The Door of No Return- Althea Talbot Howard

Learn more about Afro-British composer Althea Talbot Howard on her website, althea-composer.com.

In the composer’s own words, The Door of No Return is “a new sonata commemorating the transatlantic slave trade, forced labour in the New World and the late US Congress Representative John Lewis (1940-2020). It is also celebrating The American Civil Rights movement, the Return to Africa movement & Ghana’s Year of Return (2019).”

The piece is available for oboe and piano, clarinet and piano, or saxophone and piano:

https://www.althea-composer.com/the-door-of-no-return.html

The first movement, “Dahomey,” is in Eb minor, and moderately technical; the key is challenging but the writing is very approachable for a high-intermediate or advanced high school player.

The second movement, ” Betty’s Hope,” is in Ab minor, a very challenging key, but the lyrical, slow, beautiful melody would be comfortable for an intermediate player.

The final movement, “The Door of Return,” is quite fast and challenging and appropriate for advanced players.