Overture Magazine - 2018-19 Season BSO_Overture_MAR_APR | Page 25

APPALACHIAN SPRING
Spare textures and simplicity are at
the heart of this eloquent music and its
ability to conjure both the wide-open
spaces of the American frontier and the
down-to-earth values of the first settlers.
Plain harmonies dominate the musical
fabric, with complexity saved for the
country-fiddling rhythms that propel
several dance episodes. The score’s focal
point is the song “Simple Gifts,” which
Copland found in an anthology of dance
tunes of the Shakers. Introduced by the
clarinet, it is treated to several variations
then sung grandly by the full ensemble.
Instrumentation: Two flutes including piccolo,
two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two
horns, two trumpets, two trombones, timpani,
percussion, harp, piano and strings.
CHICHESTER PSALMS
Leonard Bernstein
Born in Brookline, MA, August 25, 1918;
died in New York City, NY, October 14, 1990
Although his multiple gifts drove
Leonard Bernstein to jump continually
between conducting, teaching, writing
books and creating hits for Broadway,
he often claimed that first and foremost
he wanted to be a serious composer.
During the 1964 – 65 season, he took a
sabbatical from the directorship of the
New York Philharmonic to devote his
energies to composition. From that break
came his very appealing choral-orchestral
Chichester Psalms, commissioned by
Chichester Cathedral in southern
England for its annual music festival.
Drawing on his Jewish heritage, the
composer chose three Psalms — the
well-known Psalms 100 (“Make a joyful
noise unto the Lord”) and 23 (“The
Lord is my shepherd”), as well as the
less familiar Psalm 131 (“Lord, Lord,
my heart is not haughty”)— to use in
their entirety. Portions of Psalms 108, 2
and 133 are also included. And though
writing for a British choir, he set these
psalms in the original Hebrew. The
orchestration is unusual: strings, brass
and a large colorful percussion section,
but no woodwinds.
Bernstein described the music as
“simple and tonal and tuneful.” However,
the rhythms, harmonies and scoring
are often deliciously complex. The first
movement is a good example. After
a powerful incantatory introduction
on a verse from Psalm 108, Bernstein
expresses Psalm 100’s musical text with
an infectious dance in an irregular 7/4
meter; its bounce accented with sparkling
percussion. Here is the Bernstein style
that made him the toast of Broadway.
In the second movement, one can
detect the poignancy of his West Side
Story ballads in the wistfully melodious
setting of the Psalm 23 for the boy
soloist and women’s voices. Clashing
sharply with this is the aggressive music
for Psalm 2 (“Why do the nations so
furiously rage together”).
CHICHESTER PSLAMS
HEBREW ENGLISH
Psalm 108, vs. 2: IPsalm 108, vs. 2:
Urah, hanevel, v’chinor!
A-irah shachar! Awake, psaltery and harp:
I will rouse the dawn!
Psalm 100, entire: Psalm 100, entire:
Hariu l’Adonai kol haarets.
Iv’du et Adonai b’simcha.
Bo-u l’fanav bir’nanah.
D’u ki Adonai Hu Elohim.
Hu asanu, v’lo anachnu.
Amo v’tson mar’ito.
Bo-u sh’arav b’todah,
Chatserotav bit’hilah,
Hodu lo, bar’chu sh’mo.
Ki tov Adonai, l’olam chasdo,
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 ye that the Lord, He is God.
It is He that has made us, and not we ourselves.
We are his people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 23, entire: Psalm 23, entire:
Adonai ro-i, lo echsar.
Bin’ot deshe yarbitseini,
Al mei m’nuchot y’nahaleini
Nafshi y’shovev,
Yancheini b’ma’aglei tsedek,
Lma’an sh’mo
Gam ki eileich
B’gei tsalmavet,
Lo ira ra,
Ki atah immadi.
Shivt’cha umish’antecha
Hemah y’nachamuni.
Ta’aroch l’fanai shulchan
Neged tsor’rai
Dishanta vashemen roshi
Cosi r’vayah.
Ach tov vachesed
Yird’funi kol y’mei chayai,
V’shav’ti b’veit Adonai
L’orech yamim. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside 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.
Thou preparest a table before me
In the presence of mine enemies,
Thou anointest my head with oil,
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy
Shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

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