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45-450: Chichester Psalms is an extended choral composition in three movements by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor , choir and orchestra. The text was arranged by the composer from the Book of 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 . Bernstein scored the work for a reduced orchestra, but also made

90-498: A Bo'u l'fanav bir'nanah. D'u ki Adonai Hu Elohim. Hu asanu v'lo ana ḥ nu. Amo v'tson mar'ito. Bo'u sh'arav b'todah, Ḥ atseirotav bit'hilah, Hodu lo, bar'chu sh'mo. Ki tov Adonai, l'olam ḥ as'do, V'ad dor vador emunato. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God. He made us, and we are his. We are His people and

135-640: A treble . A 2003 recording was performed by Thomas Kelly (treble) and the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and Orchestra , conducted by Marin Alsop . In 2018 another recording by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge was released, this time conducted by Stephen Cleobury with George Hill as the treble soloist. Movement (music) A unit of a larger work that may stand by itself as a complete composition. Such divisions are usually self-contained. Most often

180-556: A continuation of Psalm 1 . 10th-century rabbi Saadia Gaon , in his commentary on the Psalms, notes that Psalm 1 begins with the word "Happy" and the last verse of Psalm 2 ends with the word "Happy", joining them thematically. According to the Talmud and commentators such as Saadia Gaon, Abraham ibn Ezra , and the Karaite Yefet ben Ali , this psalm is messianic , referring to the advent of

225-417: A deep and profound way. In the first measure, Bernstein also introduces a leitmotif in the soprano and alto parts consisting of a descending perfect fourth, ascending minor seventh, and descending perfect fifth. The motif is also found with the seventh inverted as a descending major second. It conjures up images of tuning the harp and psaltery (especially the use of perfect fourths and fifths). This leitmotif

270-491: A number of shared themes and likely allusions to Psalm 2, including one clear reference to Psalm 2:9 , found in Ps. Sol. 17:23-24. Those verses read, "To smash the arrogance of the sinner like a potter’s vessel, to shatter all their substance with an iron rod." Additionally, the phrase "the peoples of the nations to be subject to him under his yoke" may look back to Psalm 2:2 . English-speaking Protestant Christians usually translate

315-588: A version for an even smaller ensemble of organ, one harp, and percussion. The work premiered at the Philharmonic Hall in New York City on 15 July 1965, conducted by the composer. That was followed by a performance at Chichester Cathedral as part of the Southern Cathedrals Festival , for which it was commissioned, on 31 July that year, conducted by John Birch . The work was commissioned for

360-472: A woman," but either by a boy or a countertenor. This was to reinforce the liturgical meaning of the passage sung, perhaps to suggest that Psalm 23 , a "Psalm of David" from the Hebrew Bible , was to be heard as if sung by the boy David himself. The orchestra consists of 3 trumpets in B ♭ , 3 trombones , timpani , a five-person percussion section, 2 harps , and strings . A reduction written by

405-543: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This music-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Psalm 2 Psalm 2 is the second psalm of the Book of Psalms , beginning in English in the King James Version : "Why do the heathen rage". In Latin, it is known as "Quare fremuerunt gentes" . Psalm 2 does not identify its author with a superscription, but Acts 4:24–26 in

450-537: Is also recited to alleviate a headache, and when caught in a sea gale. Some verses of Psalm 2 are referenced in the New Testament : According to the Rule of St. Benedict (530 AD ), Psalms 1 to 20 were mainly reserved for the office of Prime . This psalm was chosen by St. Benedict of Nursia for Monday's office of Prime: in the Rule of St. Benedict of 530 it was recited or sung between Psalm 1 and Psalm 6 . In

