PSALM 150 Halleluyah
by Michael Reid Winikoff
SATB div. Choir a cappella
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DURATION: 5:15
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THE TEXT IN LITURGY -
Psalm 150 is certainly among the most well-known of
the Psalms. Not only does it occur in high profile in the Shofrot
section of the Rosh Hashanah Musaf (Additional) service (perhaps mainly due to its mention of the
shofar or ram’s horn), but given its musical imagery it is, not
surprisingly, a favorite text for musical settings in whole or in part.
THE MUSIC - This rendition of Psalm 150 is in a modernist style, hinting at the
Mixolydian coloration typically heard in the chanting of Shofrot,
along with an added Lydian tinge. It attempts to
depict in some fashion the various musical instruments mentioned, and
concludes with an antiphonal fanfare-like flourish.
PERFORMANCE -
This music is highly chromatic and at times quite contrapuntal. It
requires singers of musical skill and in sufficient numbers to cover the
frequent and extended divisi passages which are essential to
the piece. It is potentially a concert tour-de-force for
the performing ensemble due to its challenging nature and brilliant
conclusion.
