McCabe PSALM-CANTATA

JOHN McCABE

PSALM-CANTATA for Soprano, Baritone, SATB Choir and Small Orchestra (2012)

FULL SCORE

NOVELLO

Commissioned by the English Baroque Choir and their music director Jeremy Jackman, who gave the first performance on 16th March 2013 at St. John’s, Smith Square, London

Instrumentation Flute 2 Oboes Trumpet in C Tenor Drum Chamber Organ * Strings * If full organ is used, registration should approximate to the sound of a chamber organ – registration is left to the discretion of the performers, bearing in mind that balance between the choir and the organ must be maintained.

Duration c. 20 minutes

Composer’s Note I’ve wanted to write a choral/instrumental piece based on texts from the Psalms for a very long time, so this commission from the English Baroque Choir and their music director Jeremy Jackman (to whom the work is dedicated) was a wonderful opportunity to put this idea into practice. I decided to write a kind of latter-day equivalent to the Bach cantatas, with two soloists (soprano and baritone). The texts are derived from a variety of Psalm sources: some in Latin, some in English, a meditation by Savonarola, and a Henry Vaughan poem.

The music is divided into three parts, performed without a break (or perhaps only a short one). At the beginning of Parts 1 and 2 the soloists intone recitative-like phrases in Latin, while at the beginning of Part 3 this brief section is purely instrumental. At the end of each Part, a chorale is sung by the choir, unaccompanied on the first two occasions but with all the forces combining for the final section, which in itself is a modest variation on the chorale theme. The soloists, who each have a solo number, also sing with the choir, especially in the finale.

The work pursues a course from the darkness of the pleas for mercy at the start to the ebullient lightness of the final number, when in Latin a celebration of unity is expressed. It seemed to me that we need to be reminded sometimes that living in unity and amity is something to be celebrated.

Programme Note © 2012 John McCabe

PART I 1. Psalm 6: Domine, ne in furore (v. 3) Miserere mei, Domine, quoniam infirmus sum; sana me, Domine, quoniam conturbata sunt ossa mea.

[Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.]

2. Infelix ego – Girolamo Savonarola (meditation on Psalm 50) Infelix ego, omnium auxilio destitutus, qui coelum terramque offendi. Quo ibo? Quo me vertam? ... Quis mei miserebitur?

[Unhappy am I, bereft of all help; I have offended against heaven and earth. Where shall I go? ... Where shall I turn? Who will have pity on me? ]

... ... ...

Ad te igitur, piissime Deus, tristis ac moerens venio, quoniam tu solus spes mea, tu solus refugium meum. ... Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.

[To you, then, most holy God, do I come, sad and lamenting, since you alone are my hope, you alone my refuge... ‘Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy!’]

3. Psalm 18: Diligam te, Domine (vv. 2-4, 11-14, 28)[Coverdale] I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.

The sorrows of death compassed me: and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid.

The pains of hell came about me: the snares of death overtook me.

He made darkness his secret place: his pavilion round about him, with dark water and thick clouds to cover him.

At the brightness of his presence his clouds removed: hail-stones, and coals of fire.

The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the Highest gave his thunder: hail-stones, and coals of fire.

He sent out his arrows, and scattered them: he cast forth lightnings, and destroyed them.

Thou also shalt light my candle: the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light.

4. Psalm 142: Domine, exaudi (v. 1) Domine, exaudi orationem meam; auribus percipe obsecrationem meam in veritate tua; exaudi me in tua justitia.

[Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire: hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness’ sake.]

PART II 5. Psalm 43: Exsurge Domine (vv. 2-3) Exsurge Domine, quare obdormis? Exsurge, et ne repellas me in finem. Exsurge, Domine.

[Arise, Lord; why are you sleeping? Arise and do not reject me for ever. Arise, O Lord.]

6. Psalm 37: Nole aemulari (vv. 1-6) [Coverdale] Fret not thyself because of the ungodly: neither be thou envious against the evil-doers.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass: and be withered even as the green herb.

Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good: dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thou in the Lord: and he shall give thee thy heart’s desire.

Commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in him: and he shall bring it to pass.

He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light; and thy just dealing as the noonday.

7. Psalm 23: Dominus regit me (vv. 1-6) [King James Bible] The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the 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 anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. ... I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

8. Psalm 3: Domine, quid multiplicati? (v. 5) Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi; et exaudivit me de monte sancto suo.

[I did call upon the Lord with my voice: and he heard me out of his holy hill.]

PART III 9. Psalm 121 – Henry Vaughan Up to those bright, and gladsome hills Whence flows my weal, and mirth, I look, and sigh for him, who fills (Unseen,) both heaven, and earth.

He is alone my help, and hope, That I shall not be moved, His watchful Eye is ever ope, And guardeth his beloved; The glorious God is my sole stay, He is my Sun, and shade, The cold by night, the heat by day, Neither shall me invade. ...

Whether abroad, amidst the crowd, Or else within my door, He is my Pillar, and my Cloud, Now, and for evermore.

10. Psalm 132: Ecce, quam bonum! (v. 1) Ecce quam bonum et quam jucundum, habitare fratres in unum!

[Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is: brethren, to dwell together in unity.]