What instrument is featured in #2 movement of Chichester Psalms?
harp
In the second movement, a boy soloist sings the famous 23rd Psalm to a harp accompaniment, just as the original psalmist presumably would have done. Bernstein also sanctioned that this vocal part, with its bluesy overtones, might be sung by a countertenor.
Why did Bernstein write the Chichester Psalms?
Hussey was hoping that Bernstein would feel unrestrained for composing in a more popular vein despite the sacred nature of the assignment. Bernstein composed Chichester Psalms amid a busy schedule, completing his first work since the Third Symphony, Kaddish, in 1963, written in memory of President Kennedy.
Who commissioned Chichester Psalms and what was Bernstein’s process?
“In that same year, Bernstein was commissioned by the Very Rev Walter Hussey of the Cathedral of Chichester to write something for their annual Grand Music Festival which included three cathedrals: Winchester, Salisbury, and Chichester, a collaboration dating from the seventeenth century.
When was Chichester Psalms written?
1965
Chichester Psalms is an extended choral composition in three movements by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor, choir and orchestra….
| Chichester Psalms | |
|---|---|
| Occasion | 1965 Southern Cathedrals Festival at Chichester Cathedral |
| Text | Psalms 100, 108, 2, 23, 131, 133 |
| Language | Hebrew |
| Performed | 15 July 1965: New York City |
What musical style is Symphony of Psalms?
choral symphony
The Symphony of Psalms is a choral symphony in three movements composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1930 during his neoclassical period.
What language is Chichester Psalms?
Hebrew
Chichester Psalms is comprised of three movements, and the libretto is entirely in Hebrew. Each movement is based on the text of a complete Psalm, paired with an excerpt of another Psalm.
What language is Chichester Psalms in?
How many movements does Chichester Psalms have?
three movements
Chichester Psalms, choral work in three movements by the American composer Leonard Bernstein, who conducted its premiere on July 15, 1965, at England’s Chichester Cathedral, which had commissioned the piece. It is scored for orchestra, chorus, and a boy alto soloist.
How much was Igor Stravinsky paid for Symphony of Psalms?
It all started with a $6000 commission by Serge Koussevitzky for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony in 1930.
How much was Igor Stravinsky paid to compose Symphony of Psalms?
Igor Stravinsky received $6,000 for the commission. He needed the money. He was living in France supporting his wife and children, his longtime mistress and a handful of relatives back in his native Russia.
What keyboard instrument do you hear as part of the orchestra?
The piano is an entire orchestra in itself – but sometimes its sound is a part of the big symphony orchestra.
How many movements are there in the Chichester Psalms?
Chichester Psalms is comprised of three movements, and the libretto is entirely in Hebrew. Each movement is based on the text of a complete Psalm, paired with an excerpt of another Psalm. The official Leonard Bernstein website describes the work:
When did Leonard Bernstein write the Chichester Psalms?
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 a version for a 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.
Where is the leitmotif found in the Chichester Psalms?
This leitmotif 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.
Is the text of the Chichester Psalms in Hebrew?
Chichester Psalms juxtaposes vocal part writing most commonly associated with Church music (including homophony and imitation), with the Judaic liturgical tradition. Bernstein specifically called for the text to be sung in Hebrew (there is not even an English translation in the score),…