Hello, Music Lover!
Leonard
Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms was so
called because it was written as a
commission for Chichester Cathedral, and it has been requested by Roy and Margaret. It is a choral work for solo quartet,
choir and orchestra and a treble soloist. Bernstein stated explicitly in his
writing that the solos could be sung by either a countertenor or a boy soprano,
but never by a woman. This was to reinforce the liturgical meaning of the
passage sung, perhaps to suggest that the 23rd Psalm, a "Psalm of
David" from the Hebrew Bible, was to be heard as if sung by the boy David
himself. The text was arranged by Bernstein from the psalms in the original
Hebrew. Part 1 uses Psalms 100 and 108, Part 2 uses 2 and 23 and Part 3 uses
131 and 133.
Critics say that
this is about the most tonally optimistic work Bernstein composed, and in the
simplicity and sentimentality of the Hebrew psalm settings, one of his most
approachable yet still exhilarating scores. The “Adonai” solos are just
gorgeous. When it comes to an end in the first movement the mood suddenly changes to a jazzy, triumphant,
off the beat “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving”, and suddenly I am reminded
that this was indeed written by the same composer who wrote West Side Story.
The second
movement, particularly the setting of Psalm 23 which is illustrated in this
square, begins again with the “Adonai” melody, and then once again, at the “Why
do the nations rage” mood change, I’m reminded of West Side Story and the Jets
song, for example. We are made aware of the dangers of disobeying the Lord.
Then we have a face-off between the Adonai tune and the sabre-rattling of the enemies,
and then the sudden return to tranquility. Just lovely. Here's my take on how David the Psalmist might have passed the time beside still waters, inspired by a 20th century photograph of an Israeli shepherd.
Dear Lord and Father, to the tune Repton, is one of
my favourite hymns. It ends with a request for the Lord to “speak through the
earthquake, wind, and fire, o still, small voice of calm”. We were taught as
young choristers to sing as loudly as possible during the earthquake part, and
then to drop to sotto voce for the “still,
small voice.” I used to love that drama, and I still listen for it whenever I
hear another choir sing this hymn.
The stained
glass window frame refers back to the Pie Jesu shown in the post of March 20,
because again, God is always present, even in the ruins. I used the rose window from
the Church of Our Lady in Guelph as the model, since that church it is a
frequent concert location for the Elora Festival Singers.
Beethoven’s Fifth
Beethoven’s fifth Symphony in C minor, by many considered
one of the most important works of all time, is next. I have decided to add this square, even though no-one has requested it, because how could you have a music quilt with no Beethoven? The Fifth always
reminds me of a horse race, a meeting of two champions. (And how could I work
on a quilt that has birds, sheep, goats, cats, fish, an octopus, a deer, a
wolf, but no horses?)
So here you are. The symphony opens in 2/4, (hence only two
horses). The iconic opening four bars are the call to attention before the
“off” is sounded. The horses burst
forth from the stalls in the first movement, and then settle down to a rhythmic
gallop. In the second movement, the real strategy between the two jockeys begins, a lyrical double variation, as each horse in turn takes over the lead.
In the third, each horse sprints to take up the lead for a little (the
scherzo) and then can’t keep up
that speed and falls back. And then we have the final sprint for the finish,
the beaten horse knowing he probably can’t catch up but nevertheless content
that he has done his very best and gallantly galloping on (reprise of the horn
theme), while the winner bursts across the line in the triumphant and
exhilarating finale! Aaah – both horses and jockeys belong in the winner’s
circle because it has been a heroic race.
Well, that's it for now. We are coming into the final stretch!
Susan
