Leslie Adams (composer) facts for kids

H. Leslie Adams

Harrison Leslie Adams Jr. (born December 30, 1932 – died May 24, 2024) was an American composer. This means he wrote music. His music has been played by famous groups like the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Big orchestras like The Cleveland Orchestra even asked him to write new music for them. Singers from the Metropolitan Opera have performed his vocal music around the world. Adams was especially known for writing music for voices, including songs for choirs and solo singers. But he also wrote many pieces for instruments only. His music mixes traditional Western classical styles with special sounds from African-American music.

About H. Leslie Adams

Harrison Leslie Adams Jr. was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 30, 1932. He started learning music when he was very young, taking violin lessons at just four years old. He went to college and earned several degrees in music, including from Oberlin College, California State University, Long Beach, and Ohio State University. He also studied privately with many important music teachers.

Adams received special invitations to work on his music at famous places like the Rockefeller Foundation in Italy and Yaddo Artist Residence in New York. He also taught music at several colleges and universities, including Stillman College, Florida A&M University, and the University of Kansas.

The Music Drama Blake

One of Adams's most important works is his Blake music drama, which he started composing in 1980. A music drama is like an opera, where a story is told through music and singing. Blake is loosely based on a novel about the lives of African-American slaves before the American Civil War.

This work is special because it includes many elements of African-American music. You can hear rhythms that are "syncopated" (meaning the beats are off-beat and lively), melodies that sound like spirituals and gospel music, and even parts that sound like Afro-Cuban jazz. Blake was first performed at Oberlin College and later broadcast on PBS, a public television channel.

Later Works and Awards

Between 1997 and 2007, Adams wrote "Twenty-Six Etudes for Solo Piano." Etudes are musical pieces designed to help musicians practice and improve their skills. These pieces were recorded and performed live. In 2015, he received the Cleveland Arts Award, which recognized his important contributions to the arts.

Adams continued to work from his studio in Cleveland, focusing on writing new music and sharing his existing works. He also often gave talks at colleges and universities, teaching others about his music. H. Leslie Adams passed away in Cleveland on May 24, 2024, at the age of 91.

Adams's Compositions

H. Leslie Adams wrote many different types of music. Here are some of his well-known compositions, especially those for solo voice and piano.

Solo Voice and Piano

These pieces are written for one singer and a piano.

Daybirth

This is a collection of songs based on poems by Joette McDonald.

• "On This Day"
• "Love Union (a.k.a. Christ at a Wedding)"
• "In the Midnight of My Soul"
• "Cantus"
• "Anniversary Song"
• "Daybirth". Link to Youtube recording here.
• "Flying"
• "From a Hotel Room"
• "Love Request"
• "Lullaby Eternal"
• "Midas, Poor Midas"
• "Song to Baby Jesus"
• "Song of Thanks"
• "Song of the Innkeeper's Children"
• "Wave and the Shore"
• "Contentment"
• "Night People"

Five Millay Songs

These songs use poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay.

• "Wild Swans"
• "Branch by Branch"
• "For You There is No Song"
• "The Return from Town"
• "Gone Again is Summer the Lovely"

Nightsongs

This collection features songs with texts by famous poets like Langston Hughes and Georgia Douglas Johnson.

• "Prayer" (text by Langston Hughes)
• "Drums of Tragedy" (text by Langston Hughes). Link to Youtube recording here.
• "The Heart of a Woman" (text by Georgia Douglas Johnson)
• "Night Song" (text by Clarissa Scott Delany)
• "Sence You Went Away" (text by James Weldon Johnson)
• "Creole Girl" (text by Morgan Collins)

Note: "Nightsongs" can also be performed with a solo voice and a small orchestra. "The Heart of a Woman" can be sung by a solo tenor or baritone with piano.

The Wider View

These songs include texts by poets such as Paul Laurence Dunbar and Langston Hughes.

• "To the Road" (text by Paul Laurence Dunbar)
• "Homesick Blues" (text by Langston Hughes)
• "Li'l' Gal" / "My Man" (text by Paul Laurence Dunbar)
• "Love Come and Love gone" (text by Georgia Douglas Johnson)
• "The Wider View" (text by R. H. Grenville)
• "Love Rejoices" (text by James Dillet Freeman)

Collected Songs

This group includes various songs by Adams.

• "Love Request" (text by Paul Laurence Dunbar)
• "Love Memory" (text by Paul Laurence Dunbar)
• "Amazing Grace" (text by H. Leslie Adams). Link to Youtube recording here.
• "Song of Solitude" a/k/a "Alone...." (text by Nikos Valance)
• "Dream Song" (text by Countee Cullen) (can be piano-vocal or with cello)
• "Advocation" (text by Suzanne Hassler)
• "Christmas Lullaby" (text by H. Leslie Adams)
• "It's So Nice Being Home at Christmas" (text by H. Leslie Adams)
• "Walking After Midnight" (text by H. Leslie Adams)

Scores and Recordings

You can find recordings of H. Leslie Adams's music on CDs. Some of his well-known recordings include "Twelve Etudes (Piano Etudes Part I)" and "Piano Etudes Part II."