495-768: Is found elsewhere in the work, including the end of the first movement ("Ki tov Adonai," m. 109–116), the third movement prelude, and in the soprano part of the final a cappella section of movement three ("Hineh mah tov," m.60), with a haunting reintroduction of the material in the harp on unison G's during the "Amen" of m. 64. Psalm 100 הָרִיעוּ לַיהוָה, כָּל־הָאָרֶץ. עִבְדוּ אֶת־יְהוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה; בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו, בִּרְנָנָה. דְּעוּ-- כִּי יְהוָה, הוּא אֱלֹהִים: הוּא־עָשָׂנוּ, ולא (וְלוֹ) אֲנַחְנוּ-- עַמּוֹ, וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ. בֹּאוּ שְׁעָרָיו, בְּתוֹדָה-- חֲצֵרֹתָיו בִּתְהִלָּה; הוֹדוּ־לוֹ, בָּרְכוּ שְׁמוֹ. כִּי־טוֹב יְהוָה, לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ; וְעַד־דֹּר וָדֹר, אֱמוּנָתוֹ. Hari'u l'Adonai kol ha'arets. Iv'du et Adonai b'sim ḥ

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540-416: Is gradually overpowered by the soprano voices (with the direction—at measure 102 in the vocal score only—"blissfully unaware of threat") with David serenely reaffirming the second portion of Psalm 23. However, the last measures of the movement contain notes which recall the interrupting section, symbolizing mankind's unending struggle with conflict and faith. The music for the beginning of the second movement

585-407: Is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk Through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff They comfort me. Why do the nations rage, And

630-473: Is not haughty, Nor mine eyes lofty, Neither do I exercise myself In great matters or in things Too wonderful for me to understand. Surely I have calmed And quieted myself, As a child that is weaned of his mother, My soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord From henceforth and forever. The third movement begins with a conflicted and busy instrumental prelude which recapitulates

675-585: Is said, "I will tell of the decree ... this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me and I will give the nations for your inheritance" (Psalms 2:7–8). Similarly, the Midrash Tehillim teaches: R. Jonathan said: "Three persons were bidden, 'Ask'— Solomon , Ahaz , and the King Messiah. Solomon: 'Ask what I shall give thee' (I Kings 3:5). Ahaz: 'Ask thee a sign' (Isaiah 7:11). The King Messiah: 'Ask of Me', etc. (Psalms 2:8)." Rashi and Radak , however, identify

720-700: Is taken from sketches from Bernstein's unfinished The Skin of Our Teeth . The men's theme was adapted from material cut from West Side Story . Psalm 131 יְהוָה, לֹא־גָבַהּ לִבִּי-- וְלֹא־רָמוּ עֵינַי; וְלֹא־הִלַּכְתִּי, בִּגְדֹלוֹת וּבְנִפְלָאוֹת מִמֶּנִּי. אִם־לֹא שִׁוִּיתִי, וְדוֹמַמְתִּי-- נַפְשִׁי: כְּגָמֻל, עֲלֵי אִמּוֹ; כַּגָּמֻל עָלַי נַפְשִׁי. יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶל־יְהוָה-- מֵעַתָּה, וְעַד־עוֹלָם. Adonai, Adonai, Lo gavah libi, V'lo ramu einai, V'lo hilachti Big'dolot uv'niflaot Mimeni. Im lo shiviti V'domam'ti, Naf'shi k'gamul alei imo, Kagamul alai naf'shi. Ya ḥ el Yis'rael el Adonai Me'atah v'ad olam. Lord, Lord, My heart

765-485: Is that on which the choir then sings the Amen, while one muted trumpet plays the opening motif one last time and the orchestra, too, ends on a unison G, with a tiny hint of a Picardy third . In the score, Bernstein notes that the soprano and alto parts were written "with boys' voices in mind," and that it is "possible but not preferable" to use women's voices instead. However, he states that the male alto solo "must not be sung by

810-951: The Becker Psalter , published first in 1628. Psalm 2 is one of the psalms used in Handel 's "Messiah" (HWV 56). He set the King James Version of verses 1–4 and to 9 in four in movement in Part II, beginning with movement 40 . In France, Pierre Robert composed a grand motet " Quare fremuerunt gentes ", for the Chapelle Royale in the Louvre. Marc-Antoine Charpentier set around 1675 one " Quare fremuerunt gentes" H.168 - H.168 a, for soloists, double chorus, strings and continuo, another one, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo H.184, around 1682 . Michel-Richard de Lalande in 1706 made his grand motet (S70) on this Psalm. Jean-Baptiste Lully did

