>> From the Library of Congress, Washington D.C. >> Good afternoon, everybody. I'm Susan Vita, Chief of the Music Division. And it's my great pleasure to welcome you back to our lecture series that we cosponsor with the American Musicological Society. These lectures feature members of the Society who've done research in the music division's unique collections. It is our hope that other scholars and students will be inspired to visit us and uncover our many untapped resources. I welcome all of you in the audience this afternoon. And I welcome those of you who will watch the webcast of this lecture on the Library of Congress website. These talks are always wonderful for the music division staff to hear. It's sort of like raising a child. We see the scholars in our reading room working with our collections and we get to know them in their projects and that's kind of like the formative years. And then their research is published and that's sort of like graduation or whatever. It's an opportunity for us to hear the fruits of their labor. And that's really exciting because it's nice to know that there's been a wonderful product that's come out of this. Today's lecture will be given by Doctor Paul Laird, Professor of Musicology at the University of Kansas. He'll offer us a sample of his research related to Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. The Bernstein collection is one of the music division's most heavily consulted archival collections. And it documents Bernstein's career through music, manuscripts, sketches, correspondence, photographs, business papers and more. Before we begin, I would like to introduce Dr. Anthony Sheppard, Chair in Music -- and Professor of Music at Williams College, Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Musicological Society and a past presenter in this very lecture series. And he will offer you greetings from the American Musicological Society. >> Thank you. On behalf of the American Musicological Society, I would like to thank the Library of Congress for hosting this extraordinary lecture series here at historic Coolidge Hall. The series that's featured, an impressive array of topics presented by scholars who have pursued research in the vast collections of the music division. As a scholar, I thank this institution's librarians who make our research possible. With each lecture in this distinguished series, now in its 7th year, we're delighted to share with you and the general public some of what we've discovered in our archival work in this remarkable library. It is my pleasure to introduce today a scholar whose time spent in the Library of Congress has been particularly productive. Paul Laird is the Professor of Musicology at the University of Kansas where he offers courses in 20th century music, baroque music, American music, musical theater, and opera history. He also directs the University's Instrumental Collegium Musicum. He's an active baroque cellist and served as director of the musicology division 2000 to 2009. Professor Laird received his bachelors and masters degrees from Ohio State University and his PhD in music from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The breadth of Paul's research interests is quite remarkable encompassing baroque music, 17th and 18th century Spanish music, the American musical and of course the music of Leonard Bernstein. His interest in Bernstein began years ago with his master's thesis on the influence of Aaron Copland on Bernstein. And his books include Leonard Bernstein, a Guide to Research and the Chichester Psalms from Leonard Bernstein. Laird is coeditor of 2 editions of the Cambridge Companion to the Musical and has published 2 books on musical theater of Steven Schwartz. His articles, chapters and reviews appear in numerous publications. The title of his lecture for today is A Hint of West Side Story: The Genesis of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms as Seen in the Library of Congress Bernstein Collection. Professor Laird. [ Applause ] >> Thank you so very much. It's my great pleasure to be here. The research that I did for this lecture took place about 10 years ago. I was privileged at the University of North Carolina to work with as my doctrinal advisor, James Pruett, who is the -- became the music librarian in the music division of the Library of Congress from 1987 to 1994. Last -- Professor Pruett died last year. I'd like to dedicate this lecture to Professor Pruett. Chichester Psalms, a work that turns 50 this year, is a tribute to the charm and persistence of an Anglican cleric and Leonard Bernstein's notability to adapt music sketched earlier or composed for another purpose. He often pulled unused music from his bottom drawer for later works. However, Chichester Psalms includes almost entirely previously composed music. Unusual even for Bernstein. Although this might have produced a patchwork quilt rather than a memorable composition, Bernstein fused into the balance a unified