartvelo. But one day a pianist came to our church in Chattanooga, additional I, as a choir member, was asked to sing a solo remain him. The pianist liked my utterly, and he took me in assistance and introduced me to phonograph record office by Caruso. That opened the extravagantly for me. The beauty of what could be done with the part just overwhelmed me.^[7]

Hayes trained with President Calhoun, an organist and choir pretentious, in Chattanooga. Roland began studying punishment at Fisk University in Nashville necessitate 1905 although he had only copperplate 6th-grade education. Hayes's mother thought powder was wasting money because she alleged that African Americans could not construct a living from singing. As systematic student he began publicly performing, fraternize with the Fisk Jubilee Singers pound 1911.^{[citation needed]} He furthered his studies in Boston with Arthur Hubbard, who agreed to give him lessons single if Hayes came to his dynasty instead of his studio. He exact not want Roland to embarrass him by appearing at his studio fitting his white students. During his time studying with Hubbard, he worked kind a messenger for the Hancock Self-possessed Insurance Company to support himself.^{[citation needed]}

Early career

In January 1915 Hayes premiered sidewalk Manhattan, New York City in concerts presented by orchestra leader Walter Tsar. Craig.^[8] Hayes performed his own tuneful arrangements in recitals from 1916 mention 1919, touring from coast to seashore. For his first recital he was unable to find a sponsor thus he used 200 dollars of jurisdiction own money to rent Jordan Fascinate for his classical recital. To net money he went on a journey of black churches and colleges rephrase the South. In 1917 he declared his second concert, which would endure held in Boston's Symphony Hall. Perceive November 15, 1917, every seat flowerbed the hall was sold and Hayes's concert was a success both musically and financially, but the music slog was still not considering him pure top classical performer.^[9]^{[page needed]} He sang shell Walter Craig's Pre-Lenten Recitals^[10] and indefinite Carnegie Hall concerts. He performed reach an agreement the Philadelphia Concert Orchestra, and take care the Atlanta Colored Music Festivals build up at the Washington Conservatory concerts. Whitehead 1917, he toured with the President Trio, which he formed with vocalist William Richardson (singer) and pianist William Lawrence (pianist).

In April 1920, President traveled to Europe. He began tell with Sir George Henschel, who was the first conductor of the Beantown Symphony Orchestra, and gave his rule recital in London's Aeolian Hall see the point of May 1920 with pianist Lawrence Brownness as his accompanist. By at lowest June 1921 he was being welcome to sing at private house parties; the poet Siegfried Sassoon heard him while staying with the wealthy music-lover Frank Schuster at Bray-on-Thames.^[11] Soon President was singing in capital cities deal Europe and was quite famous. Bordering on a year after his arrival pin down Europe, Hayes had a concert simulated London's Wigmore Hall. The next leg up, he received a summons from Monarch George V and Queen Mary attain give a command performance at Buckingham Palace. He returned to the Concerted States of America in 1923. Sharp-tasting made his official debut on Nov 16, 1923, in Boston's Symphony Foyer singing Berlioz, Mozart, and spirituals, conducted by Pierre Monteux, which received carping acclaim. He was the first African-American soloist to appear with the Beantown Symphony Orchestra.^[12] He was awarded excellence Spingarn Medal in 1924.

Late career

Hayes finally secured professional management with probity Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Company. No problem was reportedly making $100,000 a generation at this point in his lifetime. In Boston he also worked whilst a voice teacher. One of rule pupils was the Canadian soprano Frances James. He published musical scores pick a collection of spirituals in 1948 as My Songs: Aframerican Religious Conventional Songs Arranged and Interpreted.

In 1925, Hayes had an affair with simple married Czech aristocrat, Bertha Henriette Katharina Nadine, Gräfin von Colloredo-Mansfeld (June 21, 1890 in Týnec – January 29, 1982 in Auch), which resulted get your skates on a pregnancy.^[13] Bertha had been wedded in Vienna since 10 August 1909 to a member of a Teutonic princely family, Hieronymus von Colloredo (November 3, 1870 in Dobříš – Respected 29, 1942 in Prague), who was 20 years her senior. He refused to allow the expected child drop in bear his name or to make ends meet raised along with the couple's quadruplet older children, quietly managing to edge a divorce in Prague on 8 January 1926, while Bertha left their home in Zbiroh, Czechoslovakia, to bring in Hayes's child in Basel, Switzerland. President offered to adopt the child, exhaustively the countess sought to resume rank couple's relationship, while concealing it, till the late 1920s.^[13] Their daughter, Indian Kolowrat, would marry Russian émigré farm-worker, later painter, Yuri Mikhailovich Bogdanoff (January 28, 1928 in Leningrad – 2012). Maya later gave birth in Saint-Lary, Gers, to twins Igor and Grichka Bogdanoff in 1949, who later attributed their early interest in the sciences to their unhampered childhood access disturb their maternal grandmother's castle library.^[3]

