美国名人 歌手 音乐教师 托德·邓肯.docx

美国名人歌手音乐教师托德邓肯ToddDuncan,1903-1998:HeOpenedDoorsforOtherBlackClassicalSingersplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-17:15repeatByJeriIynWatson2010-3-6ToddDuncanSHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:I'mShirleyGriffith.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:AndmRichKleinfeldtwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOP1.EINAMERICA.TodaywetellthestoryofToddDuncan-aconcertsingerandmusicteacher.Heisthemanwhobrokeamajorcolorbarrierforblacksingersofclassicalmusic.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Itisnineteen-forty-five.TheplaceisNewYorkCity.TheNewYorkCityOperaCompanyjustfinishedperformingtheItalianopera"Pagliacci."ToddDuncanisonthestage.HehadjustbecomethefirstAfricanAmericanmantosingwiththisimportantAmericanoperacompany.Noonewassurehowhewouldbereceived.ButthepeopleinthetheaterofferedIoudzwarmapprovalofhisperformance.Duncandidnotsingapartwrittenforablackman.Instead,heplayedaparttraditionallysungbyawhiteman.AlltheothersingersintheNewYorkCityOperaCompanyproductionwerewhite.HishistoricperformancetookplacetenyearsbeforeblacksingerMarianAndersonperformedattheMetropolitanOperainNewYork.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:ToddDuncanopeneddoorsforotherblackmusicianswhenheappearedin"Pagliacci."Untilthatnight,blacksingersofclassicalmusichadalmostnochanceofperforminginmajorAmericanoperahousesandtheaters.ManyAfricanAmericanclassicalsingersoftodaysaytheystilldonothaveanequalchancetoperform.ButToddDuncanbeganamajorchangeinclassicalmusicalperformanceintheUnitedStates.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:TbddDuncanlivedaverylonglife.Hewasninety-fiveyearsoldwhenhediedinMarch,nineteen-ninety-eightinWashington,D.C.Hetaughtsinginguntiltheendofhislife.RobertToddDuncanwasborninnineteen-oh-threeinthesoutherncityofDanvillezKentucky.Hismother,NettieCooperDuncanzwashisfirstmusicteacher.Asayoungadult,hecontinuedhismusicstudiesinIndianapoliszIndiana.Heattendedbothauniversityandaspecialmusiccollegeinthismiddlewesterncity.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:Innineteen-thirty,hecompletedmoremusicaleducationatColumbiaUniversityinNewYorkCity.ThenhemovedtoWashington.Forfifteenyears,hetaughtmusicatHowardUniversityinWashington.AfricanAmericanshadgainedworldwidefamefortheirworkinpopularmusic-especiallyforcreatingjazz.Butnotmanyblackmusicianswereknownforwritingorperformingclassicalmusic.TeachingatHowardgaveDuncanthechancetosharehisknowledgeofclassicalEuropeanmusicwithamainlyblackstudentpopulation.Hetaughtspecialwaystopresentthemusic.ThesespecialwaysbecameknownastheDuncanTechnique.HereToddDuncansings"OTixo,Tixo,HelpMe"fromtheopera"1.ostintheStars"composedbyKurtWeill.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Inadditiontoteaching,Duncansanginseveraloperaswithperformerswhoallwereblack.Butitseemedhealwayswouldbeknownmainlyasaconcertartist.Duncansangatleastfive-thousandconcertsinfiftycountriesduringtwenty-fiveyearsasaperformer.Howevehislifetookadifferentturninthemiddlenineteen-thirties.Atthattime,thefamousAmericanmusicwriterGeorgeGershwinwaslookingforsomeonetoplayaleadingpartinhisnewwork,"PorgyandBess."Gershwinhadheardone-hundredbaritonesattemptthepart.Hedidnotwantanyofthem.Then,themusiccriticoftheNewYorkTimesnewspapersuggestedToddDuncan.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:Duncanalmostdecidednottotryforthepart.Buthechangedhismind.HesangapiecefromanItalianoperaforGershwin.HehadsungonlyafewminuteswhenGershwinofferedhimthepart.ButDuncanwasnotsurethatplayingPorgywouldberightforhim.Yearslater;headmittedthathehadnoideathatGeorgeGershwinwassuchasuccessfulcomposer.And,hethoughtGershwinwroteonlypopularmusic.Duncanalmostalwayshadsungclassicalworks,bycomposerssuchasBrahmsandSchumann.ToddDuncansaidhewouldhavetohear"PorgyandBess."Hedid.ThenheacceptedthepartofPorgy.ButhesaidhefounditdifficulttoperformbecausePorgyhasabadlegandcannotwalk.Hespendsmostoftheoperaonhisknees.Duncanusedhisspecialmethodstogetenoughbreathtoproducebeautifulsound.Hewasabletodothiseveninthedifficultpositionsdemandedbythepart.HereTbddDuncansings"Porgy's1.ament"fromtheGershwinopera,"PorgyandBess."(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:ToddDuncansangintheopeningproductionof"PorgyandBess"innineteenthirty-five.ThenheappearedagainasPorgyinnineteen-thirty-sevenandnineteen-forty-two.Heoftencommentedonthefactthathewasbestknownforapartheplayedforonlythreeyears.HisfameasPorgyhelpedhimgetthepartin"Pagliacci"withtheNewYorkCityOperaCompany.Healsosangotherpartswiththeoperacompany.Earlier,youheardhimsingasongfromoneoftheoperasheenjoyedmost.ThepartwasthatofStephenKhumaloin"1.ostintheStars."ItwasamusicalversionofthefamousnovelaboutAfrica,"CryztheBelovedCountry"byAlanPaton.AmericanwriterMaxwellAndersonwrotethewordsforthemusicbyGermancomposerKurtWeill.1.istenasToddDuncansingsthetitlesongfrom"1.ostintheStars."(MUSIC)RICHK1.日NFE1.DT:TbddDuncangainedfameasanoperasingerandconcertartist.Buthisgreatestloveinmusicwasteaching.WhenhestoppedteachingatHoward,hecontinuedgivingsinginglessonsinhisWashingtonhomeuntiltheweekbeforehisdeath.Hetaughthundredsofstudentsovertheyears.SomemusicianssaytheyalwayscanrecognizestudentsofToddDuncan.Theysaypeoplehetaughtdemonstratehisspecialmethodsofsinging.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:DonaldBoothmanisasinger