Abolition Song and its Legacies

From mid-October 2024, over 24 months, Abolition Song and its Legacies
will probe the previously unknown repertories of British Abolition song(1788-1830s)
and music associated with Britain's Black communities until 1830. Partner
institutions Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the British Library, and the
Handel Hendrix House will collaborate to digitise this forgotten music,facilitate
research into it, and bring it to public performance and recording.
Abolition song consists of c70 high-style airs promoting Abolitionism. Though
composed for private and public concerts, the reach of these airs was
international. As the protest song of its day, Abolition song argued forAfricans’
needs and rights as these were then understood. It followed on from Blackartists’
performances in British concerts from the 1780s onwards, and Black communities’
musical presence generally in Britain since the 16th century, within which this
project contextualizes Abolition song.
Through its interlocked work packages, ASaiL will research, publish, perform,and
record Abolition song and the Black heritage music and writings relating tothis
song repertory. The first work package will produce BL-digitised scores; the
second will consist of six seminar days (one per term) where atransdisciplinary
12-member team of scholars, three each from music, literature, history, and the
visual arts meet to prepare an open-access essay collection. A third packagewill
enlist early career artists to curate and deliver six recorded performances of
Abolitionist song and of readings from works by Black Abolitionists.
Audiences are warmly welcome to join the ASaiL evening events 6pm-7.30pm to
be held in the immersive, beautiful Handel & Hendrix House. These will take
place on Thursday 9 January 2025, Monday 19 May 2025, Monday 8 September
2025.

ASaiL partners/directors:

Berta Joncus, PI

Rupert Ridgewell, CI

Olwen Foulkes, HHH representative       

Joseph McHardy, Artistic Director

 

Academic Leads:

Joan Anim-Addo, Academic Lead (literature)

Sarah Thomas,  Academic Lead (visual arts)

Janet Topp Fargion, Academic Lead (music)

Matthew Smith, Academic Lead (history)

 

Practice workshop leads:

Tim Parker-Langston, Workshop Lead

Please see: Academic Leads

 

Advisory Board:

Simon McVeigh, Advisory Board Member

Francis Gilbert, Advisory Board Member

Fiona Plant, Advisory Board Member

Mohammed Ilyas, Advisory Board Member

Jacqueline Springer, Advisory Board Member