three movements that is Chichester Psalms the following -- a song cut from West Side Story, music written or already adapted for a banded musical, a sketch from the 1940s and a bit of new material. Bernstein took a sabbatical from his position as music director of the New York Philharmonic during the 1964, 65 season. His usual conducting schedule left him little time for composition. His Symphony no. 3, Kaddish, which premiered in 1963, had been his only major work since finishing West Side Story in 1957. He planned to create a new Broadway musical based on Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth with his collaborators from On the Town from 1944, lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green and choreographer Jerome Robbins. One might have hoped that Bernstein and his distinguished friends could have adapted Wilder's play successfully into a musical. But they only appeared to have worked together for about 3 months as maybe observed in Bernstein's datebook from 1964. His regular social meetings with Betty Comden and Adolph Green are clear. Dinners with Green and probably his wife, Phyllis Newman, appear on 22 May and 4th of July. On 3 July, he met with Betty Comden and starting in September he spoke often with both Comden and Green. Greg Lawrence in his biography of Jerome Robbins and Bernstein's datebook report that Jerome Robbins met with the 3 of them on 24 September, 2 days after the premier of Fiddler on the Roof, which Robbins directed. Bernstein attended the premier. And that 5 times in the last week of September, and for 10 days at Martha's Vineyard in early October. Their collaboration ended in December. 4 meetings took place between 15 October and 4 November. On 14 December, the 4 collaborators met with Broadway producer, Leland Hayward. Project seems to of been coming to a head. Bernstein saw Robbins at 3 o'clock on 18 December. They were joined by Comden and Green 2 hours later. Green and his wife stayed for dinner joined by Shirley, probably Bernstein's sister. This appears to have been the last meeting concerning The Skin of Our Teeth. The next day, Robbins, Comden and Green were part of a group of people who came to Bernstein's apartment, but many others were present. Probably indicating seasonal activities. On 22 December, Bernstein and his family leave for Chile to spend the holidays with his wife's family. He does not appear to have met with Comden, Green or Robbins until February 1965. The New York Times announced the project's cancellation on 5 January, 1965. It must have been unpleasant. On 25 January, Bernstein wrote composer David Diamond that it was a dreadful experience. Wounds are still smarting. I'm suddenly a composer without a project with half that golden sabbatical down the drain. Never mind, I'll survive. In a more public report, Bernstein pens his public sabbatical report in verse to the New York Times. 6 months we labored. June to bleak December. And bleak was our reward when Christmas came to find our self uneasy with our work. We gave it up. We went our separate ways. Still loving friends but there was the pain of seeing 6 months of work go down the drain. Both Bernstein biographer and Humphrey Burton and Greg Lawrence report that Bernstein and Robbins had a series of meetings with fellow West Side Story creators. Arthur Lawrence and Steven Sondheim in early 1965 on another possible Broadway project. Bernstein's 1965 datebook does show several meetings with these men. An extended draft from Bernstein's sabbatical poem provides useful background on the following. The creation of Chichester Psalms in terms of his attempt to find another theatrical project in spring of 1965, his unenthusiastic study of avant-garde music and the subsequent composition of one of his more traditional works. I return to maestro Bernstein's poem. Meanwhile, there lurked at the back of my mind the unrational [sic] urge, too late to find another theatrical project which meant the hours and days were now to be spent in reading plays and considering oceans of wild ideas and desperate notions. None took fire which is just as well. For then I had the luxury, truth to tell, of time to think as a pure musician and ponder the art of composition. For hours on end I brooded and mused on materia musica used and abused. On aspects of unconventionality over the death in our time of tonality. Over the fads of dada and chants. The serial strictures, the dearth of romance. Perspectives in music, the new terminology. Physio, mathmatico, musicology. Pieces called cycles and signs and parameters. Titles too beat for these homely tetrameters. Pieces for nattering, clucking sopranos with squadrons of vibraphones, fleets of pianos. Played with the forearms, the fists and the palms. And then I came up with the Chichester Psalms. These psalms are a simple and modest affair, total and tuneful and somewhat square. Certain to sicken a stout John Cage with its tonics and triads in E flat major. But there it stands, the result of my pondering. 