CHICHESTER PSALMS
Leonard Bernstein’s Joyful Choral Masterpiece
Chichester Psalms is Bernstein’s three‑movement setting of Hebrew texts from the Book of Psalms—100 and 108, then 2 and 23, then 131 and 133—written for boy treble or countertenor, choir, and a modestly scaled orchestra, with an alternate version for organ, harp, and percussion. Commissioned by Dean Walter Hussey for the Southern Cathedrals Festival at Chichester Cathedral, the piece blends liturgical directness with Bernstein’s rhythmic clarity, and though intended for an English cathedral, it received its premiere in New York’s Philharmonic Hall on 15 July 1965 under the composer’s direction.
Jan Kraybill, one of Kansas City’s finest organists, says that it’s difficult for her to choose one favorite choral work, but Chichester Psalms is one of the highlights. Here’s more of what she has to say about the work:
“I have been fortunate to be organist for several performances of Chichester Psalms (the version for organ, harp, percussion, soloist, and choir), and I fall in love with it anew each time. It’s a challenging piece for all, including the choir, who must sing complex melodies and rhythms, all in Hebrew; the boy soprano soloist, who has one of the most exposed and lovely moments in all of music, singing the text of the 23rd Psalm; and the instrumentalists, whose parts are quite intricate but yet must appear to fall naturally into place in the complex rhythmic structure. It takes listeners on a dramatic journey that illustrates both the best and worst of human impulses, but in the end, quietly expresses boundless hope that peace and unity are possible.”