Nicholas Ross wouldn’t allow John Powell – a composer, native Virginian and outspoken racist – to have the last word.

Powell’s work as a young man made him a revered and influential figure in American music. Later, as he became increasingly bigoted, he renounced the African-American influences that helped make his early compositions so notable.

Sweet Briar professor of art Laura Pharis painted the CD's cover art. “Virginia Landscape,” acrylic on panel, is a composite of scenes around the Virginia Center for Creative Arts near Sweet Briar.Repulsed by Powell’s politics of hatred, contemporary classical musicians mostly ignore his work, and after his death his name disappeared from American music history books, according to the liner notes of Ross’ recently released CD, “John Powell: Early Piano Works.”

Reviewing the CD for allmusic.com, Uncle Dave Lewis writes that Ross, a British-born classical pianist and assistant professor of music at Sweet Briar College, has “decided to brave the potentially injurious political headwinds and press forward with this fine recital.”

No one can accuse him of being “ostrich-like” on the issue, Ross says, citing the CD’s “copious” program notes that deal with Powell’s racism. And, so far, reactions to lecture recitals where he discusses the composer’s views have not resulted in injury.

“One treads delicately, but my experience has been that audiences share my view that there is a contradiction between his early music and his later views,” he said. “Most listeners who discuss it with me feel that the music is too interesting to be ignored.”

The music is important, Ross writes in the program notes, because it “foreshadows later developments in American music. Powell’s music also helps us to see the complexities of American Nationalism at the birth of American music.”

Powell, who was born in Richmond in 1882 and died there in 1963, enjoyed some of his best and most prolific years from 1905 to 1908. Ross recorded two suites and a sonata written during that time on a Steinway “D” at Louisiana State University’s recital hall under the Centaur Records label.

The works include “In the South” – a 1906 suite that drew international attention for Powell as both composer and pianist – “At the Fair: Sketches of American Fun for Pianoforte,” and “Sonate noble.”

In his review, Lewis writes that “Nicholas Ross’ playing is dedicated, clean and forthright, no small feat as some of the music in “In the South” is written at a treacherously difficult level.”

Powell’s influences and innovations in these compositions run the gamut from his Liszt-inspired “Hummingbirds” movement from “In the South” to his extensive use of ragtime, African-American themes, Virginia folk and before-its-time blues, among others.

Lewis calls his music “daring and original,” and lauds Ross for playing the pieces. He notes that if left up to Powell himself, who disowned much of his own early compositions, it would be lost to today’s audiences.

The CD is available from Centaur Records’ Web site, centaurrecords.com, as well as other online music stores.

— By Jennifer McManamay, SBC staff writer