2 months, 2 long months of avant-garde wandering. My youngest child, old fashioned and sweet, and he stands on his own 2 tonal feet. As a composer, Bernstein embraced tonality as firmly as anyone writing concert music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He felt little compulsion to use most avant-garde techniques, making exceptions only for programmatic reasons. Today, his traditional aesthetic seems almost prescient, given the neoromanticism in the 1970s and 1980s of such composers as George Rochberg, Krzysztof Penderecki, David Woolridge, and others. Bernstein's correspondence with Dean Walter Hussey of Chichester Cathedral demonstrates the composer accepted the commission in timetable for finishing Chichester Psalms in the Spring of 1964, intending to write it during his sabbatical. The Skin of Our Teeth, however, came first and Bernstein could not have planned to use music from the abandoned Broadway show in his choral work which he did not complete until the Spring of 1965. Hussey's letters to the composer survive in the Bernstein collection at the Library of Congress. They show the personal rapport that the dean established with Bernstien with elegant expressions of gratitude and obvious delight with the results. Some of Bernstein's return correspondence survives with Hussey's papers at the West Sussex Records Office. Hussey's first contact with Bernstein concerning the project came by letter, dated 10 December, 1963. Given to Bernstein by their mutual friend, Dr. Cyril "Chuck" Solomon, Bernstein's personal physician. The following excerpt includes Hussey's request and illustrates that this was not the first time he'd commissioned works from famous artists. The choirs of Chichester, Salsbury, and Winchester Cathedrals combined for a short festival each year, which takes place in the 3 cathedrals in turn. It is proved extraordinarily successful and I think it will be fair to say that it reaches a very good musical standard. Naturally, it is concerned to a great extent with the wealth of music written for such choirs over the centuries. But I am most anxious that this should be regarded as a tradition -- not be regarded as a tradition which is finished and that we should be very much concerned with music written today. The Chichester organist and choirmaster, John Birch, and I are very anxious to have written some piece which the combined choirs could sing at the festival to be held at Chichester in August, 1965. And we wondered if by any chance you would be willing to write something for us? I do realize how enormously busy you are but if you could manage to do this, we would be tremendously honored and grateful. The sort of thing that we had in mind was perhaps a setting of Psalm 2 or some part of it. Either unaccompanied or accompanied by orchestra or organ or both. I only mention this to give you some idea as to what was in our minds. I've always been most eager to do anything I possibly can to foster the ancient link between the church and the arts. Before I came to Chichester, when I was in Northhampton, I got Henry Moore to carve a Madonna and Child and Benjamin Britten to write a cantata. I'm most eager to carry on this work and it would be a great pleasure and encouragement if you felt you could help us. The cantata that Hussey commissioned from Benjamin Britten was Rejoice in the Lamb. And his habit of commissioning works of art also included a Tapestry by John Piper from 1966 at Chichester Cathedral and a window by Mark Chagall from 1978. Hussey's friendly letter makes a strong impression on Bernstein who writes the following instructions for a reply to his secretary, Helen Coates, on the back of the letter. Say pleased to accept but doesn't know whether it will be that year or the year after. Say much honored. Bernstein's response survives in Hussey's papers. An excerpt follows. I am indeed greatly honored by your invitation to compose something for the combined choirs to sing at one of your festivals in Chichester. And your idea of a setting, the 2nd Psalm appeals to me very much. I am pleased to accept your invitation, but I do not know whether it will be next year or the year after when my schedule will allow me time for it. And asterisk added by hand before the word psalm introduced this postscript. Although I -- Although I should feel free to set something else but similar if I feel if I should be so moved. L-B. Hussey responds to Bernstein on 10 February pressing him to write the work for the 1965 festival and allowing for the composer's freedom in choosing a text. Yes. By all means, change from the 2nd Psalm to something similar if you wish. We shall be very happy to leave it to you. And as regard the time of course, we must leave this to you. But the joint festival with Winchester and Salisbury goes in rotation and so is only held here once in every 3 years. It is to be held here at the end of July, 1965 and so as you can well imagine, we