Charles Walker’s Requiem for Brother Martin Reimagined Program Booklet

Sponsored by The United Church of Pittsford in partnership with Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

REV. DR. CHARLES WALKER’S REQUIEM FOR BROTHER MARTIN REIMAGINED

Prelude/Processional

Welcome

Opening Remarks

Tributes

Rev. J. D. Jackson, Jr., CRCDS ‘13

Pastor,UnitedChurchofPittsford

Dr. Courtney Wiley-Harris

VicePresidentforInstitutionalAdvancement,CRCDS

Bishop

Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Bronnor, CRDS ‘92

Pastor,ElimChristianFellowship

Minister Clifford A. Florence, Sr., CRDS ‘87

Pastor,CentralChurchofChrist

Devotion

Invocation

Scripture Reading - Psalm 90

GLORY (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Elaina Alston

Rev. Deborah L. Hughes, CRDS ‘87

President&CEO

NationalSusanB.AnthonyMuseum&House

Rev. Steven Wilson, CRCDS ‘18

Pastor,GeneseeBaptistChurch

Professor Thomas Warfield

RochesterInstituteofTechnology

DirectorofDance/Founder&DirectorofPeaceArtInternational

Chorus - Glory Karen Summers

MusicDirector

Dr. Thomas Green, Sr. AssociateMusicDirector

BLESSED IS THE MAN (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Chorus - Just a Closer Walk With Thee Soloist: James Wynn, Jr.

THOU LOVEST RIGHTEOUSNESS (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Chorus - Thou Lovest Righteousness Soloist: Karen Summers

Scripture Reading - Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

Rev. Sebrone O. Johnson, CRCDS ‘14

Pastor,GreaterHarvestChurch

THAT AWFUL DAY WILL SURELY COME (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Chorus - I Pray We’ll All Be Ready Soloist: Kandace Reid

Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Rev. Cedric L. Cooper

Pastor,Mt.VernonMissionaryBaptistChurch

I’VE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAIN TOP (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Chorus - I’ve Been to the Mountain Top Soloist: Thomas Green

I SAW A NEW HEAVEN - (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Chorus - Precious Lord Soloist: John Billups

Benediction

JESUS I’M COM’IN - (SEGUE) – NARRATOR

Chorus - Jesus I’m Coming Soloist: Karen Summers

Rev. Dr. Dwight Fowler, CRDS ‘82

Pastor,FirstChurchofGod

ABOUT THE REQUIEM FOR BROTHER MARTIN

Words from The Reverend Charles Walker on the original Requium recording and composition:

Requiem for Brother Martin by The Reverend Charles Walker

The Charles Walker Chorale with Existing Reality

Label: Century Records

Released: 1970

“TheworkisapanoramaofapilgrimageofaBlacksaint. Themusicisexpressiveofawidespectrumofemotional responsestolife.Whilethe‘Requiem’expressessorrowand despair,italsoexpresseshopeintheresurrectionand ecstaticjoyinthevictoryoversinanddeath.

TheRequiembeginswithasomberorchestralpiececalled “Devotion”Thispiecetypifiestheemotionalandmental attitudeofachildofGodincompletecommunionwithhis Maker AresultofcommunionwithGodistherealizationof thegloryofGod,andthuswehaveasubtlejazztreatmentof thewords‘GlorybetoGod’

Foreveryhumanbeing,deathandtheJudgementisafrightfulexperience.Inthetext‘Thatawfuldaywillsurelycome, wherewillyoubewhenthefirsttrumpetsounds?’wehaveaneerie-soundingmodernjazztreatment.Thoughdeathis frightfulthechildofGodgetsasglimpseofheavenandthereforewelcomesdeath.OneofMartinLutherKing’slast speechesreferstohisbeingonthemountain-topandseeingthepromisedland Someofthewordsfromhislastspeech aretreatedinamoderatetempoGospelstyle

Anysaintwhohasspenthislifeworkingforthegoodofmankindofnecessityexperiencesaglimmerofhopeand,as JohnontheIsleofPatmossawanewheavenandanewearth,itisouropinionthatMartinLutherKingalsosawanew heavenandanewearth Thissightwassoawe-inspiringandexcitingthatthesoulofMartinLutherKingshoutedforjoy Thisjoyisportrayedinahard-driving,fast-movingtreatmentofthistextfromRevelation Finally,whentheserelations havebeenexperiencedandwhenthesainthascompletedhisearthlytask,hissoulyearnsforunionwithGod,sothe composerwrotethesewords,“JesusI’mcom’in,Jesus,I’mcom’inhome.’Thisisamodified“bluestreatmentby orchestraandvoice.”

