Symphony of Psalms

As we stroll along to the final chapter in our exploration, I wanted to take on a subject that is problematic but also quite intriguing. So, there it lies in front of me, Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian composer, one of the most influential and important of the 20th century. His stylistic diversity transformed the way composers think about music, always pushing for the boundary of structure. Symphony of Psalms represents a new era in music, one that rejects romanticism and impressionism as backwards vestiges of the past. He pioneered the Neoclassicist genre, which values the tradition of “pure” music of Bach and others. The chosen work was at the center of the movement. Symphony of Psalms was written in 1930, commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra to commemorate their 50^th anniversary. Interestingly and amusingly, Stravinsky’s publisher suggested that he write a “popular” piece for orchestra without chorus. Instead, the symphony is a three-movement work for chorus and orchestra that is performed without break. The form of “symphony” is not used strictly here, as the four-movement traditional classical work, instead it just ties the work together. The text sung by the chorus is all from the book of psalms, but the text is not the focus of the work; instead, Stravinsky said that the work was the music set to Psalms, not Psalms set to music. Now that you have a solid foundation of what the work is all about, let’s see how its form and music contained therein complement the meaning as a whole.

The ecclesiastical nature of the work is portrayed through the techniques of composition. There are large portions of the text in fugal counterpoint, for example an expansive double fugue at the end of the first movement. The style of the fugue and counterpoint were widely used in the church during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the music Stravinsky was trying to emulate. Also, the large chorus is used to simulate a church setting, where a chorus can create a ritualistic atmosphere.

I would be remiss if I did not at least mention the octatonic scale, the harmonic framework for the symphony. The octatonic is a critical component of Stravinsky’s musical vocabulary and he makes extensive use of it throughout the chosen work and indeed throughout most, if not all, of his compositions. The octatonic scale uses alternating whole and half steps and is 8 notes unlike the traditional western 7 note scale (omitting the top note, an octave above the bottom note.) This form is used later in movement 3 for purposes that will be discussed later.

The octatonic is used in the first exposition of the chorus, where half steps are used that evoke a ritual feel and enhance the plaintive mood of the text. The text sung by the chorus in Mov. 1 is Psalm 39:12-13. Again, the text is not the point of the work, it is a part of the form, which is a recollection but transformation of the classical style.

In movement 3, the form of orchestration and rhythm is used to evoke religious imagery. Psalm 150 is sung contemporaneously: (in Vulgate Latin, an English translation is below)

Alleluia.

Praise God in His sanctuary:

Praise Him in the firmament of His power.

Praise Him for His mighty acts:

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet:

Praise Him with the timbrel and dance.

Praise Him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals,

Praise Him upon the loud cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Alleluia.

First of all, the use of Latin, a long dead language, to score a piece of music may appear perplexing. Nobody in the audience will understand a single word of what is being said for the entire performance. Once again, I stress that the point is the music, and the Psalms are put alongside. Secondly, the use of Latin is historically accurate and goes along with our neoclassicist interpretation: Latin would have been used in Catholic churches, at least, in the Baroque and Renaissance eras.

                The second movement, a continuation of the double fugue, uses that octatonic scale in an unknown environment of old-school fugues and structure. Finally, the third movement, a triumphant reflection, uses triplet motifs in trumpet and piano to reflect Elijah’s chariot climbing the heavens, which is quite literal for Stravinsky. The final hymn of praise is issued from the skies (the chorus, which become angelic) as the symphony opens up and slows down to a sublime end.

                Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms is one of the most important works, in my opinion, to come out of the 20^th century. It, in a wholly implied and graceful way, rejects 100 years of impressionism, creates a new school of neoclassicism, and plays with the ideas of liturgy and ecclesiastical music. The Formal Method has proved to be a handy companion to us while approaching this dense and mind-hurting work. Even though banned by the Russian government, it can still be used to understand and get a somewhat objective meaning out of quite Russian works.

“I haven't understood a bar of music in my life, but I have felt it.”
Igor Stravinsky 

"Igor Stravinsky." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2016. 6 June 2016.

Jin Myung Kang, M.M. "An Analysis of Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms Focusing on Tonality and Haromony." (2007): 1-7.

 Van Den Toorn, Pieter C., and Tymoczko Demitri. "Stravinsky and the Octatonic: The Sounds of  Stravinsky." Music Theory Spectrum 25.1 (2003): 167-202. Web.