It would not be accurate to characterize the composers featured in this morning's musical selections as members of the LGBTQ+ Community. For one thing, the concept of sexuality as an inherent aspect of identity would not have existed in the 19th-century world of Schubert or Tchaikovsky. For another, the personal solidarity and political activism which have characterized the quest for LGBTQ+ civil rights would not have existed for them. Nevertheless, all of this morning's composers are known to have formed close same-sex relationships and, to one degree or another, to have struggled with the social, professional, or familial consequences of expressing romantic attractions outside the bounds of convention. I leave it to each listener to assess whether or not an LGBTQ+ identity is expressed in their music. The artist-as-outsider trope, though, is hard to escape in contemplating their achievements and contributions. Read on for programming details, and stay tuned for spoken introductions.
Gathering Music:
Adam Kent, piano
Sonata in Bb Major, Op. Posth.
II. Andante sostenuto
Franz Schubert
Opening Music:
Prelude No. 2 Andante con moto e poco rubato
George Gershwin
Offertory:
Sentimental Melody (Slow Dance)
Aaron Copland
Meditation:
Autumn Song, Op.
37, No. 10
Pyotr
Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Interlude:
Mouvements perpetuels, Nos. 1 and 3
Francis Poulenc
Parting Music:
Excursions, Op. 20
No. 1 Un poco allegro
Samuel Barber
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