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A testament to American possibility, Antonín Dvořák’s famous Ninth Symphony is a quest for the identity of American music and a vision of what the nation’s voice could become. Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic in 1893, the work draws inspiration from Indigenous and Black American musical traditions, creating a sweeping, deeply human portrait of a nation.
More than a century later, the question of what defines a uniquely American sound continues to resonate. This summer, Dvořák’s monumental work is paired with a contemporary voice shaping the answer as Alsop and the CSO present the Midwest premiere of Carlos Simon’s Good News Mass. Blending gospel spirituality with Black Catholic tradition and classical liturgy, Simon’s work carries forward the same spirit of cultural dialogue that inspired Dvořák more than a century ago.
Speaking to The New York Times, Simon reflects on the universality he seeks in his music: “If this music is done in the right way, if it’s being honest, it doesn’t matter whatever your language, whatever your background, whether you’re white, Black, whoever — it goes straight to you. And that’s what I always strive for.”
