Leif Kayser: 3 Salmi (1956)

Leif Kayser 3 Salmi (1956) for alto solo and organ Dur. 12′

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Leif Kayser 3 Salmi (1956) for alto solo and organ Dur. 12′

I Det Kongelige Biblioteks Kayserarkiv fandt jeg et håndskrevet dokument om tilblivelsesprocessen for 3 Salmi, som Kayser har formuleret på engelsk. Det er gengivet i renskrift herunder.

Jørgen Ellegård Frederiksen Redaktør 3 Salmi HISTORY Jolanda Rodio, Swiss contralto, married in Denmark, went to Paris 1954 to see her teacher Nadia Boulanger, and to broadcast a programme with music for contralto and organ. Not having enough of music for the broadcast she asked me to write a piece. That was to become the second of the “3 Salmi”.

The growing interest in contemporary sacred music lead – among other enterprises – to the foundation of the Circle of Church Music (KMkredsen) the main activity being the performance of exclusively contemporary works for organ, choir, small ensembles …. JR was highly engaged in this activity.

Once, however in 1956, a cantata by Petyrek had to be left out of the programme because the music didn’t arrive in time. JR phoned – on Febr. 15 ? – reminding me of my idea joining some other psalms to the De profundis already written. On febr. 17, the organist in charge of printing the programme phoned asking for the titles (!) By that time I was just completing the first psalm [98 (99)] On febr 20 we had our first complete rehearsal in the church (of Saint Jakob) having rehearsed the first psalm at the flat of JR, I think, on Febr. 18.

On Febr. 22 the first performance – and as far as I remember, of a fairly good quality – took place. The entire programme was repeated in another church on Febr. 27 But I am usually slow at composing and was fully engaged in daily work.

COMPOSITION CHOICE of Text. In 1954 I had a little time for composing, thus the text must be suited for a slow tempo with few notes.

In The Royal Library’s Kayser Archive, I found a handwritten document on the process of the creation of 3 Salmi, which Kayser had formulated in English. It is reproduced in the typeset version below.

Jørgen Ellegård Frederiksen Editor I had to make a fair copy plus a part for the singer. This is not for the Guinness Record book. Composers like Mozart + Hindemith could compose at a far quicker speed.

1956 The First Psalm must answer the question: Who is God with whom there is forgiveness?

3rd Psalm: The reaction following the fact that I wait for the Lord I may join the pilgrimage to the Lord’s house (Jerusalem).

The MUSIC The singer’s melody follows as closely as possible the rhythm of the text. The organ part must be organ music not just an accompaniment. But it must allow the singer and the text to be heard. Ꝟ 98 Majestic/Maestoso. God is holy, i.e. without any sin, throned above. Ꝟ129 Sustained melody in both singer’s and organist’s part. The rhythm is in the background. Safe for one dramatic outburst as the text demands. Ꝟ 121: After the two fairly slow movements there has to follow a rather livelier one. But that means more notes and I had little time. Hence the idea of using the old device of ostinato. You write one bar and after that (in the original manuscript) just the sign of repetition (‘) of course not mecanically. You must be prepared for a change at the right moment.

As the story tells I finished in time. It makes the composer to find out which is the right moment.

You may not know that the “3 Salmi” appeared in a 2nd edition in 1977 by the same publisher SUDM (The Society for publication of Danish Music) Address.

Værket er aftrykt efter Det Kongelige Biblioteks udgave.

Biblioteksstempler m.m. er fjernet efter aftale med KB.

The work is printed after the version found in The Royal Library.

Stamps and library markings have been removed in agreement with The Royal Library.

Originalformat: A4

Original size: A4

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