Forgiveness: The story of Joseph, for narrator and orchestra

Cope, John David

Item

Forgiveness: The story of Joseph, for narrator and orchestra

Cope, John David

Date

2025-04-21

Abstract

This document is Forgiveness: The Story of Joseph, a six-movement composition for narrator and orchestra. The program depicts the story of Joseph from Genesis chapters 37 and 39-46. Joseph’s story is one of forgiveness, and one that reminds us that although hate can live in the human heart, it does not have to. As a young boy, Joseph caught the ire of his brothers and was sold into slavery. Despite countless hardships and obstacles, Joseph eventually rose to the second-in-command of Egypt. Nearly two decades after he was sold, Joseph came across his brothers once more, but instead of holding hate in his heart, Joseph forgave them and reconciled with his family. Each movement in this work depicts a portion of the story. The music was written in collaboration with an artist who created twenty-five digital images depicting the story. When performed, audiences listen to the music, hear the narration, and watch Joseph’s story unfold. The purpose of this forty-minute programmatic work is to remind others that we can choose to forgive others unconditionally.