Crispus Attucks, Four Psalms with Cantori New York
In March, we celebrate the 85th birthday of noted African-American composer Adolphus Hailstork, who has served on Cantori’s Advisory Board for 25 years. This all-Hailstork tribute concert will feature two world premieres: a new chamber orchestration of his signature oratorio CRISPUS ATTUCKS and the brand new FOUR PSALMS. Originally scored for full orchestra on a libretto by Herbert Martin, Crispus Attucks tells the story of the first American casualty of the American Revolution, and will feature soloists Lucia Bradford, Gabriel Hernandez, and Shavon Lloyd. Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native heritage, was the first person killed in the Boston Massacre in 1770. Cantori member and composer Brian Morales has reorchestrated the expansive score for only eight instruments. Morales’ reorchestration of Vittorio Rieti’s The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne was premiered by Cantori in 2024. Rounding out the program is a tetralogy of four unpublished, never-performed Psalm settings – three a cappella, one with saxophone and marimba. Experienced as a cycle, Hailstork’s Four Psalms exemplify his unique style: spiritual, resilient, and full of life.
