'with liberty...' for percussion ensemble
‘with liberty...’ is a sonic representation of my perspective of the social justice movement currently taking place in the United States. Looking back to the founding and history of the country, we have always fought for liberty and justice but our efforts have also been marred by past mistakes. We have fought wars for our ideals outlined the constitution yet many of the country’s inhabitants were not and at times are not viewed as equal partakers of freedom and liberty.
African Americans served and fought in the War of 1812, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War, which established the foundation of our country, all while not being view as equal partakers in the rights of all men endowed by God, according to the constitution. African Americans also served in World War 1 and World War 2 coming back to a life filled with inequalities.
While we have made strides to correct this as a nation, we have also fallen short in many areas. We currently see and hear the cry from our nation to end these injustices.
Compositionally, I used the pitches and pitch order from The Star Spangled Banner (the National Anthem) by Francis Scott Key and the pitches and pitch order from Lift Every Voice and Sing (the Negro National Anthem) by J. Rosamond Johnson, played on metal pipes, in addition to field drums and bass drums to portray both the beginning and growth of the nation. The two field drums and two bass drums who perform the same music but at different tempi; one in a consistent tempo and one speeding up, matching breaking down, and restarting represent the journey America and the journey of African American’s living in America.
The pitched metal pipes are muted from letter B to letter F, representing the building of the foundation of the nation. The Star Spangled Banner and Lift Every Voice and Sing are slightly heard but not fully clear rhythmically. The National Anthem begins first again showing the ideals of the country are ahead of rights of some of the inhabitants. Beginning at Letter F The Star Spangled Banner becomes clearer as the metal pipes are suspended and the tones are longer; Lift Every Voice and Sing follows, moving at a rhythmically slower pace. Letter J represents today. The drums stop, the National Anthem stops, and the nation listening to the cry of its people. Here, Lift Every Voice and Sing is performed at the speed in which The Star Spangled Banner. Letter K represents the country coming together and moving forward together and Letter I is the result; both melodies are performed simultaneously providing harmony for one another. Letter L represents my hope of our nation moving forward together as one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
-Joe W. Moore III
*half of the proceeds from each purchase of this work will be donated to youth music non-profit organizations in the United States. If you know of a youth music organization local to you. Please reach out to me and let me know so I can add them to the my donation list. I am always eager to learn about youth music non-profits across the US.