George Floyd remembered in new choral work

George Floyd remembered in new choral work

　　Transcript¹

　　The death of George Floyd nearly two years ago triggered mass protests across the US and around the world after a video was shared online showing a white police officer, since convicted of murder, holding his knee on the Black man's neck until he stopped breathing.

　　Composer Adolphus Hailstork and librettist² Herbert Martin, both in their 80s, joined forces to create an orchestral work meant for a large chorus and three soloists³ that would pay tribute to Floyd. It premieres Saturday, March 26, at the Music Center at Strathmore just outside Washington, D.C.

　　The piece, titled "A Knee on the Neck," begins with a "commandment" Black parents give to their children: always be on their best behavior to avoid getting hurt, thrown in prison or even killed. To come home in one piece. Martin and Hailstork both recall these kinds of stern orders from their own childhoods – it's part of the reason why they have collaborated⁴ for three decades to create lyrical pieces inspired by ordinary African-Americans and historical figures.

　　"Every Black family in America must have had this kind of talk," Martin remembers. "My mother simply said, 'If you go downtown to do something for us, you must do this, this and this and this. Because I don't know what will happen' ... so all of that seemed to be welling up inside of my mind."

　　Reflecting that experience called for something grandiose⁵, given the magnitude of racially motivated violence that has taken innumerable lives in America — Floyd, Emmett Till, Daunte Wright, Breonna Taylor. Countless⁶ more.

　　"It's the size of the subject that Herb gave me. It's a big theme," Hailstork says. We're talking about the taking of a life, the taking of many lives, and the general cultural attitudes we have. There's a little spot in the text, Herb says there's a virus going around that's killing⁷ people and it's very well done. Of course, everybody's going to be thinking about omicron or something like that. But no, the virus is the virus of hate and murder in our culture. This is a big theme ... It's a very dramatic score because he gave me a dramatic piece of writing."

　　There's a raucous⁸ opening sequence that evokes⁹ bustling¹⁰ Minneapolis, vignettes of African drumming, the Black spiritual "O Freedom," cascading¹¹ vocal¹² passages of Floyd's last words "I can't breathe," the stillness of death and, finally, a hopeful hymn¹³.

　　In addition to its own chorale, the National Philharmonic will be joined by the Washington Chorus, the Howard University Chorale, plus Black soloists J'Nai Bridges, Norman Shankle and Kenneth Overton.

　　"It's important that you hang on to the memory of those things," Martin says, "so you don't repeat these incidents over and over and over again. I think that that is one of the major things that I would like people to remember and to pass on this memory as they have experienced it to their relatives, to their family, to their friends."

　　The piece ends on a hopeful note, a vision of a more perfect union where Americans of all backgrounds and creeds¹⁴ live in harmony.

　　"There is a moment of universal hand-clenching, you might say, not fist-clenching, hand outreached in hope that there will be a greater sense of peace and respect among all the people of America."

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 librettist   

n.(歌剧、音乐剧等的)歌词作者

参考例句：

• The musician and the librettist were collaborators. 音乐家与剧作者通力合作。
• Italian-born American composer and librettist whose operas include The Medium(1946) and The Consul(1950). 梅诺蒂，吉安卡洛生于1911意大利裔美国作曲家和歌剧词作者，其歌剧作品包括女巫（1946年）及领事（1950年）

3 soloists   

n.独唱者，独奏者，单飞者( soloist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The soloists were ably supported by the University Singers. 这些独唱歌手得到了大学歌手的大力支持。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Summer music festivals feature leading orchestras, soloists and opera companies. 在夏季举行的各音乐节，有著名的交响乐团、独唱和独奏者及歌剧团表演。 来自互联网

4 collaborated   

合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 这些年来我们合作搞了许多项目。
• We have collaborated closely with the university on this project. 我们与大学在这个专案上紧密合作。

5 grandiose   

adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的

参考例句：

• His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first time.他那种夸大的举止给第一次遇见他的人留下了深刻的印象。
• As the fog vanished,a grandiose landscape unfolded before the tourists.雾气散去之后，一幅壮丽的景观展现在游客面前。

6 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 raucous   

adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的

参考例句：

• I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
• They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

9 evokes   

产生，引起，唤起( evoke的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• Each type evokes antibodies which protect against the homologous. 每一种类型都能产生抗同种病毒的抗体。

10 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

11 cascading   

流注( cascade的现在分词 )； 大量落下； 大量垂悬； 梯流

参考例句：

• First of all, cascading menus are to be avoided at all costs. 首先，无论如何都要避免使用级联菜单。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Her sounds began cascading gently. 他的声音开始缓缓地低落下来。

12 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

13 hymn   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌

参考例句：

• They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。
• The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

14 creeds   

（尤指宗教）信条，教条( creed的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• people of all races, colours and creeds 各种种族、肤色和宗教信仰的人
• Catholics are agnostic to the Protestant creeds. 天主教徒对于新教教义来说，是不可知论者。