R. Nathaniel Dett: The Ordering of Moses

In May of 1937, R. Nathaniel Dett’s oratorio “The Ordering of
Moses” was premiered by the Cincinnati Symphony. The performance
was carried live on national radio by NBC, but about 3/4’s of the
way through the piece, the broadcast was halted due to
unspecified scheduling conflicts, the origins of which remain
mysterious and highly speculated on. And since its premiere, The
Ordering of Moses has been performed only a handful of times, and
never, as far as I can tell, outside of the United States. Well,
that is going to change this February, as I’ll be conducting the
UK premiere of the Oratorio with the City of Birmingham Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus and soloists Rodrick Dixon, Chrystal
Williams, and  Eric Greene. Today on the show I’m going to
tell you all about Dett’s remarkable story, his passionate
advocacy for black folk music and spirituals, and the profoundly
moving music that runs all the way through The Ordering of Moses.
You won’t regret jumping into this rarely heard and rarely talked
about gem of a piece, so come join us!