Composers

Dorothy Rudd Moore

1940 - 2022

About

Dorothy Rudd Moore (1940 - 2022) born in New Castle, Delaware, is considered one of her generation’s leading woman composers of color. From a very early age, she loved music--an interest that her mother, a singer, actively supported. As a young girl, Moore listened to performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, with Eugene Ormandy conducting, an experience that she cherished. Her parents, who sent her to public schools in nearby Wilmington, encouraged her to explore all of her interests, and provided her with piano lessons. By her teens, Moore knew that she wanted to become a composer. Yet there were few role models in this field for a young black woman. She continued her study of piano at Wilmington School of Music, and became a student of Howard High School teacher (and later, Music Superintendent of Wilmington Public Schools) Harry Andrews. Moore learned to play clarinet so that she could join the all-male band at Howard High. In addition, she was a member of the school orchestra, studied music theory, and sang in the school choir and in her church choir. She enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she began as a music education major. Excelled in Music as a University Student At Howard, Moore studied with Dean Warner Lawson, Thomas Kerr, and Mark Fax, who supported her decision to change her major to composition. Her work, which includes chamber pieces, song cycles, orchestral music, and an opera, is admired for its high level of artistry, its seriousness of purpose, and has been performed throughout the United States as well as in Europe and Asia. As a composer, he has amass various accolades such as the Lucy Moten Fellowship, 1963; The American Music Center Grant, 1972; The New York State Council on the Arts Grant, 1985; and several Meet the Composer grants.

 

Related Information

http://www.darryltaylor.com/alliance/composers/dorothy-rudd-moore

Works by Dorothy Rudd Moore

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
Ah, My Beloved Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Oboe (Text from The Rubaiyat) Mezzo-Soprano A3 - Eb5 Omar Khayyam
And When Like Her Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Oboe (Text from The Rubaiyat) Mezzo-Soprano F#4 - E5 Omar Khayyam
At Early Morn Flowers of Darkness Voice E4 - Ab5 Binga Diamond
Come Fill The Cup Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Oboe (Text from The Rubaiyat) Mezzo-Soprano Ab3 - E5 Omar Khayyam
Creole Girl Flowers of Darkness Voice Eb4 - G5 Leslie M. Collins
Dream Variation From the Dark Tower Voice G#3 - G#5 Langston Hughes
Flowers of Darkness Flowers of Darkness Voice D4 - Bb5 Frank Marshall Davis
For a Poet From the Dark Tower Voice C4 - E5 Countee Cullen
From the Dark Tower From the Dark Tower Voice G3 - G#5 Countee Cullen
Harlem Sweeties Flowers of Darkness Voice C4 - A5 Langston Hughes
I. I had No Thought… Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice B3 - G5 Alice Dunbar Nelson
II. Joy Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice D4 - A5 Clarissa Scott Dalaney
III. Some Things Are Very Dear to Me Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice D4 - F#5 Gwendolyn B. Bennett
IV. He Came in Silvern Armour Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice C4 - F#5 Gwendolyn B. Bennett
No Images From the Dark Tower Voice B3 - F#5 Waring Cuney
O Black and Unknown Bards From the Dark Tower Voice A3 - F#5 James Weldon Johnson
O Daedalus, Fly Away Home Flowers of Darkness Voice D4 - A5 Robert Hayden
O, I Got a Light Voice E4 - A5 Biblical
Old Black Men From the Dark Tower Voice D4 - F5 Georgia Douglas Johnson
Southern Mansions From the Dark Tower Voice A3 - G5 Arna Bontemps
The Glory of the Day Was In Her Face Flowers of Darkness Voice E4 - A5 James Weldon Johnson
The Worldly Hope Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Oboe (Text from The Rubaiyat) Mezzo-Soprano Db4 - E5 Omar Khayyam
V. Song for a Dark Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice D4 - F#5 Langston Hughes
VI. Idolatry Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice Db4 - E5 Arna Bontemps
VII. Youth Sings of Rosebuds Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice Db4 - G5 Countee Cullen
VIII. Invocation Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death Voice Db4 - A5 Helene Johnson
Weary Blues Voice B2 - G4 Langston Hughes
Willow Bend and Weep From the Dark Tower Voice A3 - G5 Herbert Clark Johnson
Would But Some Winged Angel Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Oboe (Text from The Rubaiyat) Mezzo-Soprano A3 - D5 Omar Khayyam
Title Published Size Solo with Ensemble Duration Range Level Orchestration
FREDERICK DOUGLASS, An Opera in 3 Acts Yes Full Orchestra Vocal Soli 20+ Professional 2 1[Ehn] 2[1.2/Bcl] 1-221[Btbn]0-Perc,Timp,Pf,Strings
From the Dark Tower Yes Full Orchestra Mezzo-soprano 20+ Professional 2 2[1.2/Eh]2[1.2/Bcl]2-4321-btbn-cel-timp-str
In Celebration Yes Chamber Soprano and Baritone 5-10 Professional 1010-0000-perc-pf-str
One at a Time, Two at a Time from the opera, Frederick Douglass Yes Full Orchestra Soprano | Mezzo 5-10 Professional 2 1[Eh]2 1[Bsn]-0200-timp-perc-pf-str
Papa Doc Yes Full Orchestra Voice Professional
Symphony No. 1 Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional Picc, Bcl, Cbn, 2[1.2/pic] 2[1.2/Bcl] 3 2[1.2/Cbn]-4331-timp-perc(3)-str
Transcension (I Have Been to the Mountaintop) Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 1110-0000-str
Weary Blues Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional Eh, Bcl, 2 2[1.2/Eh] 2[1.2./Bcl] 2-2200-timp-pf-str
Composer Title Work Instrumentation Level Number of Movements Accompanied Size Duration Range
Dorothy Rudd Moore A Little Whimsy Piano 1 No Solo