Bernstein - Chichester Psalms (Part I)

The entire Chichester Psalms was written entirely in Hebrew, as it was the original language the Psalms were written in. Also, since Bernstein was born into a Jewish household, he wanted to set the Psalms in Hebrew to underline his roots. Besides, Hebrew is an amazingly beautiful language to sing.

The Psalms chosen represented the two kinds of opposing sides to the human condition, with war-like and militant texts and themes, which represent the cruelty and inhumanity of mankind and our sheer inability to get along with each other in terms of the global community, counterpointed against the words of Psalm 23, which are relevant of compassion, tolerance, trust and understanding. In general, the whole settings of the Chichester Psalms are reflections of what it is to be a human being.

The first movement can be divided into 2 parts, namely, the introduction and the dance.

Introduction

Urah, hanevel, v'chinor!	Awake, psaltery and harp:
A-irah shaḥar	I will rouse the dawn!

Taken from Psalm 108:2, Bernstein graphically sets up a little melodic cell Bb-f-Eb-Ab-Bb, THE key to the whole key piece. The intervals of fourths and sevenths play an important role here, with the dissonant 7ths present in every chord sound like clanging bells, indicating that we are being told to awaken in a deep and profound way. After choir sings the motif, the brasses and basses play the cell and drive the music up a tone. The choir then starts on the same note, and bring the music up another tone. Using that, the brasses and basses drive music up to G major. The theme keeps reinventing itself, but it is based on the same core material.

Dance
This joyful dance in 7/4 meter is unmistakably Bernstein. The 7 beats in the bar are grouped into 12-12-123, and the same melodic cell is used in a compulsive, rhythmic way. Starting with the Xylophone playing the festive, rhythmic theme, it is passed down right through to the basses.

The text used here is from that of the first part of Psalm 100.

Hariu l'Adonai kol haarets.	Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands.
Iv'du et Adonai b'simḥa	Serve the Lord with gladness.
Bo-u l'fanav bir'nanah.	Come before His presence with singing.
D'u ki Adonai Hu Elohim.	Know that the Lord, He is God.
Hu asanu v'lo anaḥnu.	It is He that has made us, and not we ourselves.
Amo v'tson mar'ito.	We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

The basses of the choir come in with a modified upside down version of the theme. Tenors then answer the basses and develop the idea. Basses start developing further, and there is counterpoint as the sopranos and altos come in, with an inversion of the theme. The anticipation and excitement mounts, building up towards the proclamations of

Bo-u sh'arav b'todah,	Come unto His gates with thanksgiving,
Ḥatseirotav bit'hilah,	And into His court with praise.
Hodu lo, bar'chu sh'mo.	Be thankful unto Him and bless His name.

taken from the second part of Psalm 100. The use of bongos here is interesting, as a critic criticized it as being too "shallow, artificial and American". Anticipation is built up to an even greater climax, and an energetic swagger factor is introduced - a thunderous accent on the last beat of the bar, creating a 12-12-12*BANG* bar! The joy expressed here is irrepressible!

Winding down, the music then refracts and splinters in a beautiful way using the very forms of the theme. A remarkable combination in terms of color and timbre is heard. High pitched percussion, 2 harps, high strings pizzicato subdue the music, after which two bright-sounding trumpets lightly play fragments of the theme interspersed with segments of the xylophone. Temple blocks can be heard in the background.

A solo vocal quartet emerges from the chorus, with yet another new variation of the theme. There is a new texture in orchestra - ostinatos in the harps and solo cello, forming a rolling figure which loops round and round. The timpani has an ostinato too, which is marked enticingly to be played "whisperingly". Here the text is from the final part of Psalm 100:

Ki tov Adonai, l'olam ḥas'do,	the Lord is good, his mercy everlasting
V'ad dor vador emunato.	And His truth endureth to all generations.

The music has a greater sense of gravity here, as though affirming the promise of the Lord's goodness. At the last word "emunato" enters a last great declaration of the main theme to the words "for the Lord is good". Here the interval of the 7th is recalled. This is a quasi-canon of voices, with the sopranos and tenors pitted against the altos and basses, ending the movement joyfully and in good spirit.