Psalm Settings

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Psalm 30

General Information:

Liturgical Uses: Responsorial psalm

Refrain:
“I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”

Verses:
1) I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear
And did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, .you brought me up from below;
You preserved me from those going down.

2) Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones,
And give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime his good will.
At nightfall weeping enters, but with the dawn, rejoicing.

3) Here, O Lord, and have pity on me;
O Lord, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: Unison
Verses: Cantor

Instruments:
Piano with guitar and bass; optional synth and/or flute, clarinet, oboe, basson

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheets.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
Not yet available

Composer's Notes:
To be added.

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Psalm 29

General Information:

Liturgical Uses:  Reflection on God's might
This psalm was not written as a responsorial psalm within the liturgical cycle. Rather the inspiration of the musical setting came from the source as the psalmist's inspiration. Watching the approaching storm across the desert, he saw the winds, the lighting and fires, and in the torrents of rain the awe-inspiring mighty power of God.

Refrain:
"Give glory, give glory and praises to the Lord."

Verses:
1) The voice of the Lord is over the waters.
The glory of God thunders.
A voice of might and majesty,
A voice which shakes the cedars of Lebanon,
And all in God's temple sing: Glory, glory to the Lord!"

2) The voice of the Lord is over the waters.
The glory of God thunders.
A voice which strikes the fiery flow,
A voice which shakes the land under the desert,
A voice which twists the mighty oaks,
A voice which shakes the land under the wilderness,
And all in God's temple sing: Glory, glory to the Lord!"

Synopsis
Praise God, the Creator,
Whose majesty's revealed in torrent and storm.

Benediction
God bless your people with peace.
Mighty ruler grant your people peace.
May the torrent turn tranquil: peace.
Mighty God, grant your people peace.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: Unison
Verses: Cantor
Snyopis: 2nd Cantor
Benediction: SSA schola

Instruments:
Piano with guitar and bass; optional synth, wood flutes/recorders, rainstick

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheet with piano part.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
In progress. Personnel:

Composer's Notes:
The recording starts with an instrumental depiction of the desert wilderness before the storm. I included some "not-well-tempered" instruments (e.g., wood flutes) to give the sense of the wildness of nature. The verses require a near-operatic performance by a strong mezzo to provide the strength and intensity that the pieces requires.

All in all, this is not a setting for a typical responsorial psalm, but rather better suited for a concert or time of reflection where it can be well-rehearsed.

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Thursday, July 11, 2013

Psalm 27

General Information:

Liturgical Uses: Responsorial psalm.

Refrain:
“The Lord I my light and my salvation.
Whom should I fear? Whom should I fear?

Verses:
1) The Lord is my light and my help
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
Of whom should I be afraid?

2) There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I seek.
To live in the house of my God, all the days of my life.

3) I believe that the Lord will shoe me the path for my life.
I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: Unison congregation and choir
Verses: Cantor

Instruments:
Piano, guitar, bass

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheet.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:

Video: Not available

CD: Praise for the New Dawn, Vol. 1

Order from Wood Harbor Music
Digital download at CD Baby.
Listen on YouTube or Spotify!

Composer's Notes:

I feel this psalm should be sung with entitlement. God is our light and salvation, so we need not fear! The liturgical “workhorse” setting of the by David Haas is nice and almost pretty. I wanted a setting with a different feel.

Angie, singing at
Ryles in Cambridge,
in Oct. 2010.

The refrain begins in what I’d say is a bit of moodiness with “the Lord is my light and my salvation” sung on 3 notes over somewhat vague chords over an E pedal, and then soars into D major with a sense of entitlement (“whom should I fear, whom should I fear!”). If you believe these words, I think you have to say them with conviction. No, not just conviction, but a sense of entitlement. Our faith entitles us to be unafraid.

This song calls for a young, confident voice. I asked Angie, at the time a senior at Berklee and member of the choir, to be cantor, as she has a wonderful faith and a voice to match it.

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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Psalm 25

General Information:

Liturgical Uses: Responsorial psalm, psalm for Advent season, offertory or communion song.

Refrains: Three versions of Psalm 25, each with a different refrain, are found in the Lectionary. Settings for each of the 3 versions are available.

