Psalm 150

download pdf. of Psalm 150

download mp3. demo of Psalm 150 (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.

Our first example of the transcribed Psalm manuscripts is Psalm 150, the last Psalm of the collective works in the Hebrew texts. It is also one of the Psalms in which many of the various elements found within the individual Psalm manuscripts are found. Thematically grouped as one of the halelu Yah Psalms, the main body of the song is bracketed by the halelu Yah which opens and closes the composition. Psalm 150 is also the only manuscript in the Psalms in which the placement of the halelu Yah as an opening and closing statement agrees in both the Hebrew texts and the Greek Septuagint translations. The main composition itself consists of five verses and a type of closing theme referred to as a tag.

halelu Yah

verses 1-5

tag

halelu Yah

     Looking for a moment at only the literary content and structure of this simple, yet beautifully written work, we find that each progressive section introduces an important element of the overall theme of praising Yah.

     By looking at each thought as it is developed, we can see that the scope of this Psalm extends deep into the musical and social system of the Hebrew people.

     We find that the five verses Psalm 150, like many of the verses within the Psalm manuscripts, consist of two parts: an antecedent phrase and a consequent phrase. In this instance, each verse of Psalm 150 is sung responsively; the antecedent phrase being sung by a solo singer and the responsive consequent phrase by a small male choir. We also find that there are two melodic variations of the antecedent phrase (a1 and a2) and three melodic variations of the consequent phrase (b1, b2, and b3). Also note the use of a slur in the opening pickup notes of a2 (measures 6 and 8).

     From a modal standpoint, the underlying and primary mode utilized for the melodies of Psalm 150 is the ahavoh-rabboh mode. This mode is not only the primary mode associated with contemporary Hassidic Klezmer music, but is historically linked to the traditional Hebrew songs of the Egyptian, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor Hebrew communities of the Common Era (page 87, Jewish Music-Its Historical Development, Abraham Z. Idelsohn). Although traditionally not associated with the intoning or singing of the Psalm manuscripts, it is evident not only from the melodies found within these manuscripts in relation to the te'amim, but also the capabilities of the instruments that accompanied these works that this mode was an integral aspect of the music found within the Psalms.
      Another extremely noteworthy aspect of this work, is that Psalm 150 is one of only a few of the Psalm manuscripts that has notated harmonies. This simple harmony, sung by the basses on the consequent phrase of each verse, consists of a single pedal tone (A) sung in relation to the melody. This particular facet also shows that the relationship between the chords of the lyre and the harmonies of the choir directly correlated to the manner in which the lyre played chords.
     In this example (highlighted with dotted lines in the transcribed manuscript), lyre is playing an F, an A minor chord and then back to the F chord. Using only the open 6th, 5th and 4th strings, the lyre player can easily play both the F and A minor chords by merely pressing or releasing the 4th string from the middle column. To play the A minor chord, the musician plays the open 6th, 5th and 4th strings (A - C - E). To play the F chord, the lyre player strikes the same three consecutive strings only this time presses the finger of the left hand to the middle column thus raising the pitch of that string from an E to an F creating the 1st inversion of an F chord (A - C - F). By removing the finger from the column, the open A minor chord in the root position is played (A - C - E).
     We also find that Psalm 150 utilizes multiple time signatures. The opening and closing halelu Yah's and the tag are in 4/4 time while the verses are in 5/4 time. This unique characteristic of the works of David was written about some two-thousand years ago by the Jewish historian, Josephus.

     From a stylistic viewpoint, Psalm 150 is unique in that unlike the flowing melodies of many of the other Psalm manuscripts, Psalm 150 is very reminiscent of the early Gregorian chants and may have been one of the initial influences and benchmark compositions from which this style of music evolved many centuries later. Looking at the entire composition as a whole, let us walk through an actual performance of this work.

     Psalm 150 opens with the ringing of the crotales, praising the Name of Yah by playing His Name with the tones A and C and setting the tonality (in this case an F chord F - A - C) for the singers to begin with the singing of the opening halellu Yah. The five verses of the song are then sung responsively by a lead singer (antecedent phrase) and a choir (consequent phrases). Note that the opening tones of verses two and three sung by the lead singer (a2) frame the Name of Yah with the tones A and C (soggetto cavato). The ending tag was most likely sung by the solo singer and the choir combined. There is even a wonderfully simple counterpoint that may have been sung or played as part of this tag. The composition concludes with the ending halelu Yah, accentuated with the crotales playing the Name of Yah (i.e., A and C) on His Name as the final musical statement and praise to Him.
     In all aspects, Psalm 150 is a textbook example of the fundamentals employed within the musical system of the Levites and preserved within the Psalm manuscripts. It gives us a first hand look and hearing into the wonderful music found within the Hebrew scriptures. In the following pages are a summary of the musical elements of Psalm 150 and a score of the entire work as it would appear in contemporary manuscript form - derived note-for-note from this marvelously simple Biblical text.

Musical elements of Psalm 150

Psalm Transcriptions  |  Psalm 117