By Aidan Carney

A remarkable musical event, decades in the making, is set to unfold this week as the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and the Buffalo Chamber Players present the world premiere of Lee Hoiby’s “A Whitman Symphony.”

They will present the premiere on Saturday (June 14), at Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Hamburg (66 E. Main St.). 

This monumental work, a marriage of profound American poetry and vocal composition, promises audiences an immersive journey into a distinctive American expression of idealism and beauty.

The impetus of this premiere stems from a fortuitous discovery. While searching for compelling projects, Adam Luebke, the conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, was drawn to finding music perfectly wedded to its text. A chance meeting with Mark Shulgasser, the late composer Lee Hoiby’s partner and the executor of his estate, revealed a “trove of choral music that had only rarely been performed.”

Shulgasser said that he and Hoiby had envisioned creating a unifying choral and symphonic cycle from Hoiby’s extensive compositions of Walt Whitman’s poetry. Working closely with Shulgasser and the publishers, the team prepared parts and previously unperformed choral versions to finally realize this long-held vision.

We sat down with Luebke, who is also music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, to get his perspective on the upcoming premiere on Saturday. 

How does the chorus embody the “distinctive American expression of idealism and beauty” that arises from the marriage of Whitman’s texts and Hoiby’s music?

Hoiby’s setting of the text is both lyrical and dramatic. Many moments of speech-like patterns convey the weight of Whitman’s message, though the bulk of Whitman’s text soars in the natural melodic lyricism of Hoiby’s musical language.

Could you describe the collaborative process between the conductor and the chorus in interpreting Hoiby’s music and Whitman’s texts? How did that interpretation evolve over the rehearsal period?

Chorus members have been reciting Whitman’s text in rehearsals throughout the process. We have also taken time to discuss Whitman, his relationship to Lincoln, and his striving to expound upon the strength of the cause of liberty for all people wrapped up in the ideals of the United States.

What specific vocal or musical challenges did Hoiby’s settings of Whitman’s poetry present to the chorus members during rehearsals?

The main challenges lie in occasional chromaticism resulting from unique harmonic progressions. The music flows easily, but there are times when the expressive harmonic ideas come from a modern-romantic language that can surprise.

Can you share any memorable moments or breakthroughs from the “A Whitman Symphony” rehearsal process so far?

The most affecting rehearsal moments have been when Hoiby writes for the chorus to sing in unison. These will also be the most profound moments in performance.

What specific instrumentation will the Buffalo Chamber Players be providing? How does this chamber ensemble setting influence the overall sound and texture of the work?

Because the “Whitman Symphony” is a compilation of works, some of which have yet to be performed, it features various instrumentation, ranging from chorus and soloist with full orchestra to chorus with organ alone.

The Buffalo Chamber Players are known for their intimate and often innovative programming. How does this collaboration on “A Whitman Symphony” fit their artistic ethos?

The Buffalo Chamber Players have been partners on several projects, and we’ve found great success working with them to complement the chorus as we explore a variety of choral repertoire, from Bach and Mendelssohn to Caroline Shaw and now Lee Hoiby.

What do you think the audience will find especially rewarding about this performance?

I encourage the audience to be ready to absorb a marriage of text and music. Hoiby spent most of his musical life writing for voices, and his text setting is masterful.

For the audience, what specific emotions or insights do you hope they will experience?

Hoiby’s exploration of Whitman is timeless and powerful and will profoundly impact the audience. Whitman’s ideas about liberty for all and the freedom to express oneself fully have meaning for all listeners.

As this is a world premiere, what do you hope will be the lasting legacy of this performance?

I hope to present this music to bring Hoiby’s choral music to light so that it is performed more frequently. Aside from his sacred works being performed liturgically, so much of his choral music has been performed once or just a handful of times.