Are we called today to pacifism or activism?
What do we protect, the integrity of capitalism or the health of the community?
These questions lie at the root of poems by Thomas Merton, Denise Levertov, and Keith Garebian. Set by Gregory Spears, this new 30-minute work for strings and choir asks us to consider the relationship between technological innovation and its dangers that often lead to haunting sociological change. Philadelphia composer James Primosch sets an excerpt from Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping, an exploration of the balancing effect of desire and longing on our lives. The program includes two additional works written for The Crossing, Toivo Tulev’s “A child said, what is the grass?” and Joel Puckett’s dizzying, entrancing I enter the earth.
Saturday, October 27 @ 8pm
Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
Pre-concert talk with Donald, Gregory, and James at 7pm in the Burleigh Cruikshank Memorial Chapel.
The commissioning of Gregory Spears’ The Tower by Cantori New York, The Crossing, Notre Dame Vocale, and Volti was made possible by the support of the Ann Stookey Fund for New Music (www.annstookeyfund.org).
