The Schiller Institute’s
9/11 Memorial Concert of 2019

The Schiller Institute NYC Chorus presented a 9/11 Memorial Concert on Sunday, September 8, at the St. Veronica Creative Cultural Center in lower Manhattan. The concert opened with two African-American Spirituals and works of Schubert and Brahms—

“Jesus, Lay Your Head in de Winder” (arr. Hall Johnson)

“My Lord, What a Mornin’ ” (arr. Harry T. Burleigh)

Franz Schubert, Mass in G

Johannes Brahms, Nänie, op. 82.

After the intermission—

Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 17

J.S. Bach, Jesu, meine Freude (motet)

Four African-American Spirituals:

“Honor, Honor” (arr. Hall Johnson)

“I’ll Never Turn Back No Mo” (arr. Hall Johnson)

“Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler” (arr. Nathaniel Dett)

“Soon-Ah Will Be Done” (arr. William L. Dawson).

The keystone of this year’s tribute was a performance of Johannes Brahms’ beautiful choral and orchestral arrangement of the poem by Friedrich Schiller, Nänie (Song of Lamentation). In this performance, the orchestral arrangement was performed on piano. This poem takes up—through the lens of ancient Greek mythology—the question of the inevitability of death: “Auch das Schöne muß sterben,” that even the beautiful must die! This sad occurrence can bring even goddesses to tears. However, their death is not the end when we sing in honor of those dead. Through our songs of lament we give them immortality. They may die, but beauty itself does not die.

In 2014, Helga Zepp-LaRouche introduced a Schiller Chorus performance of Nänie with remarks on Schiller’s poem and Brahms’ composition that are available in EIR Vol. 41, No. 26, June 27, 2014.

The full program for the 2019 concert—with texts and translations of the compositions, and biographical sketches of the artists—is here. (The actual order of the musical works, as listed here, is as performed, and differs from the program, which was printed in advance of the concert.)