Psalm 148 is a composition for voice and piano by
Leonard Bernstein, a setting of
Psalm 148
Psalm 148 is the 148th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the Lord from the heavens". In Latin, it is known as "Laudate Dominum de caelis". The psalm is one of the Laudate psalms. Old Testamen ...
in English dated 1935. The
art song is the composer's earliest surviving work, influenced by the music at the
synagogue where he worshiped. He adapted the psalm text to metered poetry, and composed the work in a traditional fashion. He rediscovered the song in the 1980s, and it was first performed and recorded in 1993, and published by
Boosey & Hawkes for soprano and piano.
Background
Bernstein knew psalms singing from worshiping regularly at Temple Mishkan Tefila in
Roxbury, Boston.
The synagogue, with the second largest organ in Boston
and with Solomon Braslavsky (1887–1975) as music director, was Bernstein's earliest musical experience. He would recognize Braslavsky as an influential mentor for life.
writing in a 1964 letter to the Cantors Assembly of America:
Bernstein composed his setting of
Psalm 148
Psalm 148 is the 148th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the Lord from the heavens". In Latin, it is known as "Laudate Dominum de caelis". The psalm is one of the Laudate psalms. Old Testamen ...
in English for voice and piano as a young man, recalling later that it was between 1932 and 1935.
He dated it on September 5, 1935, when he was age 17.
Choosing English over the original Hebrew may indicate that he thought of a wider audience than the
synagogue. It is suitable also for concert and church. Psalm 148 is his earliest surviving work, and became his first composition to later be published.
He rediscovered it in the mid-1980s.
The song was first performed by
mezzo-soprano Angelina Réaux and pianist Barry Snyder at the
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman.
It offers Bachelor of Music ...
on May 1, 1993.
It was published by
Boosey & Hawkes in 2012, now for
soprano and piano, giving a duration of 4 minutes.
Structure
Bernstein adapted the text from Psalm 148 to meter and rhyme.
He structured it in two sections, slow and more moving, each introduced by the piano alone. The composition ends with
Hallelujah
''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...
.
# Praise ye the Lord, praise Him all the earth
# Beast of the field
A reviewer noted that the piano introduction was reminiscent of Wagner's ''
Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (; gmh, Tanhûser), often stylized, "The Tannhäuser," was a German Minnesinger and traveling poet. Historically, his biography, including the dates he lived, is obscure beyond the poetry, which suggests he lived between 1245 and ...
'', and that "the song slides easily between
Grieg and drawing room Victoriana".
Another reviewer noted that Bernstein had a sense of "effective voice-leading", writing "an old-fashioned melody", but knowing how to reach the "right note at its emotional peak".
Recordings
The first performance and recording of Psalm 148 was made by Angelina Réaux and Barry Snyder in 1993.
It was included in a 2003 collection, ''Jewish Legacy'', of the composer's works with Jewish background, and in 2006 in the series
Milken Archive of American Jewish Music.
References
External links
Leonard Bernstein / Psalm 148, for voice & pianoAllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
Psalm 148: Soprano and PianoLeonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company, 2012
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{{Leonard Bernstein
Compositions by Leonard Bernstein
1935 compositions
Art songs
Psalm settings