Songs of the Slave

Suite from the opera John Brown

Instrumentation:
Original: 3333 4331 timp, 4 perc, harp, strings
Reduced: 2222 4220 timp, 2 perc, harp, strings

A fitting celebration for Black History Month, Juneteenth, or Martin Luther King Day. It has received over 100 performances in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall, San Francisco‘s Davies Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, and Kennedy Center. While the texts of these pieces use some of the words of early spirituals, hymns and speeches, all of the music is original.

1. Prelude; Blow Ye the Trumpet
2. The Songs of the Slave
3. Dan-u-el
4. Dear Husband
5. Speech by Frederick Douglass; Declaration.

Commentary

“Wonderful melodies, stunning orchestration brought the [ACDA] conference to a spectacular close. This convention will be remembered for introducing this great work.”
— Lynn Whitten, president, ACDA

“The concert was stunning... Songs of the Slave has the ability … to make the audience part of the performance like no contemporary piece I have ever heard… It was uniquely and completely absorbing… an incredible accomplishment.”
— Debra Ross, conductor, Rochester NY