More About America at 250 – Of Thee We Sing - Heritage Chorale
The Chorale will be performing Randall Thompson’s The Testament of Freedom in this season’s spring concert
A celebration honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. More info coming soon!
The Music
Randall Thompson composed The Testament of Freedom in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s birth. It was first performed in 1943 at the University of Virginia where Thompson was teaching. A version with an orchestral accompaniment for mixed chorus was published in 1944.
Of the many subsequent performances of the piece, the one most valued by its composer was presented by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitsky in 1945 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It occurred two days after the announcement of President Roosevelt’s death. Rather than cancel the concert, Koussevitsky insisted the program be presented, but open to the public without charge.
The Testament of Freedom has four movements, each featuring text selected by Thompson from Jefferson’s writings:
A Summary View of the Rights of British America (1774)
Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms (July 6, 1775)
Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms (July 6, 1775)
Letter to John Adams, Monticello (September 12, 1821)
From the first movement:
The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy but cannot disjoin them.
The Testament of Freedom, performed by the University of Virginia (UVA) University Singers & Charlottesville Symphony, led by conductor Michael Slon in November 2017 on the stage of Old Cabell Hall (UVA), site of the piece’s world premiere in 1943.
A celebration honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. More info coming soon!
The Music
Randall Thompson composed The Testament of Freedom in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s birth. It was first performed in 1943 at the University of Virginia where Thompson was teaching. A version with an orchestral accompaniment for mixed chorus was published in 1944.
Of the many subsequent performances of the piece, the one most valued by its composer was presented by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitsky in 1945 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It occurred two days after the announcement of President Roosevelt’s death. Rather than cancel the concert, Koussevitsky insisted the program be presented, but open to the public without charge.
The Testament of Freedom has four movements, each featuring text selected by Thompson from Jefferson’s writings:
A Summary View of the Rights of British America (1774)
Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms (July 6, 1775)
Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms (July 6, 1775)
Letter to John Adams, Monticello (September 12, 1821)
From the first movement:
The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy but cannot disjoin them.
The Testament of Freedom, performed by the University of Virginia (UVA) University Singers & Charlottesville Symphony, led by conductor Michael Slon in November 2017 on the stage of Old Cabell Hall (UVA), site of the piece’s world premiere in 1943.
Date & Time
May 31, 2026
4:00pm
Location
Fuller Middle School
Flagg Drive
Framingham, MA 01702
Contact Info
Heritage Chorale
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