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NEW YORK, NY (August 30, 2023) - On September 1, Decca Classics will release brea(d)th, the latest work from Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon, librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph and the Minnesota Orchestra. brea(d)th was recorded over the course of three live performances between May 18-20, 2023, at Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall. The world premiere concerts were conducted by Jonathan Taylor Rush and included the full Minnesota Orchestra alongside spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, the Minnesota Chorale, Twin Cities Choral Partners and vocal ensemble 29:11.
Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon worked alongside frequent collaborator and celebrated librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph to create the new composition, which the Minnesota Orchestra commissioned in 2021 following the murder of George Floyd. The groundbreaking work situates Floyd’s story in the context of America’s centuries-long history of systemic racism and oppression, and asks listeners to consider, “How do we move forward? What is the breadth of the task at hand?”
The work features Joseph performing his original text via spoken word. Joseph’s libretto—which in his own words “considers bread, as in value, breath, as in lifeforce, and breadth, as in the radius of American promise”—is tightly woven with Simon’s music of great emotional range. At turns solemn, bluesy, heart-rending and dissonant, the piece includes an instrumental Elegymovement for strings placed at the center.
The music of Simon has become a staple in the Minnesota Orchestra’s repertoire in recent years, including his An Elegy: A Cryfrom the Grave and Fate Now Conquers. In preparation for writing brea(d)th, Simon and Joseph made several trips to the Twin Cities, working closely with the Minnesota Orchestra to connect with local artists, activists and community members. The pair took a pilgrimage to George Floyd Square where, among others, they met with Angela Harrelson, George Floyd’s aunt, which allowed them to learn more about Floyd’s personal life.
As Simon and Joseph wrote in their artist statement, “We come to the resilient and root-rich Twin Cities as outsiders, but we composed this work from within the walls of Black emotion, curiosity and dignity. The piece explores a historical timeline that stretches from the pre-colonial to the present condition, and perhaps further, into a post-pandemic America.” Read their full artist statement at minnesotaorchestra.org/stories/breadth-artist-statement.
The performance on May 19 was broadcast live on Twin Cities PBS (TPT-2) and YourClassical MPR, and streamed through the Orchestra’s website and social media channels. The broadcast can be rewatched on demand with a digital subscription to the Orchestra’s Digital Concert Hall.
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