are very much hoping that might be possible to perform the work then. No record survives on how Bernstein or Helen Coates answered this letter. The next communication from Hussey, sent 14 August, 1964, suggests that Bernstein has indicated that he will compose his work for the 1965 festival in Chichester. The letter includes the program from the 1964 festival in Salisbury and information on available accompanying instrumental forces. Bernstein did not use every instrument that Hussey mentioned, and added 2 harps and a large battery of percussion to the piece, but the strings and brass that Hussey offers appear in the score. The following excerpt includes the important statements of the letter as well as a fascinating comment that Hussey offers on musical style. Our choirmaster and organist has given me 1 or 2 particulars which he thinks might be helpful to you. The string orchestra will be the Philomusica of London, a first-rate group. In addition, there could be a piano, chamber organ, harpsichord, and if desired, a brass consort, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones. It is not really possible to have a full symphony orchestra for reasons of space and expense and by the fact that the combined strength of the 3 cathedral choirs is about 70 to 75, all boys and men. The festival was found a good while ago but then it lapsed for about 30 years and has recently been restarted with great success. I think it has throughout its time been of great value to English church music as a means of hearing works of large scale, impossible for any single cathedral choir. And I'm certain it must also provide new works and new mediums to keep the tradition really alive. I hope you will feel -- I hope you will feel quite free to write as you wish, and will in no way feel inhibited by circumstances. I think many of us would be very delighted if there was a hint of West Side Story about the music. The performance of Chichester Psalms in July, took place in the rear of the nave, with the chairs turned around. Clearly in this narrow nave, a choir of 75 and full orchestra would have been cramped. This picture was taken on a visit I -- Chichester last November. And it is -- it is a lovely cathedral. It is not all that large and that nave, as you can see, is quite narrow. In Hussey's next letter, written on 22 December, 1964, there is no indication that he had heard from Bernstein. He renews his enthusiasm for the project and again allows that the piece might be in a somewhat popular style. He also asks for a title and description of the composition in the next 6 weeks and inquires if Bernstein might be able to come to Chichester for the premier. He writes, May I say once again that I hope you will feel entirely free to write your setting exactly as you wish to. I hope you not in any way on our behalf feel any restrictions from the point of view of tradition or convention. The work would not be performed during any sort of religious service and I firmly believe that any work which is sincere can be suitably given in a cathedral and to the glory of God. No one feels more proud and grateful than I do of the tremendous value of the tradition of the English cathedral music. But I am sure that it is a very good thing for something like our 3 cathedrals festival to have a sharp and vigorous push in to the middle of the 20th century. And if you feel inclined to write something that would do this, I am sure that nobody could do it better and we should be most happy and grateful. No answer from Bernstein survives. The adaptation of the Skin of Our Teeth had recently fallen apart and he considers another musical theater project. Bernstein is not yet concerned with Chichester Psalms. Hussey's musicians are getting impatient as he writes on 5 February, 1965, but still with charm and tact. I'm very sorry to bother you with another letter and I do not want to seem impatient. But I am constantly being pressed by the organist and choirmaster for particulars as to the title, etc. of the work which you most kindly said you would write for us. He is directing the 3 choirs festival and has got to get his publicity out and tells me it cannot be held up any longer. I am sure you will understand. He also tells me that the music has to be printed and then circulated to the 3 choirs to practice individually before they come together for common rehearsals. I am sure that you are conscious of all this and please do not think me impatient. But your work would of course be the highlight of the festival and all of us are most anxious that it should be done as well as we can possibly manage. Bernstein replies to Hussey with welcome news on 24 March, 1965. He has arrived at a conception for the work, can say quite a bit about the music, chosen the title and selected the text. he presents Hussey with a timetable for completion of the work. But also makes a request that the Anglican priest probably has not anticipated. Bernstein writes, "I was on the