Michael Mosoeu Moerane

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Michael Mosoeu Moerane (* 1909 in Mangoloaneng , Cape Colony ; † 1981 , according to other sources 1904–1980) was a South African composer and choirmaster.

Moerane's father came from Basutoland, today's Lesotho . Moerane was educated at the Lovedale Institute and Fort Hare University. He started teaching in Lovedale in 1927. At the University of South Africa he studied composition, orchestration, harmony, counterpoint and music history and was the first non-white person in South Africa to receive a Bachelor of Music degree . He took additional composition lessons from Friedrich Hartmann from Rhodes University in Grahamstown . He later worked as a teacher at a high school in Maseru in Lesotho, at the Umfundisweni Institute in Pondoland and finally at the Peka High School in Peka , Lesotho.

In 1941 Moerane completed the symphonic poem Fatse la heso , which was premiered in 1944 by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Clifford Curzon . In 1994 the National Symphony Orchestra of the South African Broadcasting Corporation conducted by Peter Marchbank recorded the work on CD. Because of his opposition to the Bantu Education Act , Moerane lost his job as a teacher in 1953. He was still active as a pianist and choir director.

Works

  • Fatsa la heso , symphonic poem, 1941
  • Chorale for school orchestra
  • Sunrise for school orchestra
  • Why worry? for school orchestra
  • Fantasia for piano
  • In Hout Bay for piano
  • Joy ride for piano
  • Lonesome for piano
  • Atamelang for choir
  • Banozolo: ke tla bina for choir
  • Barali ba Jerusalema for choir
  • Ba tsabang molimo: yizani nive for choir
  • Bokang Jesu for choir

source

Individual evidence

  1. ^ VIAF entry
personal data
SURNAME Moerane, Michael Mosoeu
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African composer and choir director
DATE OF BIRTH 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Mangoloaneng , Cape Colony
DATE OF DEATH 1981