Homage, from Piano Potpourri. By Zenobia Powell Perry

Homage is a movement in the set Piano Potpourri. Composed in 1990, it employs a wide variety of different textures and techniques, including octaves, dense chords, and chromaticism. Homage is dedicated to black composer William Dawson, and is based on the spiritual “I’ve Been Buked and I’ve Been Scorned”, which is played unaccompanied at the beginning of the piece. It would be a good fit for a student at the advanced level due to the jumps in the left hand and complex pedaling, and the student would have to be a strong reader to notice the subtle changes between similar motives.

Homage is published in the anthology Black Women Composers: A Century of Piano Music (1893-1990) edited by Helen Walker Hill and published by Hildegard Publishing.

Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) was an African American composer, professor and civil rights activist. She taught in some historically black colleges and universities. Her musical style is described as “music with clear, classic melodies.” She studied piano and violin in her childhood. Her most powerful musical experience was hearing Hazel Harrison (African-American pianist) in a concert.

Sources

• Zenobia Powell Perry
• Black Grooves: Reviews of new black music releases
• Image source: Zenobia Powell Perry - Drizzle Lyrics