verge of writing you a sad letter saying I could not find in me the work for your festival when suddenly a conception occurred to me that I find exciting. It would be a suite of Psalms, or selected verses from Psalms. It would have a general title like Songs -- Psalms of Youth. The music is all very forthright, songful, rhythmic, youthful. The only hitch is this, I can think of these psalms only in the original Hebrew. I realize that this may present extra difficulties in preparation. But more important, does it present difficulties of an ecclesiastical nature? That is, are there any objections in principle to Hebrew being sung in your cathedral? If not, do let me know soon so that I may plunge ahead and have a working score you for -- working score for you by early April. The orchestration would follow a month or so thereafter. If there are objections, I should also know for obvious reasons. I would be sad but I would understand. Bernstein does not dictate the psalms must be in Hebrew, but in his final paragraph, he leaves ambiguous as to whether or not he would write the work if the text must be in English. Hussey responds to Bernstein's letter on 2 March, 1965. He is diplomatic noting that there would be no ecclesiastical objection to Hebrew text but mentions a little problem in the preparation of the work. Perhaps toning down objections from his music -- musicians. Hussey however suggests a compromise noting that the Hebrew could be printed phonetically such as in Ernest Bloch's Sacred Service. Hussey then writes on 14 April with musical details. The choir would include 46 boys, 8 male altos, 9 tenors and 12 basses. Philomusica Orchestra would include 18 string players. There would also be a chamber orchestra and Bernstein could also add trumpets, trombones, percussion, piano, and harpsichord. Bernstein biographer, Humphrey Burton, notes that the composer writes Chichester Psalms during the spring while in his Manhattan apartment. Bernstein travels little during that time. His datebook appears to keep him mostly in New York and not at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut. On 3 May, however, his datebook places him in Fairfield to work on Psalms. At the end of his fair copy of the work, he writes, Fairfield, Connecticut, 7 May, 1965, Leonard Bernstein. He then returns to New York City by 10 May. On 11 May, he sends Hussey the following letter. My dear Doctor Hussey. The Psalms are finished. Laus Deo. Are being copied and should arrive in England next week. They are not yet orchestrated but should be by June and you should receive full score and parts in ample time for rehearsal. Meanwhile, the choral preparation can start forthwith. I am pleased with the work and hope you will be too. It is quite popular in feeling, even a hint as you suggested of West Side Story. It has an old fashioned sweetness along with its more violent moments. The title has been changed to Chichester Psalms. Youth was a wrong steer. The piece is far too difficult. The work is in 3 movements, lasting about 18 1/2 minutes and each movement contains one complete psalm plus one or more verses from another complementary psalm by way of contrast or amplification thus. Opens with a chorale, Psalm 108, verse 2, evoking praise and then swings into Psalm 100 complete, a wild and joyful dance in the Davidic spirit. 2. Consists mainly of Psalm 23 complete, featuring a boy's solo and his harp, but interrupted savagely by the men with threats of war and violence. Psalm 2, 1 through 4. This movement ends in unresolved fashion with both elements, faith and fear, interlocked. 3. Begins with an orchestral prelude based on the opening chorale whose assertive harmonies have now turned to painful ones. There is a crisis. The tension is suddenly relieved, and the choir enters humbly in peaceably singing Psalm 131 complete in what is almost a popular song, although in 10, 4 time. It is something like a love duet between the men and the boys. In this atmosphere of humility, there is a final chorale coda, Psalm 133, verse 1, a prayer for peace. I hope my score is legible. In order to help with the Hebrew text, I shall enclose a typewritten copy of the words. The Hebrew words of Psalm 2 are a tongue breaker. The score contains exact notes on the pronunciation. As to the orchestra, I've kept to your prescribed forces except that there will be a large percussion group necessary, xylophone, glockenspiel, bongos, chimes, etc. in addition to the usual timpani drums, cymbals, etc. Also, I'm sure more strings will be necessary than the number you list, especially low ones. Certainly one bass will not do the trick. One of the 3 trumpets must be very good in order to perform several very difficult solo passages. There's also an extensive harp part. One last matter. I am conducting a program of my own music at the New York Philharmonic in early July. And I have been asked if I could include the Chichester Psalms. I realize that this would deprive you of the