Justin Holland was born in 1819 as a free black American. He devoted his life to civil rights, did dangerous work on the Underground Railroad, and was a talented guitarist and composer. Hear and learn more about the music of Justin Holland on this episode of Performance Today.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Friedrich von Flotow, arr. Justin Holland: Martha
Gabriele Leite, guitar
Private Recording

C. S. Brainard, arr. Justin Holland: Moonlight Mazurka
Keith Calmes, guitar
Private Recording

Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47: Movement 1
Vesa-Matti Leppanen, violin | New Zealand Symphony Orchestra | Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, New Zealand

Franz Schubert: Rondo in B minor, D. 895
Benjamin Beilman, violin | Orion Weiss, piano
Spivey Hall, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA

Nicolas Dalayrac, arr. Justin Holland: Musette de Nina
Gabriele Leite, guitar
Private Recording

Anonymous, arr. Justin Holland: Gertrude's Dream Waltz
Michael Vascones, guitar
Wagner College, Kairos House Chapel, Staten Island, NY

A. G. Crowe, arr. Justin Holland: See-Saw Waltz
Mark Delpriora, guitar
Wagner College, Kairos House Chapel, Staten Island, NY

Hour 2

Jake Heggie: Soliloquy
Carol Wincenc, flute; Jake Heggie, piano
Album: Here/After
Pentatone 186515

Jean Sibelius: Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 78
Benjamin Bowman, violin | Jeewon Park, piano
Seattle Chamber Music Society, SCMS Center for Chamber Music, Seattle, WA

Modest Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain
The Orchestra Now | Leon Botstein, conductor
Bard College, Bard's Fisher Center for The Performing Arts, Annandale On-Hudson, NY

Jake Heggie, arr. Cristian Macelaru: Suite from Moby Dick
Aspen Festival Orchestra; Cristian Macelaru, conductor
Aspen Music Festival and School, Benedict Music Tent, Aspen, CO