Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Psalm 22

General Information:

Liturgical Uses:
  Responsorial psalm for Palm Sunday

Refrain:      
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”            




Verses:     
1) They have taken my clothes to divide among them.
They cast lots for my robe.
Be not far from me, Lord, O my strength come to help me,
Deliver me from the sword.

2) My heart is like wax; it is melted inside me;
My strength is dried up like a stone.
My tongue cannot speak,
And you have brought me into the dust of death.

3) I will priase your name to my bothers and sisters;
I will praise you where they are found.
I will live for you, Lord, and my children will serve you;
They shall trust in you, Lord.                

Arrangement:

Titles:   Acceptance, Psalm 22, My God Why Have You Abandoned Me?

 
Composers:   Kevin O'Brien & R. J. F. Burckardt


Vocal:                             

Refrain:  SATB choir
Verses:   Cantor    

Instruments:                
Piano with guitar and bass; with optional flute and cello

Availability:

Sheet Music:                

Lead sheet or lead sheet with piano part, including interlude melody.  Flute and cello parts available separately.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
CD:  How Long, O God                   Listen on YouTube or at Spotify!


Order from Wood Harbor Music










Composer's Notes:
This is, by far, the best product of a brief collaboration with Kevin O'Brien, who suggested writing a few psalm settings together, way back in 1981.  Kevin wrote the melody for the verses, and it beautifully captures the pain and sorrow in the text of the first two verses.  In Kevin's own hand:
© 1981 & 1992 Kevin O'Brien & Rachel J. Burckardt.  All Rights Reserved.


"My tongue cannot speak, and you have brought me into the   It's one of the best melodies with which I've been associated

I slightly re-altered Kevin's draft of the refrain, and also re-harmonized the verses.

Sometime before I recorded this for How Long, O God, I added a brief interlude before verse 3, which is the benediction.  This provides a separation from the sorrowful verses to the hopeful verse.

In the recorded version, I had the flute play the interlude, and then added cello for the benediction (verse 3).  

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