Simon Bore the Cross
An overview of Simon Bore the Cross, a cantata with music by Margaret Bonds and text by Langston Hughes.
The literary motif for the cantatas of Margaret Bonds and Langston Hughes pulled into sharp focus individuals of African descent who were integral components of the gospel story: King Balthazar (The Ballad of the Brown King) and Simon of Cyrene (Simon Bore the Cross). These works expressed not only the pride Hughes felt in his heritage through the inspirational description of the Magus bearing myrrh (in The Ballad of the Brown King, “Of all the kings that came to call, one was dark like me”), but also provided an imperative message of hope and courage (in Mary’s solo from Simon Bore the Cross, “God, keep him strong, and bless his soul, the dark one”).
About the Composer
An award-winning composer, pianist, teacher and activist, Margaret Bonds (1913–1972) achieved distinction for a broad compositional style that includes such iconic works as “Troubled Water” for solo piano, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand” arranged for solo voice, and the Montgomery Variations for orchestra. A native of Chicago, she studied piano and composition with Florence Price and William Dawson. Admitted to Northwestern University at age 16, she earned her bachelor’s (1933) and master’s (1934) degrees. At age 20, she became the first African American soloist to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She faced tremendous racial and gender discrimination but found solace in the poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes. In thinking of the prejudice that she encountered, she said, “I know that poem helped save me,” and set it for solo voice and piano in 1936. Later that same year, Bonds and Hughes met in person. Their artistic connection was instantaneous, and Bonds said, “We were like brother and sister.” One of their most successful works was the Christmas cantata The Ballad of the Brown King (1954) for soloists, chorus and orchestra. The Easter cantata Simon Bore the Cross would be one of their last collaborations; its thematic material is based upon the spiritual “He Never Said a Mumblin’ Word.” Though completed in early 1965, it was neither performed nor published during the composer’s lifetime. For many years it was considered lost* and did not receive its premiere until 2018 by the Concert Choir of Georgetown University at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
About the Text Author
James Mercer Langston Hughes (1901–1967) was a poet, librettist, novelist, activist and luminary of the Harlem Renaissance. He first gained recognition with the collection The Weary Blues in 1926, which contained such masterworks as “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “I, Too, Sing America,” his rejoinder to Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing.” In 1959 during the civil rights movement, Margaret Bonds set “I, Too, Sing America” for voice and piano accompaniment and included it in her collection Three Dream Portraits. The themes of racial equality and understanding that are presented in this trilogy would underscore the friendship and life-long working relationship between Bonds and Hughes.