On Sunday, November 12, at 3:30 p.m. the Elgin Master Chorale (EMC), featuring the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, performs the first concert of the 2023-24 Season.
The Chorale will perform two works by Beethoven, the famous Mass in C Major, and the under-performed “Hallelujah” chorus from Christ on the Mount of Olives. On the same program, the Chorale presents Credo by 20th Century Black composer and pianist Margaret Bonds.
Mass in C Major was Beethoven’s first mass and was written when the composer was at the height of his youthful powers. The work was not initially appreciated by audiences for its simpler and humbler style that contrasted with the grander Viennese model of the time. Beethoven’s “Hallelujah” chorus captures all the elegance and power of a mighty choral work.
Credo by Margaret Bonds was inspired by the text of civil rights activist W.E.B. Dubois. The work showcases Bonds’ mastery of blending Western classical and spiritual traditions in an organic and original way.
“Credo is a remarkably stirring work that celebrates Black culture, and its power and beauty,” said Lewis, “She is one of the most important Black women voices of the 20th century, and her composition presents a message of peace and racial reconciliation.”