Lecture – Dvorak’s Prophecy and the Fate of Black Classical Music

The Bohemian composer Antonin Dvorak famously predicted that “Negro melodies” would foster a “great and noble school” of American classical music. Instead, America’s Black musical motherlode inspired popular musical genres known the world over. Joe Horowitz’s new book — a special topic of this month’s Brevard Music Center’s Festival concerts — asks: “Why did American classical music ’stay white’?” Joe’s talk will include film and audio clips. His book was a 2021 best-book-of-the-year in the Chicago Tribune and Financial Times. John McWhorter in the New York Times wrote: “His lesson should resound.”

Joseph Horowitz, a regular participant in the Brevard Music Festival, is the author of eleven books dealing with American music. He regularly produces “More than Music” radio documentaries for National Public Radio’s “1A” newsmagazine.