About this Piece

Mother and Child is one of William Grant Still’s most well-known works. Originally written as part of a three-movement programmatic suite for violin and piano, the composition reflects the interconnectedness that existed between the different artistic circles that the composer engaged with during the height of the Negro Renaissance movement in Harlem. Each movement was inspired by a specific work created by a Black Renaissance-era artist. The first movement, African Dancer, was based on a sculpture by Richmond Barthé. Mother and Child, the second movement, was inspired by a lithograph of the same name by Sargent Johnson. A bust of a young boy by Augusta Savage underscored the energy represented in the third movement, Gamin.

Still completed the work in 1943, dedicating it to violinist Louis Kaufman. The violinist, accompanied by pianist Vladimir Padwa, premiered the work in 1944, first in Boston’s Jordan Hall and later in New York’s Town Hall. Following these performances, Still revised the work for violin and orchestra. Kaufman and the WOR Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Emerson Buckley, premiered this version in 1946.

It is not hard to imagine that Still’s close relationship with his mother inspired the composition of Mother and Child. It is a lullaby that moves the listener through the emotional arc of nurturance, discipline, and abiding love that underscores the relationship between mother and child. The first section of the work centers on the introduction of a song-like melody played by the first violins, which is anchored by musical responses in the lower strings. The musical colors created by this dialogue were hallmarks of Still’s style during the 1930s and 1940s. They reflect the nurturing love a mother conveys to a child through cradling. After some variation on this primary motive, the work modulates to E minor, signifying a shift in mood. The counterpoint between the violins and lower strings intensifies, building both emotional and musical tension that is finally resolved through a short cadenza played by a solo violin. This is followed by a short interlude that sets up the modulation back to the original key of E major and the return of the primary melody. It is a reminder of the abiding and nurturing love that exists between mother and child.

—Tammy Kernodle