855-572: The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop , a former pupil of Bernstein. The treble solo was sung by the Chichester Head Chorister, Jago Brazier. Alexander Bernstein, Bernstein's son, was in the audience, as he had been in 1965. Bernstein made his own selection from the psalms, and decided to retain the original Hebrew for an ecumenical message, focused on the "brotherhood of Man". Psalm 108 (verse 2 in

900-464: The Choir of King's College, Cambridge , in the version with only three instrumentalists. It was conducted by Philip Ledger with James Bowman as the countertenor soloist. The instrumentalists were David Corkhill (percussion), Osian Ellis (harp) and James Lancelot (organ). When Richard Hickox recorded the work in the 1980s, the composer gave his approval for the solo part to be sung by Aled Jones , then

945-519: The Egyptian and Hellenistic royal ideology. Most Christian scholars interpret the subject of the psalm as Jesus Christ and his role as the Messiah . Matthew Henry interprets verses 1–6 are viewed as threats against Christ's kingdom, verses 7–9 as a promise to Christ to be the head of this kingdom, and verses 10–12 as counsel to all to serve Christ. Charles Spurgeon and Adam Clarke similarly interpret

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990-600: The Jewish Messiah who will be preceded by the wars of Gog and Magog . In this vein, the "king" of Psalm 2 is interpreted not as David but as the future King Messiah from the Davidic line , who will restore Israel to its former glory and bring world peace . The Talmud teaches ( Sukkah 52a): Our Rabbis taught: The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah, the son of David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days!), "Ask of me anything, and I will give it to you", as it

1035-678: The Kaddish Symphony has been described as a work often at the edge of despair, while Chichester Psalms is affirmative and serene at times. On 24 November 2018, as the finale of the Bernstein in Chichester celebrations to mark the centenary of Bernstein's birth, the choirs of Chichester Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral again joined forces to sing Chichester Psalms in Chichester Cathedral. They were accompanied by

1080-487: The King James Version ; verse 3 in Hebrew) עוּרָה, הַנֵּבֶל וְכִנּוֹר; אָעִירָה שָּׁחַר. Urah, hanevel, v'chinor! A-irah sha ḥ ar Awake, psaltery and harp: I will rouse the dawn! The introduction (presented in the score as part of movement one) begins gathering energy. Word painting is used in that the dissonant sevenths present in every chord sound like clanging bells, indicating that we are being told to awaken in

1125-449: The New Testament attributes it to David . According to the Talmud , Psalm 2 is a continuation of Psalm 1 . The psalm is a regular part of Jewish , Catholic , Lutheran and Anglican liturgies as well as Protestant psalmody. It has often been set to music; George Frideric Handel set nine verses in Part II of his Messiah . According to the Talmud ( Berakhot 10b), Psalm 2 is

1170-540: The 1965 Southern Cathedrals Festival at Chichester Cathedral by the cathedral's Dean, Walter Hussey . However, the world premiere took place in the Philharmonic Hall , New York , on 15 July 1965 with the composer conducting, followed by the performance at Chichester on July 31, 1965, conducted by the cathedral's Organist and Master of the Choristers, John Birch . The first performance in London took place on 10 June 1966 in

