St John's C of E Primary School
"Use your God-given gifts to serve others." 1 Peter 4: 10
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 9.10.23
Samuel Coleridge Taylor
Samuel Coleridge- Taylor was an English composer, conductor and political activist once hailed by 20th-century critics as a “musical genius”.
Born in London in 1875 to an English mother and a father originally from Sierra Leone, he identified as Anglo-African.
His name was given to him after the famous poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Conscious of his African descent, Taylor’s classical compositions were heavily influenced by traditional African music. This piece of music ‘Deep River’ is based on an a traditional African-American spiritual.
Written in 1904, ‘Deep River’ was originally arranged for the piano but was recently arranged for a trio by cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason with added violin and cello. He performs here with his brother and sister, Braimah and Isata.
You can listen to both versions here.