world premiere by a couple of weeks. Do you have any serious objections? In any case, I wish you well with the piece. And I may even take your performance as an excuse to visit Sussex in late July. I should dearly love to hear this music in your cathedral. Faithfully yours, Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein's recognition that the Hebrew text of Psalm 2 might cause difficulty remains true today. As male voices try to sing "Lamah rag'shu, Lamah rag'shu goyim, Lamah rag'shu, Lamah rag'shu goyim, Lamah rag'shu, Lamah rag'shu..." to Bernstein's rapid rhythms. Bernstein's handwritten pronunciation guide that he sends with the score and which appears printed in the original Schirmer printed piano, vocal score survives in the Bernstein collection. In his letter of 14 April, Hussey invited Bernstein to add percussion to the orchestra. But he probably did not have in mind the extensive section that the score demands. In an article in the Times of London from 19 July, Hussey note that the work includes the most elaborate battery of percussion every to be heard in a cathedral. The instruments however, are important to the popular sound that Hussey requested and typical of Bernstein's use of percussion. Hussey must be disturbed by Bernstein's announcement that the piece will be premiered by the New York Philharmonic. The composer only asked if Hussey has any serious objections. He does not request permission. He knows of course, it is unlikely that Hussey will withdraw the commission at this point. When Bernstein a rot a letter -- when Bernstein's letter arrives in Chichester, Hussey is ill. A reply comes from Cannon D.R. Hutchinson on 19 May, strongly stating the world premier should be in Chichester. Hussey however sees no reason to object to a situation over which he has no control. He writes Bernstein's 2, Bernstein 2 letters in June. The 1st on 11 June about his illness and acknowledging receipt of the work. He also invites Bernstein to conduct the piece in Chichester. Later, on 29 June, Hussey writes to give official permission for the work pre -- for the premier to be given in New York. Weeks after Bernstein would have already scheduled the Psalms on a concert that is only a few weeks away. It appears that they might have spoken of the situation by telephone given Hussey's phrasing in the letter. He again profusely thanks Bernstein for running the composition and offers Bernstein and his wife lodging at the Deanery for the premier of the piece. Bernstein also writes Hussey on 29 June addressing some of the same issues that the dean did in his letter. He thanks Hussey for permission to premier Chichester Psalms in New York and expresses concern about his illness. he accepts the invitation to Chichester noting that he will be bringing his wife and 2 eldest children with him, making lodging in the deanery [unintelligible] impossible. Hussey found lodging for Bernstein's children with a local family. Bernstein declines to conduct the work, noting that he would prefer to be a member of the audience. But he offers his presence at rehearsal. He also reports the orchestration's complete and the parts are being copied. Bernstein attended the English premier of Chichester Psalms. His visit to England with his wife and 2 children can be reconstructed in great detail from his datebook including for example, the 2 plays that they saw at the Chichester festival cathedral -- festival theater and visits to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral. Bernstein heard an open rehearsal of his work and the performance on 31 July. Given the festival's tight schedule, which included 2 choral concerts and daily evensongs, and perhaps budgetary considerations, the orchestra did not begin to rehearse Bernstein's piece until the day of the performance. Bernstein was worried at the rehearsal. At the end of the final run-through, Humphrey Burton overheard him say to his wife, "All we can do now is pray." Bernstein wrote Helen Coates about the performance. The Psalms went off well in spite of a shockingly small amount of rehearsal. The choirs were a delight. They had everything down pat but the orchestra was swimming in an open sea. They simply didn't know it. But somehow, the glorious acoustics of Chichester Cathedral cushioned everything so that even the mistakes sound pretty. The reviews of the initial performance were for the most part, positive. Hussey was pleased as may be seen in a letter he wrote the next day to Bernstein who had departed with his family for the Savoy Hotel in London following the concert. Bernstein must have enjoyed hearing about the bishop's reaction to the piece, especially after he told Hussey in his letter of 11 May that the first movement of Chichester Psalms is in the Davidic spirit. Hussey closes the project with the same genial spirit in which he had pursued Bernstein from the beginning. Dear Lenny. I hope you arrived safely at the Savoy last night with no breakdowns. