Composers
Herbert Franklin Mells
1908 - 1953About
Herbert Franklin Mells was a composer, professor, and choral director, and was the first Black man to receive a Ph.D. in composition with a focus on orchestral music.
Dr. Mells composed a great amount of vocal and instrumental music, and much of his vocal work was published during his lifetime. However, his symphonic works have yet to be published nor performed. Despite Dr. Mells’s best efforts to have his orchestral works published, historian Mark Clague notes that they “were continually rejected, however, because, as Dr. Mells was told, there was no market for classical music written by a Black man.”
Dr. Mells served as the music department chair at Langston University, Hampton Institute, and later at Tennessee State University, where he held this position until his death in 1953.
Related Information
https://www.onefoundsound.org/mells-projectWorks by Herbert Franklin Mells
| Title | Published | Size | Solo with Ensemble | Duration Range | Level | Orchestration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motherless Child. A Negro Spiritual. A Symphonic Poem | Yes | Full Orchestra | Professional |