Psalm 136

download pdf. of Psalm 136

download mp3. demo of Psalm 136 (w/Cantor 2.1 synthesized choir) Cantor 2.1 is a vocal, singing emulation program (Cantor 2.1, VirSyn Software Synthesizer Bruchsaler Weg 4 76327 Pfinztal, Germany) that enables a composer to approximate the human voice without the aid of a live choir or soloist. The Hebrew vocals in this format are a bit rough, but are more than adequate to provide a general sense of what the works sound like until such time as a group of singers can be assembled and recorded.

Psalm 136 appears to be a responsive type of song in a very unique format, a type of cadence. In other words something you would march to. As with most of the Psalms, there is an antecedent and consequent phrase. The main difference in this particular Psalm is that the consequent phrase is always the same - the same words and the same melody for all twenty-six verses. This phrase, [because His faithfulness is everlasting - ke la-o-läm' chäs-do'] is echoed forty-one times throughout the Hebrew texts and always in relation to the Levites. The antecedent phrase on the other hand tells the story with the consequent phrase responding because His faithfulness is everlasting.
     From the resulting melodies derived from the te'amim we can be fairly certain that this was performed by two groups. This is indicated by the fact that the antecedent phrase of verse nine (which enters on measure 44) overlaps the consequent phrase of verse eight lyrically and melodically, thus making it impossible to be performed by a single choir or a single individual.
     After playing this composition over and over for months, there was something familiar with the 'feel' of the composition. For starters, the tempo (how fast the piece was played) made the most sense musically as a moderately up-tempo and lively composition. It also reminded me of a cadence, something one would march to. So what possible connection could a marching cadence have with the Levites? The moving of the Ark...
     In the account of the moving of the Ark to Jerusalem we know a few things; there were three singers attached to the entourage, a small group of lyres and harps and no choir. It was the function of this initial marching ensemble to accompany the twelve Levites who were physically carrying the heavy Ark on their shoulders. What better way to make this privileged, yet physically hard task easier than to sing.
     As the Ark was lifted on the shoulders of the Levites under the direction of Chenaniah (the foreman of the transport), the singers may have struck their cymbals for the opening pitches and the call to praise Yah (the opening halelu Yah as per the Greek Septuagint). As the men carrying the Ark started, the singers started with "Give thanks to Yahveh for He is Good." The men carrying the Ark responded with "because His faithfulness is everlasting." With each verse, the Ark bearers moved four paces in time with the cadence. As there are no other Psalm manuscripts that maintain this particular, very unique and consistent format, it may be reasonable to assume that this may have been the circumstance in which this particular manuscript was originally performed. It may also have been a composition that was part of the Levite musical repertoire prior to formally being incorporated within the Tabernacle and later Temple systems.
     In addition to the repetitious consequent phrase, we find the there are only a few simple chords used in the entire composition A minor and E7 (for the primary themes), E minor and B7 (for the secondary themes (see Psalm 117 for another example of this type of format). If you are a musician, you know that the hardest situation to play in is in a marching band with your instrument bouncing up and down as you march. The chords utilized required no additional fingerings, were easily learned and could be played on the open strings of the lyre. Due to the folk-like quality of this song, the melodies of the antecedent phrase could easily be improvised over these few simple chord changes found in the piece. This Psalm may be merely an example of this type of song or an attempt to document and preserve the music of this very important event.

Psalm Transcriptions  |  Psalm 96