In this excerpt from WelcherÆs JFK: The Voice of Peace, the Langston Hughes text is used effectively above the ôserene and mysteriousö accompaniment of cello and piano. The message is timeless, made more inviting through WelcherÆs gentle handling of his forces. The oratorio, itself, was premiered in 1999 by the Handel & Haydn Society, Daniel Beckwith, conductor.