A More Perfect Union

A More Perfect Union
Premiered October 2, 2021

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CLICK HERE for “A More Perfect Union” libretto.

Ridgefield, CT — Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra (RSO) premiered a first-of-its-kind symphony commemorating the most iconic speeches of Barack Obama’s presidency on October 2, 2021. The orchestral song cycle, “A More Perfect Union,” featured a libretto based on six of Obama’s most impactful speeches. The premiere was sung by acclaimed baritone Jorell Williams.

Composed by Paul Frucht — whose most notable work includes “Dawn,” a piece written in memory of Sandy Hook Principal Dawn Hochsprung — and conducted/produced by RSO Music Director Yuga Cohler — renowned for such concerts as “Yeethoven,” a comparison of the works of Kanye West and Beethoven — “A More Perfect Union” highlights the poetic oratory of America’s 44th president.

When deciding which speeches to feature, Frucht and Cohler sought the counsel of Obama Director of Speechwriting and Ridgefield High School graduate Cody Keenan.

“I had been wanting to write this for a long time — to capture the historical and cultural significance of Barack Obama’s words through our art form,” said Frucht. “The symphony is not intended to be partisan in any way. It’s a celebration of deeply-rooted American values, articulated by a president revered for his rhetoric.”

“One of my goals as a conductor is to increase the cultural relevance of classical music through meaningful collaborations,” said Cohler. “Paul’s symphony, I believe, is just that. And I see it as an opportunity to make our medium more accessible to new audiences.”

“We’re thrilled our orchestra was the first to showcase this unique and poignant piece, conducted by our very own Yuga Cohler, memorializing such important moments in history,” said RSO Executive Director Laurie Kenagy.

“There’s a lot you think about when you’re writing a speech, but not that it might be set to music someday, let alone a symphony as profound as the one Paul and Yuga have created,” Keenan said. “Merging our forms of storytelling has been a gift, and I can’t wait to see the final product in April.”

For inquiries for the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, please contact: lkenagy@ridgefieldsymphony.org
For inquiries specifically regarding “A More Perfect Union,” please contact: marie@letmebeclear.com

PROGRAM NOTES
Paul Frucht: A More Perfect Union
Paul Frucht: Born – 1989, New York, NY
A More Perfect Union: Begun in 2018, completed June 2021
World Premiere: October 2, 2021. Conducted by Yuga Cohler with the Ridgefield
Symphony Orchestra, Ridgefield, CT

A More Perfect Union is an orchestral song cycle for baritone and orchestra based on the
speeches of President Barack Obama. The work sets six of President Obama’s most critical
monologues to music in an attempt to elevate the universal but distinctly American themes
contained therein: unity, pluralism, spirituality, democracy, and hope. A More Perfect Union
rebuts the pessimistic, currently in-vogue narrative of American decline by musically
asserting one of President Obama’s key messages throughout his tenure: that the forces that
divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.

The speeches are set in rough chronological order, beginning in the first movement with the
famous refrain of “Yes We Can!” and followed by some of the principal ideas of the piece.
The second movement presents the famous First Inaugural Address, with drums used
throughout to mark the historic occasion of the election of the nation’s first Black president
and the weight of the presidency itself. The sense of celebration in the speech is carefully
balanced with an empathy for those suffering during the 2008 financial crisis. The
acknowledgement of the darkness felt by many Americans at the time are also reflected in
the music’s somber undertones.

The third movement is a scherzo, employing the typical ternary (A-B-A) form to poke fun at
the President’s attempts to persuade the electorate of what is now known as the Affordable
Care Act. The B section reminds us of the sincerity of these efforts, as contrasted with the
almost caricature-like pacing of the A sections. The fourth movement, “On U.S. Military
Action in Syria,” explores a 2013 speech to the nation on ordering military action in Syria in
response to the deployment of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad. The militaristic
elements of the movement highlight the trade-offs in moral and geopolitical calculus
required of any commander-in-chief.

Many of the motifs featured throughout the piece converge in the fifth movement, which
combines two of President Obama’s most historically significant speeches. The “Address on
the 50th Anniversary of the Selma, Alabama March” portrays the bending of the American
moral arc towards justice, calling out America’s attempt to “form a more perfect union.” The
mood shifts to tragedy and mourning in the “Eulogy for Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney,”
who was killed in the shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South
Carolina in June 2015. The speech builds on the ideas of spirituality and grace to give way to
one of the most iconic moments of the Obama presidency, involving a familiar melody.

Composer Paul Frucht and conductor Yuga Cohler worked closely with President Obama’s
Director of Speechwriting and Ridgefield High School alumnus Cody Keenan to craft the
libretto for this work. The purpose of treating this subject musically was not partisan; on the
contrary, it was to shed light on a responsibly optimistic path forward for American musical
and political culture. One function that classical music provides is to tell the stories of our
time with a level of weight that is unique to the genre. By combining the drama and beauty
of President Obama’s speeches with the gravitas that the orchestra and singer provide, we
hope to prove a symbiotic relationship between modern culture and classical music.

Program notes by composer Paul Frucht and RSO Music Director Yuga Cohler.