"Considering Matthew Shepard"

Two years ago, Harmonia Mundi released the world premiere recording of Craig Hella Johnson's oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard, for which the composer conducts his own ensemble, Conspirare.  I must admit that I was initially skeptical about the work, worried that it would be maudlin, but I found it profoundly moving and have added it to the stack of CDs I make a point of listening to during Holy Week each year.  (It's on two discs, totaling 105 minutes.) I'll bring my CD to tomorrow night's meeting, but in the meantime, here is a blurb about the composition that I hope will pique your curiosity:

Led from the piano by Johnson, Considering Matthew Shepard showcases the award-winning artistry of Conspirare’s singers with a chamber ensemble of renowned instrumentalists. This three-part fusion oratorio speaks with a fresh and bold voice, incorporating a variety of musical styles seamlessly woven into a unified whole. Johnson sets a wide range of poetic and soulful texts by poets including Hildegard of Bingen, Lesléa Newman, Michael Dennis Browne, and Rumi. Passages from Matt’s personal journal, interviews and writings from his parents Judy and Dennis Shepard, newspaper reports and additional texts by Johnson and Browne are poignantly appointed throughout the work.