The UUA's Emerson Bicentennial Committee and participants in the March 7th, 2003, celebration at First and Second Church in Boston. Front row: Barry Andrews, chair of the Emerson Committee; Bonnie Hurd Smith; Joan Goodwin; David Robinson. Back row: Stephen Kendrick, minister of First and Second Church; John Hurley; Robert Richardson; Nancy Craig Simmons; Leo Collins; Wesley Mott.

The Emerson Bicentennial Chorus which performed the new anthem "May-Day" composed by William Bolcom.

March 7th Opening Celebration

On the evening of Friday, March 7th, more than 200 people filled the sanctuary of First and Second Church in Boston for the opening celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer, lecturer, reformer, and one-time minister of the Second Church in Boston. Sponsored by First and Second Church and the UUA's Emerson Bicentennial Committee, the program included the opening of an Emerson exhibit by Bonnie Hurd Smith (with assistance from Robert Richardson, Jr. and J. Frank Schulman); welcoming remarks from Stephen Kendrick, minister of First and Second Church; addresses by Emerson scholars Wesley Mott and David Robinson; the debut of a newly-commissioned anthem in Emerson's honor by noted composer William Bolcom as performed by the Emerson Choir under the direction of Beth Norton; and group songs from "An Emerson Garland: Poems and Hymns of Ralph Waldo Emerson," edited by Leo Collins.

The Emerson Bicentennial Committee is grateful to all who contributed to the success of this joyous celebration of the living legacy of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and we invite you all to participate in the upcoming Emerson celebrations you will find listed in other sections of this website.

John Hurley
On behalf of the Emerson Bicentennial Committee

Program of Events (in PDF format)

Introductory remarks - Rev. Stephen Kendrick, Senior Minister, First and Second Church in Boston (in text format)
(audio, in MP3 format)

Presentations:

Emerson, Second Church, and "The Real Priesthood" by Wesley T. Mott (in text format)
(audio, in MP3 Format)

Emerson: Religion After Transcendentalism by David M. Robinson (in text format)
(audio, in MP3 format)

March 7 Music:

"May-Day" by William Bolcom. Performed by the Emerson Choir under the direction of Beth Norton; Terry Decima, piano. (in RealAudio format)
"May-Day", a choral anthem with text by Ralph Waldo Emerson, music by William Bolcom, for SATB and piano. Copyright 2003 by Edward B. Marks Music Company and Bolcom Music. Copies available from your music dealer or from the Hal Leonard Corporation (Price $2.50 published for Mixed Chorus and Piano/Organ)

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Concord Hymn (audio, in MP3 format)

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Ode" (audio, in MP3 format)

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