Symphony No.3 "Kaddish" - Leonard Bernstein

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna YouthChoir & Vienna Boys' Choir conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

I - Invocation. Adagio (0:00) - Poco più andante - Movendo - Più andante ancora - Subito tempo I (Adagio) - Kaddish I. L'istesso tempo (3:00) - Allegro molto (Wild!) - Pesante - Wild! - Adagio come prima - Allegro molto, come prima - (attacca)
II - Din-Tora. Di nuovo adagio (7:57) - Rubato - Avanti - Ritenuto - Tempo I - Poco più mosso, ansiosamente - Doppio movimento - Un poco meno presto, quasi sostenuto - Furioso - Sostenuto - Meno - Adagio - Avanti - Kaddish II. Andante con tenerezza (13:54) - Sempre con moto ed un poco avanti - Molto mosso - In tempo ma un poco meno presto - Tempo I ma poco più moto - Sostenuto - Tempo I, molto tranquillo - Poco meno - Lento - (attacca)
III - Scherzo. Presto scherzando, sempre pianissimo (22:08) - Agitato - Wild - Sostenuto - Kaddish III. Sostenuto (26:43) - Tempo I - Broadly - Poco avanti - Grazioso assai - Scherzando - Finale. Adagio - Più adagio - Adagissimo - Fuga. Allegro vivo con gioia (29:27) - Marziale (ma l’istesso tempo) - Misterioso - Broadly - Wild - Più mosso

Bernstein's Symphony No.3 was composed between 1961-3, being premiered in Tel Aviv on December 10 of 1963, performed by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bernstein, and with Hanna Rovina as the narrator and Jennie Tourel as the mezzo-soprano. It was dedicated to the memory of President Kennedy, who was assassinated less than a month before. It was revised in 1977, mostly the texts used by the narrator.

The work is divided in three movement with seven sections, based on an aspect of Judaism: the Kaddish, which means sanctification, a prayer recited in the synagogues' religious services and in the dialogue between man and God. The texts are set in a mixture of English, Aramaic and Hebrew. With this piece, Bernstein ended a triptych of works on faith; in his Jeremiah Symphony he lost his faith, in his Age of Anxiety Symphony he searched it, and in his Kaddish Symphony he recovers it.

The first movement is subdivided in two sections. It begins with an invocation, in which over a word-less humming the narrator appears addressing God and wanting to pray kaddish. The orchestra introduces the main themes of the work, which unify the piece. The serious events that occur in the world make necessary the dialogue with God. The second section is the first kaddish, which opens with a brief introduction from the reciter. The choir enters singing softly, transforming abruptly into a violent allegro. Hebraic rhythms appear in the music while the choir sings with a contained rage, like a reproach. Finally, the narrator asks God to put order on the Earth, to establish peace among men.

The second movement is also divided in two sections. The first refers to the Din-Torah, which means judgment according to the divine law. The narrator launches a series of accusations against God, recriminating the abandonment of his servants. The orchestra, supported by percussion, presents atonal motives including a tone-row. The music develops through a certain influence of jazz, until it reaches a grotesque section that contains the anguished amens of the choir, leading us to a cadence with a scream of despair. Finally, the narrator asks God for forgiveness, but reproaches him for his behaviour. The second section is the second Kaddish. The narrator wishes to console God for his anger, disappointed by his creatures. The soprano sings a text of praise to God in the form of a lullaby, then the children's choir enters. The soprano with her song calls for peace on earth. In the final part the narrator introduces God in a dream.

The third movement is divided in three sections. It begins with a scherzo. The narrator presents a dream sequence changing the roles between God and man, which forces him to renew his faith in man. An abrupt entrance of the orchestra with dissonant notes leads us to the last paragraph. It ends with the words "believe!, believe!", While the orchestra presents a clearly tonal theme. The second section, the third kaddish, begins with the children's chorus. The narrator makes a renewal of the lost faith. The children's choir sings the kaddish in a very sweet way, ending with the narrator's comment. The third section begins with a strong orchestral intervention, ending the dream state. God and man come out of their sleep facing reality. The orchestra interprets a meditative theme. The narrator establishes a new relationship with God. The time for reconciliation has arrived. With an orchestral introduction, the soprano and the two choirs begin a fugue, praising God, alluding to all the themes of the work and ending by asking peace for Israel.

[Activate the subtitles to read the lyrics].

Picture: Photograph of Leonard Bernstein in his later years.

Source: https://bit.ly/3kcozKo

To check the score: https://rb.gy/ia3b1

Видео Symphony No.3 "Kaddish" - Leonard Bernstein канала Sergio Cánovas