John Malveaux: ROY HARRIS-LIBRARY of CONGRESS

I Hear America Singing!

Choral

Music of

Roy Harris

The Roberts

Wesleyan

College

Chorale

Robert

Shewan,

conductor

Albany Records

John Malveaux of MusicUNTOLD.com writes:

American composer Roy Harris' last completed symphony, "Bicentennial Symphony" (13th), premiered February 10, 11, 12 at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Murry Sidlin to celebrate the 200th birthday of our nation. Original text in the choral symphony, "stand firm against the White Man's shame, they buy slave's blood in freedom's name" along with performance and promotional rights granted to John Malveaux by Johana Harris (wife of Roy Harris) are suspected reasons every major symphony orchestra in the United States has refused to perform the symphony in over 44 years. The controversial original text has been taken out of the full context of the choral symphony. The choral symphony was a celebration of American history NOT a condemnation or indictment of American history. 

In 2009, the Long Beach Central Area Association and City of Long Beach Parks Recreation & Marine presented a non-union/amateur performance of the "Bicentennial Symphony" at MLK Jr Park to celebrate the 200th birth of Abraham Lincoln during their annual Juneteenth Celebration and prevent non-existence of the "Bicentennial Symphony" after absence of major media coverage and public awareness. The amateur performance is the only known audio /video recording of the "Bicentennial Symphony". On August 11, 2022, the Long Beach Central Area Association will debut the MusicUNTOLD Orchestra (union contracted) to perform the 1st professional performance of the "Bicentennial Symphony" in Los Angeles since the 1976 premiere to include Maestro Murry Sidlin and the Los Angeles Master Chorale (conductor Jenny Wong) singing the chorus.

The Long Beach Central Area Association will donate the audio/video performances of the 2009 amateur performance in Long Beach and the August 11, 2022 Los Angeles premiere to the Roy Harris archive in the Library of Congress along with related materials for posterity. See https://www.loc.gov/item/2010562511/