During his lifetime, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was one of England’s most popular composers and, as a man descended from formerly enslaved people living in the American South, he became an icon to the African-American community across the pond as well. While on tour in the U.S. in 1904, he even became one of just a few people of African descent who were invited to the White House to visit the president before the Civil Rights Era and integration. He tragically died of pneumonia at only 37, not long after completing his final work, the Violin Concerto in G minor. Coleridge-Taylor essentially worked himself to death, perennially broke because he generally sold his music to publishers outright but rarely if ever received royalties. His daughter Avril, also a composer, went on to fight for stronger copyright laws and ultimately helped found the Musical Rights Society, which ensures composers are compensated for all sales and performances of their music to this day.

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The concerto is stylistically and structurally of the late Romantic era, with lush orchestration and sweeping melodies supported by evocative harmonies. Featuring three movements, its memorable themes are original creations of the composer but are inspired by African American spirituals. The piece is a too-infrequently-performed gem of the violin concerto canon, and PROTESTRA is thrilled to be able to share this beautiful work with a wider audience.