As the Commonwealth and the nation prepare to celebrate Independence Day, “A Local Touch” with Raymond Jones offers a resonant musical prelude, highlighting works that honor America’s journey and Virginia’s pivotal role in it.
The program opens with Randall Thompson’s “The Testament of Freedom,” a stirring setting of Thomas Jefferson’s words, composed in 1943 to mark the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth. Thompson, a former faculty member at the University of Virginia, premiered this work on April 13, 1943, at Mr. Jefferson’s University with the Virginia Glee Club and himself at the piano. This week’s broadcast features the Turtle Creek Chorale and the Dallas Wind Symphony, whose interpretation captures the dignity and hopeful spirit of Jefferson’s text, reminding us of Virginia’s foundational place in the nation’s story.
We then turn to the Tidewater Winds, under the direction of John Brewington, bringing the spirit of Hampton Roads to the airwaves with a program that includes Christopher Palastrant’s “Port of Freedom,” a “Copland Portrait,” Daniel Roberts’s “God of Our Fathers,” and Peter Mennin’s “Canzona.”
This week’s “Heifetz on the Air” feature, titled “Independence Day,” brings the vibrant energy of Staunton’s Heifetz Institute into the Independence Day weekend. Recorded both in Staunton and at the Charlottesville home of founding father James Monroe, the program features an international roster of talented young musicians celebrating the roots and branches of American music, from Bill Monroe to spirituals to Leonard Bernstein.
Rounding out the evening, we visit the music of early America with “The Itinerant Band” and their album “Jefferson and Liberty: Music of 18th Century America.” Based in the Tidewater region, this ensemble shares a passion for early American music and brings to life tunes and songs that would have echoed through the taverns, homes, and parlors of the Revolutionary era in Virginia.
From the steps of Monticello to the concert halls of Hampton Roads, Virginia’s musical heritage is deeply woven into the story of American independence. Join us this Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on WHRO-FM 90.3, or stream online, for “A Local Touch,” a thoughtful and inspiring lead-in to your Independence Day celebrations.
