Film premiere of oratorio set for Nov. 17
November 6 , 2006
A work nearly four years in the making will be unveiled Nov. 17 when the film premiere of Lee Johnson’s oratorio “Every Matter Under Heaven” debuts in Callaway Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
“It’s been a complete hands-on effort with an immense amount of time on task to make this film possible,” said Johnson, Fuller E. Callaway Associate Professor of Music.
Working with producer Clay Powers, Johnson melded his music with ephemeral films from the 40s, 50s and 60s. “Every Matter” examines the pages of U.S. history by highlighting presidential and scientific speeches, accounts from NASA and highlights from the third quarter of the 20th century.
Johnson said the template for the work is Ecclesiastes and the ancient book’s examination of the meaning of life – but, in this case, from an American perspective.
“I thought, from an American point of view, what would ‘a time to seek’ best be defined as?” Johnson said. “In that case I chose the space program as where we’ve done the best job of seeking.
“For a time to toil, I represent it as the interstate highway system.”
The work contains 14 movements, each juxtaposing the centuries-old Hebrew book with 20th century American life.
Already released internationally, minus North America, by Germany’s CCn’C label, the film version of “Every Matter Under Heaven” is expected to be released in this country within the next two years.