1) “To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.”

2) “Your way, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.”

3) “Teach me your ways, O Lord, my God.”

Verses:
The verses are the same for each of the three refrains:

1) Your ways, 0 Lord, make known to me;
Teach me your paths
Guide me, teach me, for you are my Savior.

2) Remember your compassion, Lord, and your kindness of old.
Remember this, and not my sins,in your goodness, 0 Lord.

3) The-Lord is good and just; the sinners know the way.
God guides the meek to justice, and teaches the humble.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: unison
Verses: Cantor

Instruments:
Piano with guitar and bass

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheets for each of the 3 refrains.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:

Video: Click here
CD: You Are My Inheritance

Composer's Notes:
The setting is intentionally simple and peaceful. The cantor can simply sing the lyrics and it provides the intended result.

The end of each verse has a descending line, suspended over a C pedal, with half notes in the piano part that begins in unison with the cantor, and descends to the 3rd of the dominant which sets up the tonic on the first beat of the refrain.

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Psalm 23

General Information:

Liturgical Uses: Responsorial psalm, communion, themes of Jesus, the Shepherd

Refrain:
“The Lord is my shepherd; nothing shall I want. Fresh and green are the meadows where God leads me”

Verses:
1) By restful streams, God lead me refreshing my soul.
In fresh green meadows I wander, where I find rest.

2) Though I walk through the shadows of darkness, I need not fear.
God will lead me in safety through danger, safely to home.

3) God will prepare a table where I will feast.
Only goodness and kindness will follow, throughout my days.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: SAT choir
Verses: Cantor with Alto and Tenor harmonies

Instruments:
Piano with guitar and bass, plus synth and flute

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheet with choral harmonies.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
Listen at YouTube
CD: How Long, O God

Order from Wood Harbor Music

Composer's Notes:

My approach to composing a setting for perhaps the most well-known of the psalms was to set the refrain simply, with confidence, and a touch of entitlement. If we truly believe in God and God's care for us, we can feel confident that "God will lead me in safety through danger" and entitlement "Though I walk through the shadows of darkness, I need not fear."

The first verse sets up the peacefulness of the text by a slow melody supported by sustained A minor 9th chord. The melody arpeggiates up, from the 5th to the 7th to the 9th. The second half of the verse switches from the minor 9th to the A major 9th, with the raised 3rd reinforcing the sense of confidence.

The second verse starts on the same chord, but the melody is sped up, as one's heartbeat and pace naturally speeds up when in a place of danger. Again, the first half is in minor, while the second half shifts to major, with the confidence that "God will lead me in safety."

The 3rd verse mixes the two settings, starting with the slower melody in minor, and ending with the faster melody in major.

The second verse adds an alto harmony, while the 3rd voice includes both alto and tenor harmonies.

While the liturgical score includes a SAT refrain (with the alto at times singing above the melody), the recording for How Long, O God included a double choir with 2 sets of harmonies.

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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:

"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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Psalm 18

General Information:

Liturgical Uses:  Responsorial psalm

Refrain:
"I love you, Lord, my strength"

Verses:
1) I love you, Lord, my strength,
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God.

2) My God, my rock of refuge,
The horn of my salvation, my strength.
Praised be the Lord, I exclaim,
And I am safe from my enemies.

3) The Lord lives and blessed by my rock!
Extolled by God, my savior.
You who give great victories to your king
And showed your kindness to your anointed.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: Unison
Verses: Cantor

Instruments:
Piano with guitar and bass

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheet.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:

CD: You Are My Inheritance

See video on YouTube:

Megan Lewis: Lead vocals
Mary Casiello, Rosie Delacruz: Background vocals
Rachel Burckardt: Piano, electric guitar, synth
Recorded by Evan Landry
Wood Harbor Music www.woodharbormusic.net

©2011 Rachel J. Burckardt. All Rights Reserved

"The complex time signatures actually sound smooth and natural in this composition, not unlike Gregorian Chant, " (Richard Clark, Director of Music and Organist, St. Cecilia Parish, Boston, MA)

Composer's Notes:
To be added.

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