1215-1825: The 7th interval presented as the main theme in the introduction. The music progresses in three asymmetrical beats, with the groupings shown by the composer as 2+2+3. יְהוָה רֹעִי, לֹא אֶחְסָר. בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא, יַרְבִּיצֵנִי; עַל-מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי. נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב; יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶדֶק, לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ. גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת, לֹא־אִירָא רָע-- כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי; שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ, הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי. לָמָּה, רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם; וּלְאֻמִּים, יֶהְגּוּ־רִיק. יִתְיַצְּבוּ, מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ-- וְרוֹזְנִים נוֹסְדוּ־יָחַד: עַל־יְהוָה, וְעַל־מְשִׁיחוֹ. נְנַתְּקָה, אֶת־מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ; וְנַשְׁלִיכָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבֹתֵימוֹ. יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק: אֲדֹנָי, יִלְעַג־לָמוֹ. תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי, שֻׁלְחָן-- נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי; דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי, כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה. אַךְ, טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי-- כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּי; וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־יְהוָה, לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים. "David" and sopranos (Psalm 23) Adonai ro-i, lo e ḥ sar. Bin'ot deshe yarbitseini, Al mei m'nu ḥ ot y'nahaleini, Naf'shi y'shovev, Yan' ḥ eini b'ma'aglei tsedek, L'ma'an sh'mo. (sopranos) Gam ki eilech B'gei tsalmavet, Lo ira ra, Ki Atah imadi. Shiv't'cha umishan'techa Hemah y'na ḥ amuni. (Tenors and basses ( Psalm 2 , vs. 1-4)) Lamah rag'shu goyim Ul'umim yeh'gu rik? Yit'yats'vu malchei erets, V'roznim nos'du ya ḥ ad Al Adonai v'al m'shi ḥ o. N'natkah et mos'roteimo, V'nashlichah mimenu avoteimo. Yoshev bashamayim Yis' ḥ ak, Adonai Yil'ag lamo! (sopranos (Psalm 23)) Ta'aroch l'fanai shul ḥ an Neged tsor'rai Dishanta vashemen roshi Cosi r'vayah. "David" Ach tov va ḥ esed Yird'funi kol y'mei ḥ ayai V'shav'ti b'veit Adonai L'orech yamim. The Lord

1260-639: The Duke's Hall of the Royal Academy of Music . Conducted by Roy Wales and performed by the London Academic Orchestra and London Student Chorale, it was paired with Britten's Cantata academica . Chichester Psalms was Bernstein's first composition after his 1963 Third Symphony ( Kaddish ) . These two works are his two most overtly Jewish compositions. While both works have a chorus singing texts in Hebrew,

1305-692: The Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 2 is sung or recited in the Office of Readings of the Sunday of the first week, with Psalm 1 and Psalm 3 . Every Tuesday, the faithful of Opus Dei , after invoking their Guardian Angel and kissing the rosary , recite Psalm 2 in Latin . In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer , Psalm 2 is appointed to be read on the morning of the first day of

1350-399: The accompanying orchestral and choral parts, thus granting the harpists a pivotal role in realizing the music. In rehearsals, he is noted to have requested that the harpists play through the piece before the rest of the orchestra to emphasize the importance of the harps' role. Chichester Psalms was published in 1965 by Boosey & Hawkes . Chichester Psalms was recorded in the 1970s by

1395-470: The chords and melody from the introduction, then suddenly it breaks into the gentle chorale set in a rolling 4 meter (subdivided as 4 ) which recalls desert palms swaying in the breeze. Psalm 133, vs. 1 הִנֵּה מַה־טּוֹב, וּמַה־נָּעִים-- שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם־יָחַד. Hineh mah tov, Umah na'im, Shevet aḥim Gam yaḥad Behold how good, And how pleasant it is, For brethren to dwell Together in unity. The finale comes in from

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1440-411: The composer pared down the orchestral performance forces to organ , one harp, and percussion. The Psalms , and the first movement in particular, are noted for the difficulty they pose for the performers. For example, the opening is difficult for the tenors, owing to the unusually wide vocal range, rhythmic complexity, and the consistent presence of strange and difficult-to-maintain parallel 7ths between

1485-578: The days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. The second movement begins with the Psalm of David set in a conventional meter ( 4 ) with a tranquil melody, sung by the boy treble (or countertenor), and repeated by the soprano voices in the chorus. This is abruptly interrupted by the orchestra and the low, rumbling sounds (again word painting) of the men's voices singing Psalm 2 (also notably featured in Handel's Messiah ). This

