John Malveaux, MusicUNTOLD.com: Martin Luther King Jr. 50th Anniversary Concert ‘SYMPHONY of BROTHERHOOD’

 Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004): A Celebration

Chicago Sinfonietta et al. 

Paul Freeman, Conductor

Cedille 90000 087 (2005)

John Malveaux of www.MusicUNTOLD.com sends the program for SYMPHONY of BROTHERHOOD:

Martin Luther King Jr. 50^th Anniversary Concert

‘SYMPHONY of BROTHERHOOD’

Music UNTOLD String Quartet

(Clavis Ballard-cello, Jennifer Lindsay-violin, Darrel Sims-violin, Joseph Taylor-viola)

Roy Harris (1898-1979) arrangement - The Star-Spangled Banner

Pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, Violinist Annelle Gregory

William Grant Still (1895-1978) arrangement - Here’s One (Talk about a child that do love Jesus)

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) arrangement - Deep River, op. 59 no. 10

Pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, Soprano Jumi Kim

Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) Paride ed Elena (Paris and Helen) / Paride(Paris): O del mio dolce ardor (Oh my sweet love)

Pianist David Rubinstein, Flutist Laurel Zucker

Julio Racine (b. 1945) Tangente au Yanvalou for flute and piano

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) arrangement - Lil' Lite O' Mine / Sparklin for flute and piano

Pianist Richard Thompson, Bass-Baritone Mark Steven Doss

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) Lucia di Lammermoor / Enrico: Cruda funesta smania (A cruel terrible restlessness)

Pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, Soprano Jumi Kim

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) Lucia di Lammermoor / Lucia: Regnava Nel Silenzio (Reigning In Silent Darkness)

Pianist Polli Chambers-Salazar, Bass-Baritone Cedric Trenton Berry

Hall Johnson (1888-1970) arrangement - Ride on King Jesus

William Grant Still (1895-1978) Troubled Island / Martel: I Dream A World

Margaret Bond (1913-1972) arrangement - He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands

Intermission

Pianist Richard Thompson, Soprano Anita Johnson

Richard Thompson (b. 1954) I, Too, Sing America

Duke Ellington (1899-1974) Second Sacred Concert:

Heaven

T.G.T.T (Too Good To Title)

Almighty God

Pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, Cellist Kristen Yeon-Ji Yun

David Baker (b. 1931) Sonata for Cello and Piano, II. Blues (slow)

Cellist Kristen Yeon-Ji Yun

Coleridge Taylor-Perkinson (1932-2004) Lamentations: Black Folk Song Suite for cello solo, IV. Perpetual Motion

Pianist James Lent, Soprano Juliana Gondek

Charles Osborne (b. 1927) arrangement - Ki Eleicha

John Carter (1932-1981?) arrangement - Let Us Break Bread Together On Our Knees

Pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, Soprano Jumi Kim

Dong-Jin Kim (1913-2009) Cho-Hon (Invocation)

Pianist Polli Chambers-Salazar

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) Valse Suite: Three-Fours, Op 71

II. Andante

IV. Vivace

VI. Allegro assai

Pianist Richard Thompson, Bass-Baritone Mark Steven Doss

Louis Gruenberg (1884-1964) The Emperor Jones / Brutus Jones: Oh, Lawd Jesus, heah my prayer (Standin’ in de Need of Prayer)

J. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954) arrangement - Go Down, Moses

Jacques Brel (1929-1978) Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris - If We Only Have Love - English Lyrics: Mort Shuman & Eric Blau

Pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, Soprano Jumi Kim

Joopoong Kim (b. 1958) Candlelight for Soprano (World Premiere)

Program Note:

This piece was composed to commemorate and honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose vision and leadership helped our society to advance towards greater civil equality for all. This piece attempts to capture the fragility of a candle’s flame, vulnerable to being extinguished by the slightest of winds. Yet with consistent care and protection, even this fragile flame can light the way in the darkest of times. Dr. King was that care and protection, kindling the fragile flame of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s. That flame grew stronger and brighter, and ultimately lit the way towards greater equality for the entire nation. This piece is, therefore, titled “Candlelight” to express Dr. King’s legacy.

The melody attempts to express the equality of all men and women through its harmonious sounds, while the vertical harmony of the accompaniment is structured as a dissonant chord, composed using the homophonic texture. We may have heard the phrase “The night is darkest before the dawn.” The interaction between the harmonious melody and inharmonic accompaniment represents the struggle and darkness that faced Dr. King and his followers during the Civil Rights Movement. Yet the piece concludes by reaching an overall harmony. This ultimate harmony represents not only the achievements of Dr. King’s vision, but also this composer’s hope that the advances in civil rights we enjoy today continue to strive so that Dr. King’s vision of equality for African-Americans extends to equality for all minority groups.