CREDO

“I Believe in the Pride of Race”

“I Believe in God”

The introduction features a tremolo of pitches in the lower strings (cello and contrabass) as the choir delivers a powerful statement of the words “I believe in God, who made of one blood all nations that on earth do dwell.” This powerful theme sets the tone for the entire work and returns at various points throughout the cantata.

The brief, four-measure introduction features the full forces of the orchestra. For this movement, Bonds only utilizes the lower voices of the chorus (tenors and basses). The music is in duple meter and is majestic and march-like in its character. In the first half of the movement, the voices perform the text using a powerful, authoritative and confident tone at dynamic levels that are primarily “mezzo forte” and “forte.” MOVEMENT I

Do I Believe in the Negro Race”

In the opening four-measure introduction, Bonds utilizes the clarinets and bassoons to create a mellow and lilting mood in 6/8 meter. Throughout the soprano solo section, Bonds creates a lyrical melody is decorated by occasional “blue notes” on the words “Negro” and “meekness.” When the choir enters the texture, it essentially creates an “echo” of the opening lines of the soprano solo. At this point the soprano soloist sings above the choir on a descant. The movement concludes with three “I believe” statements—the first two sung by only the choir, and the final statement by both the choir and the soprano soloist.

“I Believe in the Devil and His Angels”

This movement features an instrumental accompaniment consisting of a repeated musical pattern (ostinato). This pattern is characterized by a consistent pulsation of a low sounding minor chord played by lower strings, contrabassoon and timpani. Added to this ostinato is a trill (a rapid alternation between two notes) played by the bassoon.

Movement Iv

Movement V

Musical Moments

“I Believe in Liberty”

This movement features a lengthy, lyrical baritone solo, under an instrumental accompaniment that was created to evoke the concepts of thinking, dreaming, and the sound like a train in motion. It is at the halfway point in the movement that we hear the first statement from the chorus singing the text, “thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty” in support of the baritone soloist.

Movement Vi

Movement Vii

Believe in the Prince of Peace”

Following a short introduction played by the strings, bassoons, and clarinets, this first section of the movement features the treble voices of the chorus (sopranos and altos) calmly and reverently singing the words, “I believe in the Prince of Peace” in a style reminiscent of the African American gospel tradition. In the next section of the movement, the tenors begin with a more forceful and agitated statement “I believe that War is murder.” The other voices respond with their own statement of the text. The chorus continues to create a tense, dark and turbulent mood.

Believe in the Prince of Peace”

In this final movement, Bonds achieves closure by bringing back a lot of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ideas from earlier movements in the cantata. On the final words of DuBois’ essay, “with God,” the meter shifts back to duple, the chorus is at a fortissimo dynamic, and the orchestra reminds us, just one more time, of the “I Believe in God” theme.