Program Note:

Swedish diplomat and economist Dag Agne Carl Hammarskjöld (1905-1961) served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. His epigrammatic, elegant collection of autobiographical entries entitled Vägmärken, or, in English, Markings, was found after his mysterious death while on a humanitarian mission in the Congo and published posthumously. During the years that Hagen served as an Adjunct Lecturer at New York University conducting the NYU Washington Square Chorus (an ensemble comprised of NYU students and community members) he wrote a few short works for the group to flesh out standard repertoire programs, including two settings of Hammarskjöld. They were premiered together under Hagen’s direction at the Maison Française in New York City by the chorus on May 10th, 1986. Set aside until 1992, Hagen added a setting of Psalm 130: 6 to round out the set for Eric Townell to premiere with the Madison Festival Choir at the Oscar Mayer Theater on December 4, 1993.