2021

Birth

Composed by Margaret Bonds
"Birth" is an art song composed by Margaret Bonds with text derived from the Langston Hughes poem of the same name.

Audio

Birth
Frances Young Bennett, soprano; Nina Scolnik, piano0:51

Margaret Bonds

Composer

Langston Hughes

Poet(s)/Writer(s)

2022

Date

University of California, Irvine, Winifred Smith Hall

Location

This recording was part of a 5:30pm concert ("A Salute to Margaret Bonds (1913-1972)") on Saturday, October 15, 2022 during the 25th Anniversary African American Art Song Alliance Conference. The concert venue was Winifred Smith Hall at the University of California, Irvine.

Text

Oh the fields of wonder,
Out of which
Stars are born,
And moon and sun
And me as well,
Like streak*
Of lightning.
In the night
Some mark
To make
Some word
To tell.

*The original poem by Hughes reads: “Like stroke”

Related Information

African Diaspora Music Project

africandiasporamusicproject.org/song/margaret-bonds/birth

Sheet Music

Rediscovering Margaret Bonds: Art Songs, Spirituals, Musical Theater and Popular Songs

Margaret Bonds
Buy via Classical Vocal Reprints