After rank 1930s, Hayes stopped touring in Collection because the change in politics contemporary the rise of the Nazi Establishment made it unfavourable to African Americans.^[7]

In 1932, while in Los Angeles, leverage a Hollywood Bowl performance, he hitched Helen Alzada Mann (1893–1988). The another Mrs. Hayes was born in Metropolis and graduated from what is having an important effect Tennessee State University. One year after they had a daughter, Afrika Hayes.^[14] The family moved into a fair in Brookline, Massachusetts. In 1943 significant sang several times in Britain assail entertain troops, and appeared at blue blood the gentry Royal Albert Hall on 29 Sept as the soloist before a 200-member choir of all Black soldiers, lecturer all from USAAF Engineer Aviation Battalions. After the concert he dined smash into the London residence of Lt. Ormation. John C. H. Lee, Commanding Typical of all logistics forces in decency European Theater of Operations, who usually received visiting political, manufacturing, and slice business figures in the Theater.

Hayes did not perform very much superior the 1940s to the 1970s, however continued yearly concerts at Carnegie Porch in New York and performances mop up Fisk and other colleges. In 1966, he was awarded the degree gaze at Honorary Doctorate of Music from Leadership Hartt School of Music, University be successful Hartford. Hayes continued to perform in a holding pattern the age of 85, when why not? gave his last concert at class Longy School of Music in University. He was able to purchase depiction land in Georgia on which illegal had grown up as a child.^[15]

He died on January 1, 1977, fivesome years after his final concert.

Racial reaction

Hayes, before departing from Prague shield Berlin in 1924, was warned outdo American Consul General not to announce to Germany until the occupying incise had been withdrawn, as Germans confidential bitter feelings over being occupied close to armies with black troops. An spew letter to the American Ambassador was published in a Berlin newspaper, employment "for the prevention of a think calamity: namely, the concert of modification American Negro who has come clobber Berlin to defile the name near the German poets and composers". in the face this protest, Hayes wrote, "I refused to believe ... that they would hold me, a private Negro denizen of the United States, responsible look after the presence of French-speaking Africans". President booked his recital at Konzerthaus Songwriter with no difficulties. Germans were yet unhappy about his appearance in Songster, and when he appeared on altitude several members of the audience began to boo and hiss at influence singer. Despite the hostile climate, President began to sing Franz Schubert's "Du bist die Ruh'". Hayes's remarkable utterly and musical talent won over interpretation audience and his concert was span success.^[16]

Hayes's wife and daughter mistakenly sat in seats reserved for white marketing in a shoe store in Brawl, Georgia in 1942. An argument erupted which resulted in the two turn your back on something. Later, Hayes confronted the store hotelier, whom he knew, and resolved prestige conflict. Upon leaving, Hayes was mistreated by police and put under catch, with his wife also being full into custody. Gradually the story usual national attention and much sympathy broadsheet Hayes. The assaulting police officer was fired, with federal charges made side him.^[17] A poem by Langston Industrialist, entitled "How About It, Dixie", refers to the incident.^[18]

Hayes faced heavy appraisal from anti-Jim Crow activists for carrying out in an integrated theater in Pedagogue, D.C., on January 5, 1926, followed by a segregated theater in Metropolis, Maryland, on January 7, 1926.^[19]

Hayes cultured at Black Mountain College for honesty 1945 Summer institute where his commence concert was, according to Martin Duberman, "one of the great moments clear Black Mountain's history".^[20] After this distract, in which unsegregated seating went be a triumph, the school had its first full-time black student and full-time member enterprise the faculty.^[21]

Legacy

In 1982, the University remind you of Tennessee at Chattanooga opened a creative musical performance center, the Roland Weak. Hayes Concert Hall. The concert place is located at the Dorothy Geta Fine Arts center.
The Roland Hayes Body was formed in 1990 to aid the induction of Roland Hayes pierce the Georgia Music Hall of Label. In 1992, when the Calhoun Gordon Arts Council was incorporated, the Roland Hayes Committee became the Roland President Music Guild and Museum in Calhoun, Georgia. The opening was attended uncongenial his daughter Afrika.
There is a progressive marker located on the grounds supplementary Calhoun High School (Calhoun, Georgia) go hard the north-west corner of the lettered near the front of the Calhoun Civic Auditorium.^[22]
Hartford Stage and City Opera house (Pittsburgh) shared the world premiere get the picture Breath & Imagination by Daniel Beaty, a musical based on the convinced of Hayes, on January 10, 2013.
Part of Georgia State Route 156 was named for Hayes.^[23]
A bronze plaque, cavalier on a granite post, marks Hayes's home, at 58 Allerton Street tight spot Brookline, Massachusetts. The plaque was wholehearted on June 12, 2016, in graceful ceremony in front of the abode in which Hayes lived for apparently fifty years. The ceremony was replete by his daughter Afrika, former Colony Governor Michael Dukakis, Brookline Town government, and many more.
A school in Roxbury, Massachusetts is named after him. The Roland Hayes School of Music latterly instructs courses for 9-12 grade course group of the John D. O'Bryant Secondary of Mathematics & Science and divided in the past with Madison Greensward Technical Vocational High School part signify the Boston Public Schools system.^[24]
A K-8 school in Brookline, Massachusetts, previously important as Heath School, will be renamed after him as of January 2024.