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!

Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Psalm 150, NRSV Psalm 150, NRSV

REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., CTS ‘51

In1951,Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.graduatedfromCrozerTheologic Seminary,apivotalmomentshapinghisroleasaleaderintheCivil RightsMovement.DrawntoCrozer'sprogressiveapproachto theologicaleducation,Dr.Kingwasdeeplyinfluencedbytheschool' emphasisonChristiansocialgospelandexposuretoGandhian principlesofnonviolence.Despitebeingoneofthefewblackstuden Crozerduringhistime,Dr.Kingnavigatedinitialself-consciousness becomearespectedfigurewithintheacademiccommunity.

DuringhistenureatCrozer,Dr.King'scommitmenttoaddressing societalissueswasevidentinhisacademicpursuitsandengagement withpacifistandsocialgospelideologies.Introducedtopacifismby figureslikeA.J.MusteandinspiredbytheteachingsofMohandasK. Gandhi,Kingfoundresonanceinnonviolentmethodsofsocialreform. HisencounterswithinfluentialmentorslikeMordecaiJohnsonand GeorgeWashingtonDavisfurthershapedhisunderstandingofsocial justiceandactivism.

DeanCharlesBattenrecognizedDr.King'sexceptionalacademic performanceatCrozerandpraisedhimasoneoftheseminary'smost outstandingstudents.Kinggraduatedwithhonorsasvaledictorianand receivedthePearlPlafkerawardforscholarship.HistimeatCrozerlaid thegroundworkforhisfutureendeavorsasaprominentcivilrights leader.ThelegacyofCrozerTheologicalSeminarylivesonthrough King'stransformativejourneyanditsenduringimpactonAmerican society.

In1971,CrozerTheologicalSeminary(CTS)mergedwithColgate RochesterDivinitySchool,whichweknowtodayasColgateRochester CrozerDivinitySchool.

Source: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University

“Like anybody, I would “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life— like to live a long life longevity has its place. longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned But I’m not concerned about that now. I just about that now. I just want to do God’s will…. want to do God’s will…. And so I’m happy And so I’m happy tonight; I’m not tonight; I’m not worried about worried about anything; I’m not anything; I’m not fearing any man. Mine fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the eyes have seen the glory of the coming of glory of the coming of the Lord.” the Lord.”

(King, “I’ve Been,” (King, “I’ve Been,” 222–223) 222–223)

SPECIAL WORDS OF APPRECIATION

Thankyouforgracinguswithyourpresenceatthisevening'sspecialevent, CharlesWalker’sRequiemforBrotherMartinReimagined.Yoursupportandattendancemeanthe worldtous,andwearedeeplygratefulforyourpresence.

Tonight,wewouldliketoextendourheartfeltappreciationfortheirexceptionaltalent,dedication, andleadershipinbringingthismusicalmasterpiecetolife.

Narrator

ProfessorThomasWarfield

RochesterInstituteofTechnology

DirectorofDance/Founder&DirectorofPeaceArtInternational

Choral Music Director

KarenSummers*

Associate Music Director

Dr.ThomasGreen,Sr.*

Furthermore,weextendoursinceregratitudetoallwholent theirremarkabletalentsandtimetotonight'sprogram:

The Voices of Mt. Vernon

Sopranos

BerthaJones

BettyMars

JeanettaMcCreary

Altos

MarcellaMarshall

KandaceReid*

Tenors

JohnBillups*

ThomasGreen

LonnyKimble

LamarMarshall

D’earkQuinn

JamesWynnJr.*

*Soloist