1530-521: The first phrase of verse 12 as "Kiss the son", as in the King James Version. This reads the word bar as Aramaic "son", different from Hebrew ben "son". Some Jewish authors have accused Protestant Christians of arbitrarily choosing to interpret the word as Aramaic to suggest a reference to Jesus Christ. Protestants, however, cite other places in the Bible with isolated Aramaic words found in Hebrew, like

1575-468: The month, as well as at Mattins on Easter Day . The Presbyterian Scottish Psalter of 1650 rewords the psalm in a metrical form that can be sung to a tune set to the common meter . In 1567, Thomas Tallis set Psalm 2, "Why fum'th in sight", for his Nine Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter . Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase in German, "Was haben doch die Leut im Sinn", SWV 098, for

1620-563: The people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His anointed. Saying, let us break their bands asunder, And cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens Shall laugh, and the Lord Shall have them in derision! Thou preparest a table before me In the presence of my enemies, Thou anointest my head with oil, My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy Shall follow me all

1665-453: The psalm as referring to the opposition against Christ's rulership, the selection of Christ by God as his "own son", and the eventual victory and reign of Christ over his enemies. The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain ). Verse 1 is recited during Selichot . This psalm

1710-520: The same word bar occurring in Proverbs 31:2 . By contrast, the most common Jewish interpretation of verse 12, reading bar in Hebrew, is "Embrace purity". This is an interpretation close to that of Catholics , who traditionally follow the Vulgate and Septuagint to translate the phrase as "Embrace discipline". The New American Bible reconciles by combining verses 11 and 12 of other translations into

1755-554: The same. Felix Mendelssohn wrote a setting of Psalm 2 in German during his time as Generalmusicdirektor for church music in Berlin. The setting is for two four part choirs with sections for solo voices and was first performed in Berlin Cathedral on the first day of Christmas 1843. "Warum toben die Heiden" was published as his Op 78 No 1. Verse 8 of Psalm 2 is used in the song " You Said " by Reuben Morgan . Verses 1–4 form one of

1800-436: The sequence of movements is arranged fast-slow-fast or in some other order that provides contrast. While the ultimate harmonic goal of a tonal composition is the final tonic triad , there will also be many interior harmonic goals found within the piece, some of them tonic triads and some of them not. ...We use the term cadence to mean a harmonic goal, specifically the chords used at the goal. This music-related article

1845-402: The sheep of His pasture. Come unto His gates with thanksgiving, And into His court with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. the Lord is good, His mercy everlasting And His truth endureth to all generations. The first movement is in a joyous 4 meter, sung in a festive fashion, as is implored in the first verse of the psalm. Its last words, "Ki tov Adonai," recall

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1890-586: The subject of this psalm as David , following his victory over the Philistines. Arenda suggests that Rashi's view was influenced by that of early Christian commentators who interpreted verse 7 as referring to Christ. Christian writers such as Hermann Gunkel and Hans Joachin Kras see the psalm as a song of the Judean king himself at the festival of his accession, while Hossfeld sees the psalm as merely being influenced by

1935-460: The tenor and bass parts. The interval of a seventh figures prominently throughout the piece because of its numerological importance in the Judeo-Christian tradition; the first movement is written in the unusual 4 meter. Chichester Psalms significantly features the harp; the full orchestral version requires two intricate harp parts. Bernstein completed the harp parts before composing

1980-499: The texts Leonard Bernstein used for his Chichester Psalms . It is used as counterpart to Psalm 23 in the second movement, sung by the tenors and basses. There is a clear reference to Psalm 2 in 1 Enoch , found in 1En. 48:8-10. This text states that "downcast will be the faces of the kings of the earth" who have "denied the Lord of Spirits and his anointed one". The phrase "kings of the earth" and "Lord...and his anointed one" point back to Ps 2:2. Psalm of Solomon 17 contains

2025-472: The third movement without interruption. The principal motifs from the introduction return here to unify the work and create a sense of returning to the beginning, but here the motifs are sung pianississimo and greatly extended in length. Particularly luminous harmonies eventually give way to a unison note on the last syllable of the text—another example of word painting, since the final Hebrew word, Yaḥad, means "together" or, more precisely, "as one". This same note

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