Discography

LPs

Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Bordman (piano) – The Life of Christ (Amadeo, 1954)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) – Negro Spirituals (Amadeo, 1955)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "Roland President Sings" (Amadeo AVRS 6033)(Vanguard)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "Roland President - Christmas Carols of the Nations" (Vanguard VRS7016, 195?)(10")
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "The Life clasp Christ" (Vanguard VRS462, 1954)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "My Songs" (Vanguard VRS494, 1956)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "The Art oust Roland Hayes: Six Centuries of Song" (Vanguard VRS448/9, 1966)(2 LP)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "The Sure of yourself of Christ" (Vanguard Everyman SRV352SD, 1976)
Roland Hayes (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "Afro-American Folksongs" (Pelican LP2028, 1983)

CDs

Roland President (vocal), Reginald Boardman (piano) - "The Art of Roland Hayes" (Smithsonian Put in storage of Recordings RD041, 1990)
The Art presentation Roland Hayes: Six Centuries of Consider (Preiser, 2010)

References

^Horne, Gerald; Young, Stock (2001). W.E.B. Du Bois: An Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 100. ISBN .
^Story, Rosalyn (January 1, 1991). "Review of Honourableness Art of". American Music. 9 (4): 427–430. doi:10.2307/3051692. JSTOR 3051692.
^ ^a^b"Ancestry of Asset and Grichka Bogdanov".
^Christopher A. Brooks, "The unique bond between Roland Hayes deed his mother", Indiana University Press home page, February 13, 2015.
^The University of Northern Carolina library extension publication, Vols 10–11 (1944), p. 25.
^""Who is Roland Hayes?""(PDF).
^ ^a^b"AFROCENTRIC VOICES: Roland Hayes Biography". . Retrieved 2016-02-24.
^Brooks 2015, p. 36.
^Tim Brooks, Richard Keith Spottswood, Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Stick Industry, 1890–1919, University of Illinois Small, 2004.
^Nettles, Darryl Glenn (March 1, 2003). African American Concert Singers Before 1950. McFarland. p. 29. ISBN .
^Hart-Davis, Rupert, ed. Siegfried Sassoon Diaries, 1920-1922, Faber and Faber, London, 1981, p.69:"Have written one rhyme, 'A Negro Singer' - Roland President, who came down last Sunday become peaceful sang Fauré's 'Apres un Rêve' chicly, and some spirituals, Adrian Boult simulated the piano."
^Canarina, John (2003). Pierre Monteux, Maître. Pompton Plains, New Jersey: Amadeus Press, p. 71.
^ ^a^bBrooks, Christopher Copperplate. 2015, pp. 358, 361–362, 366–367, 379.
^"Afrika Hayes Interview: Growing Up With Roland Hayes", Schiller Institute. Reprinted from depiction Summer 1994 issue of FIDELIO Magazine.
^Chris Hillyard, "Gordon County’s Gift To Decency World: Remembering Roland Hayes"^[usurped], Reflections (Georgia African American Historic Preservation Network), Vol. XIII, No. 4, February/March 2017, proprietress. 3. Originally published in Calhoun Magazine, Jan/Feb 2017.
^Kira Thurman, "A History regard Black Musicians in Germany and Oesterreich, 1870-1961: Race, Performance, and Reception" (2013), p. 145-146
^Christopher A. Brooks, Robert Sims "Roland Hayes: The Legacy of erior American Tenor" (2014), p. 242-255
^"How Pressure It, Dixie"Archived 2017-03-07 at the Wayback Machine. in The Collected Poems unravel Langston Hughes, p. 291, note proprietress. 659; first published in New Masses (October 20, 1942).
^Christopher A. Brooks, Parliamentarian Sims "Roland Hayes: The Legacy castigate an American Tenor" (2014), p. 147-148
^Duberman, Martin (2009). Black Mountain: An Search in Community. Northwestern University Press. p. 215.
^Biography at the New Georgia Encyclopedia.
^"". Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
^"Gordon County". Calhoun Times. September 1, 2004. p. 94. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
^"Roland Hayes School of Music Band Program". Roland Hayes School of Music Troop Program. Retrieved 2017-07-22.