Wynton Marsalis premiered his Symphony No. 5, titled "Liberty," on Saturday as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States. The performance took place at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia, featuring a collaboration between the National Symphony Orchestra and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under the baton of conductor James Gaffigan.
The symphony, lasting about an hour, combines elements of jazz and traditional orchestral music, reflecting Marsalis’s signature blend of musical styles. The work explores complex themes about America’s history and identity, oscillating between turmoil and hope. The near-final movement, “America My Home,” utilizes a bass-baritone voice—performed by Eric Greene in the premiere—who delivers the movement’s title with varied emotional inflections, ranging from warmth and tenderness to anguish and terror. This section includes a turbulent passage labeled “Cacophony of Confederates,” featuring dissonant winds and brass effects symbolizing chaos, followed by a moment of near silence and an exposed percussion interlude.
Marsalis’s score then shifts towards motifs rooted in gospel and blues, culminating in subsections entitled “Glory, glory,” “With grace,” and “And peace remain.” The composer described this finale as embodying a sense of survival and renewal, underscoring his personal optimism about America despite the country’s challenges. Speaking during rehearsals in New York two days prior, Marsalis emphasized the necessity of performing the music with a kind of “ultimate belief” akin to the faith found in church congregations.
The premiere also highlighted the technical and artistic demands of integrating two large ensembles. Gaffigan, who has collaborated with Marsalis on previous works including the Violin Concerto and the First Symphony, noted the challenge and pleasure involved in melding the distinct sounds of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with the National Symphony Orchestra. He praised Marsalis’s compositions, calling his violin concerto a “masterpiece” and expressing hope for more new works from the composer.
An example of the symphony’s intricate details is found in a percussion passage intended to simulate a cash register using a ratchet and desk bell, a sardonic nod to “Supercapitalism,” a theme Marsalis has addressed elsewhere. While this moment drew laughter from musicians and staff during the Kennedy Center rehearsal, it was less apparent at the Wolf Trap premiere, possibly due to the outdoor setting and audio amplification.
“Liberty” is scheduled to travel to additional venues, including Cincinnati in October and upcoming performances with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic in 2027. The symphony’s score exhibits Marsalis’s affinity for weaving varied American musical influences, ranging from Charles Ives and Igor Stravinsky to Duke Ellington and New Orleans jazz traditions.
Marsalis—who is concluding his nearly 40-year tenure as artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center this season—reflected on the importance of seeking solutions rather than solely airing grievances through music. He noted that while many foundational American texts are framed as complaints, collaborative artistic endeavors like "Liberty" aim to find common meaning and unity through music.