Composition Joseph_Schwantner:_New_Morning_for_the_World;_Nicolas_Flagello:_The_Passion_of_Martin_Luther_King

works on album feature text martin luther king, jr. (pictured in 1964).

new morning world, composed in 1982 on commission at&t, premiered on january 15, 1983 (king s birthday) @ john f. kennedy center performing arts; david effron conducted eastman philharmonia, , willie stargell, first baseman , team captain of pittsburgh pirates, served narrator. schwantner selected words public speeches king spanned more decade of life. in album s liner notes, program annotator , classical music radio host jim svejda described work having equal parts orchestra , speaker, king s words supported , illuminated orchestra fabric of unusual variety , flexibility . music critics compared schwantner s composition aaron copland s lincoln portrait because of prominent narrative passages , broad , lyrical scoring sounds unmistakably american . in describing work, melinda bargreen of seattle times wrote percussion , soaring strings helped emphasize king s orations. new morning world contains text following speeches , writings king: stride toward freedom (1958), behind selma march (1965), , letter birmingham jail (1963); composition ends king s have dream speech.

the passion of martin luther king composed in 1968 following king s assassination. passion first recorded in london in 1969, ezio flagello, composer s brother, bass baritone soloist. performance released naxos american classics in 2012. depreist conducted national symphony orchestra s first performance of work @ kennedy center on february 19, 1974. music critics drew comparisons johann sebastian bach s passions, recounts jesus death. oregon symphony album first published recording of work. bazemore provided bass vocals, additional vocals portland symphonic choir, directed bruce browne. 9 sections of work performed brief pause in between.