"The Light in the wilderness"
Dave Brubeck's "The Light in the Wilderness" was written when he swore if he survived the tragedy of World War II, he would compose an oratorio that would remind people of the true beliefs of Christianity. It is stunning that so many countries, governments, and armies that claimed to be following the same religion, could twist the meanings to permit the mass killing of so many innocents. On top of the high casualties of the war there was the horror of the Jewish persecution and death camps.
-Summarized from interview with Chris Brubeck
-Summarized from interview with Chris Brubeck
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"The Light in the Wilderness" (1968) fought for religious rights and reflected Brubeck's beliefs about the tragedy of war and his experiences in World War II.
"After World War II, when I was able to get out of the Army, it was so great just to be free and alive. From then on I just continued to work and to be thankful that I survived the war. That was the great turning point, getting through the war." |
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Brubeck believed during World War II, countless nations forgot the importance of the brotherhood of man, leading to worldwide disasters. "The Light in the Wilderness" reminded listeners that this tragic event could not happen again.
"There was the German army and people that were basically Lutheran, and there was the Italian army that was basically Catholic, and the Judeo-Christian American Army all breaking these Ten Commandments. And backed up by their governments in forgetting absolutely what their religion was all about... fifty-six million people died because they forgot 'Thou shalt not kill.'" |
"Forty days alone in the desert, days and nights of constant prayer, seeking in the wailing wind an answer to despair. Forty days of questioning: Why he was there, in the lonely desert? Forty days of fasting and prayer, searching for his destined role..." |