"not a word..." - reflections on the cruxifiction of america.

In her performance of the traditional spiritual tune “Crucifixion”, Marion Anderson sings the closing lines “not a word, not a word, not a word”.  This line of text follows four painful verses which outline in detail the martyrdom of Jesus – “They crucified my lord”, “they nailed him to the cross”, “the blood came twinklin’ down”, “he bowed his head a died”.  Following each of the verses is the line “and he never said a mumblin’ word – not a word, not a word, not a word”.   You can see Marion Anderson’s powerful performance of the song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5JTnYTqXaE

I discovered this song as an undergraduate religion student at Oberlin and it grabbed my attention with its sense of tragic pathos and resignation to a higher spiritual cause, but also a visceral subtext of rage at the silence, the silencing of dissention in the face of injustice and murder.  Ms. Anderson was undoubtedly acutely aware of both readings of the text and performed this song often in her dual role both as operatic diva and civil rights activist. 

When I discovered the song, I was studying at Oberlin with the great African American composer Wendell Logan and felt a certain resonance with this song which inspired me to compose a piece for string orchestra, jazz quartet and soprano soloist based on the spiritual which I called “Cruxifiction” and completed on Good Friday, April 20, 1982.  The piece was performed twice, once that spring in Oberlin and once on my graduate recital at Western Michigan University three years later. 

I have recently rescored the piece for woodwind quintet, clarinet soloist and electronics for performance and recording as part of the NU MU 4 festival August 8 this year in Brattleboro Vermont.  It was fascinating to revisit my 20-year-old self and hear the powerful impact of Prof. Logan’s orchestral imagination, as well as the sway of the music of Ornette Coleman and Anthony Braxton in this early score. 

But this was more than just an exercise in nostalgia, because I believe that this spiritual song speaks to us in this moment with a renewed relevance as we face a regime in the federal government that wants to crush our voice, our expression, our dissent – through legislation, through control of the courts, and through censorship of dissenting voices in the media through lawsuits and punative federal actions – “And he never said a mumbalin’ word – not a word, not a word, not a word”. 

What is the power of the word? In my theological studies we learned that “the word” is central to the act of creation – “The word became flesh” (John 1:14).  In my readings of philosophers Wittgenstein and Buber the idea of the power of “the word” is central as well  - to name something is create it, to give it life – and to take away the word---death. 

In addition to the premiere of the new version of “Cruxifiction (not a word)” in Brattleboro Vt on Aug 8 (which happens to be my birthday), I am creating a visual arts show at the 118 Elliot St Gallery in which members of the community will be invited to paint one word in bold black text which they feel expresses something in this current environment of suppression of voice that needs to be expressed – just a word, just a word, just a word. 

Jeff Lederer – Guilford vt. July 4, 2025

The “Not a word” exhibit will be created during Gallery Walk Friday Aug 1 from 5-9pm at the 118 Elliot St Gallery in Brattleboro and remain up through the month of August.  On Friday Aug 8, the NU MU festival presents “Forms and Sounds – Music for Winds and Voice”, featuring the NYC woodwind quintet “Wildebeests” performing music of Ornette Coleman, Oliver Nelson, Jeff Lederer and the WORLD PREMIERE of a Woodwind sextet composed by Eric Dolphy which was discovered in his collections at the Library of Congress and transcribed and edited by Jeff Lederer.