Psalm Settings

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Psalm 32

General Information:

Liturgical Uses: Responsorial psalm; themes of forgiveness; Lent

Refrain:
“Lord, forgive me the wrong I have done. O Lord, forgive me.”

Verses:
1) Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the one to whom the Lord holds not guilty,
In whose spirit there is no deceit.

2) I acknowledge my sin to you; my guilt I have not covered.
I said: "I confess my faults to the Lord,"
And you take away the guilt of my sin.

3) You are my shelter from distress you preserve me;
With glad cries of deliverance you will surround me.

4) Be glad in the Lord and rejoice you just;
Exult, all you upright of heart.

Arrangement:

Vocal:
Refrain: Unison
Verses: Cantor

Instruments:
Piano with guitar and bass; optional synth, clarinet, bassoon

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Lead sheets with piano part, through-composed. Clarient and bassoon parts separately available.
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
CD: You Are My Inheritance
Video on YouTube

Composer's Notes:
The setting of the psalm is simple and plaintive, with the refrains in a penitent e minor key, while the verses are set a bit more hopeful in the relative major. Having an excellent bassoonist married to the recording engineer, gave me a chance to bring the instruments somber texture into the recorded arrangement.

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Psalm 31

General Information:

Liturgical Uses: Responsorial psalm for Good Friday

Refrain:
“Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.”

Verses:
1) In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
Let me never be put to shame.
Into your hand I commend my spirit;
You will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.

2) For all my foes I am an object of reproach,
A laughing stock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends.
They who see me a broad flee from me.
I am forgotten like the unremembered dead.
I am like a dish, which is broken.

3) But my trust is in you, O Lord;
I say, "You are my God.
into your hands is my destiny;
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors."

4) Let your face shine upon your servant;
Save me in your kindness.
Take courage and be stouthearted,
All you who trust in the Lord.

Arrangement:
Composers: Rachel J. Burckardt & Jason Villarreal Frias

Vocal:
Refrain: SATB choir, a capella
Verses: Bass cantor, a capella or with cello

Instruments:
A capella or with solo cello

Availability:

Sheet Music:
Download: A-capella setting for bass cantor and SATB choir on refrain
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
CD: You Are My Inheritance

Video:

Featuring:
Cello: Petr Spacek
Cantor: Jason Villarreal
Schola: Mary Casiello, Megan Lewis, Rosie Delacruz, Sean Trainer, Josh Daniels, John Paul Casiello, Peter Rozman
Composed by: Rachel J. Burckardt & Jason Villarreal
Arranged by: Rachel J. Burckardt
Recorded by: Evan Landry
Produced by: Rachel J. Burckardt
©2013 Rachel J. Burckardt & Jason Villarreal. All Rights Reserved.

Composer's Notes:
My friend, Jason Villarreal Frias, a bass in the choir at St. Cecilia Parish, Boston, MA, approached me about writing a pieces specifically for the lower voices, and Psalm 31 was one suggestion. I originally wrote this as a pure a capella piece. On Good Friday, the church is bare and this is the first sung piece, after the suffering servant reading from Isaiah. The starkness of the piece fits the mood of the service.

When I had the opportunity to record with and incredibly talented cellist, Petr Spacek, who played with us for the last 4 years while attending New England Conservatory, I injected a cello line. Initially, the cello states the melody before the cantor sings it, followed by the congregation and choir. Each verse is set up by a short cello introduction. The cello then enters and leaves, accompanying the bass cantor.

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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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