by Christopher Wilkins
Beethoven & Revolution
The Haitian Revolution followed directly on the heels of the French Revolution, itself inspired by the American Revolution. These three struggles for liberty unfolded within a single generation. Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony—first performed in 1804, the climactic year of the Haitian Revolution—embodies the revolutionary spirit more powerfully than any other musical work of its time.
Beethoven dedicated his Third Symphony at first to Napoleon Bonaparte. But when Napoleon declared himself emperor, Beethoven famously crossed Napoleon’s name out, tearing a hole in the title page. According to his student Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven cried, “He is nothing but an ordinary mortal! Now he will trample all the rights of men under foot to indulge his own ambition!”
Our guest artist, the multi-talented Val Jeanty, brings us three short works from Haitian culture. She has worked with the Landmarks Orchestra before, first as Music Director of Jean Appolon Expressions dance company, with whom we’ve collaborated several times. Two summers ago, she also performed in Terri Lyne Carrington’s Seen-Unseen with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra during the NAACP national convention in Boston.
Tonight, Jeanty offers three works relating to different historical aspects of Haitian culture: a folk song, an original work in which she serves as composer and “turntablist,” and a march-hymn composed by her great-great-uncle, Occide Jeanty. He was the most important composer of concert music in Haiti in the late 19th century. His anthem became, for a time, Haiti’s national anthem. It is still performed frequently today. Val Jeanty has created musical connections so that the three works can be performed without pause.
Several additional guest artists bring new dimensions to the program. Adrian Anantawan, a frequent guest with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra and Artistic Director of Shelter Music Boston, performs Beethoven Romance No. 1 for violin and orchestra. At the invitation of Val Jeanty, he is joined by vocalist Solaya, master drummers, Josil Joseph Rebert and Arnaud Lauture, and poet Jean Dany Joachim for Faces, the text of which is:
Faces
Smiling
Smiling faces
Smiling faceless
Also returning to the Landmarks podium is guest conductor Damali Willingham, who leads the orchestra in three works. A conductor, composer, bassoonist, and educator—and a former student at Berklee College of Music—Willingham made their Landmarks conducting debut in 2023.
In addition to our Hatch Shell performance on Wednesday night, we are thrilled to offer performances on Thursday and Friday evenings in two area churches, and, during the day on Friday, at a community services venue in collaboration with Shelter Music Boston. From the beginning, providing free concerts of great music to all Bostonians has been a mission-level priority.
We are especially proud to return this summer to Bethel AME Church in Jamaica Plain—practically a second home to us due to the generosity of Pastors Ray and Gloria Hammond—and to Roxbury’s Twelfth Baptist Church, led by their inspiring pastor, Rev. Dr. Willie Bodrick, II.
During the performance of Occide Jeanty’s anthem, “Quand nos Aïeux brisèrent leurs entraves” (‘When Our Forefathers Broke Their Chains’), Jean Dany Joachim reads his poem, “Ayiti,” taking as its title the Haitian Creole name for the country of Haiti. The final stanza echoes the hymn lyric’s wording, “we broke the chains.” The text of the poem is:
Ayiti
by Jean Dany Joachim
Oh world, let me introduce you to my country, Haiti,
A small island firmly rooted in the Caribbean,
A green bower of beauty.
Rich in nature, with its mild climate,
Its rivers dance, winding and intertwining,
Refresh and nourish its carpet.
This land was born for friendship and peace.
Its landscape, a canvas to be desired by all.
The sun visits every day,
Corn, coffee and sugar cane once abounded here.
Generosity everywhere and souls are warm,
Smiles and joy light up every face.
Our skies are starry and our nights are magical.
My country, a corner of paradise, a land of dreams.
And by an unfortunate accident, one fine day,
Christopher Columbus and his companions landed.
One of their ships was wrecked on our shores.
Deception, betrayal, massacre and horror
impregnated the island’s soil.
Exploitation through and through.
Live free or perish was our only option.
We joined forces to overthrow it all,
And in 1791, we said no to their servitude
We broke the chains, demanding
Justice freedom and dignity
We celebrate life, with a beating heart,
Oh world, hear our song of resilience.
Jean Dany Joachim, Cambridge Poet Populist from 2009 to 2011, and the current Poet in Residence at First Church in Cambridge, is also an author of short stories and plays. He created the Many Voices Project, a series of readings and follow-up poetry workshops, inspiring conversations about race and equality. He has three published collections of poetry, Crossroads / Chimenkwaze (2013), Avec des Mots (2014), and Quartier (2016). He is the director of City Night Readings, a series featuring diverse poetic talents, writers, and artists. Jean Dany is a 2017 Massachusetts Cultural Council grant recipient for his play: Your Voice Poet. 
CHRISTOPHER WILKINS was appointed Music Director of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra in the spring of 2011. Since then, he has expanded the orchestra’s mission of making great music accessible to the whole community. He has also helped develop the orchestra’s Breaking Down Barriers initiative, making accessibility a priority in all aspects of the orchestra’s activities.