Oct. 18 Program Traces the Relationship of Music and Religion

by Richard Veit

The Baylor University School of Music and the Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts will trace the musical side of American history at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, in Jones Concert Hall. This concert, "Civil Religion in American Music," will feature the talents of three of the major choral ensembles at Baylor.
The A Cappella Choir and The Chamber Singers are conducted by Donald Bailey, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Music and director of choral activities. The Men's Glee Club is conducted by John McLean, assistant director of choral activities.
Saturday's concert will open with two selections from early America-"Chester" by William Billings and "The God Who Gave Us Life" from Randall Thompson's The Testament of Freedom. These will be followed by a set of three pieces devoted to Thanksgiving-"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" by George J. Elvey, "Now Thank We All Our God" by Johann Cruger, and Edward Kremser's arrangement of "We Gather Together."
The Christmas portion of the program will include "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World." The audience will be invited to sing along. A patriotic section will consist of "America," "The Star-Spangled Banner," "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful."
African-American music and the civil rights movement will be represented by "When the Trumpet Sounds" and "The Drinking Gourd," both by André Thomas, and William Farley Smith's arrangement of "We Shall Overcome."
The final portion of the program will include "Once to Every Man and Nation" by Thomas John Williams, "God of Our Fathers" by George W. Warren, and "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (attributed to William Steffe).
This concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Baylor School of Music at 710-3991.