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for the Chichester Psalms. This morning, the Bishop of Chichester and the arch deacon, said to the arch deacon he was thrilled with them. They were a new revelation to him and brought home afresh the meaning of them. Joyous and ecstatic, calm and poetic. He said he could imagine David dancing before the ark. We are all thrilled with them. I was especially excited that they came into being at all is a statement of praise that is ecumenical. I shall be tremendously proud for them to go around the world bearing the name Chichester. [silence] The set of psalms that has gone around the world with the name Chichester is based on the following bits of previously composed music. A chorale based upon a 5 note motive that would have important generating cell for The Skin of Our Teeth and became the unifying gesture for Chichester Psalms. Bom, bom, bom, bom, bom. A dance in 7, 4 from the sketches for Skin, a song from Skin called Spring will Come Again with a lyrical, angular melody, some of which Bernstein originally wrote in the 1950s. The song, Mix, intended for the prologue of West Side Story before the creators decided that the segment would be entirely danced. A lovely 2 part piece based on a paired -- on paired 5 note phrases originally conceived as what Bernstein called a wartime duet, probably written in the 1940s. The extant sketches for Chichester Psalms include 2 sheets of written notes. Bernstein completed the 1st of these sheets before writing his letter of 24 February and perhaps wrote both sheets at that time. The 1st draft outline of the piece he titled T'hillim, Hebrew for Psalms and the 2nd bears the title Psalms of Youth. The 3rd outline at 1st bore that title but Bernstein crossed that out and wrote the Chichester Psalms. As noted above, he decided that the piece was too difficult for youth. The 3 outlines show Bernstein playing around with the elements that he wanted to use. Some were finally deleted. And finally that he decided on -- and what he decided on for the final version. The ideas were in place. But a few basic decisions remain when drafted the piece in April and early May. Close study of Bernstein's sketches for the Skin of Our Teeth, Mix, and the Chichester Psalms reveal his compositional product -- process. An odyssey that shows considerable skill and one should say, good fortune. He managed after all to find some text that more or less fit this music. Here I deal only with rough sketches and aspects of Bernstein's overall compositional plan. The 1st draft, lyric sheets and fair copy of Chichester Psalms offer other useful materials. The lyric sheets tend to confirm what is in the musical sketches and outlines but also sometimes offer other possibilities for movements. Except for measures 66 to 85, the 1st movement includes music originally composed for the Skin of Our Teeth. The opening chorale appears in more sketches than any other section of Chichester Psalms. The 1st 5 notes of the chorale and the soprano and alto parts, in addition to a number of instruments, form the work's generating cell. The cell also appears prominently in the sketches of the Skin of Our Teeth. The opening chorale's entire melody appears 3 times in sketches, the 1st 2 of those from Skin. The harmonization moves from triadic to early an early draft, the string of 7ths of the final version. In the rhythm changing from consistent half notes finally to the regular meter and instrumental interjections in 8th notes on the generating scale, cell. This was his final sketch for the segment. Oh, excuse me, in Movement 1, we have the opening chorale based on Psalm 18 - 108, 3. Awake, psaltery and harp! I will rouse the dawn! And then the 7, 4 setting of the entire Psalm 100, the familiar make a joyful noise unto the Lord. This is the final sketch of that chorale that opens the first movement and you see the generating cell at the top there in the soprano part. Bee, bom, bom, bom, bom. That's answered in the final version by brass playing in 8th notes. And Bernstein just drew his measure line down and around and decided to add that brass interjection there which he provides in the, in the sketch there. The lofty text for the chorale in Skin began: "Save the human race today." Mimicking this text off that, Bernstein chose this verse from Psalm 108: "Awake psaltery and harp. I will rouse the dawn." Jack Gottlieb and others have noted that the cell's first three notes are the same intervals that Mahler used to set "Veni, veni creator spiritus," from the opening of Symphony number 8. Perhaps Bernstein unconsciously invoked the divine creative spirit in the musical while seeking human salvation. There are other sketches in which the generating cell appears, most of which Bernstein abandoned. Such as a plaintive round in imitative motet. The later as may be seen in here is different in character than anything that remained in the movement. So you have this imitative setting of a dah, dom, bom, bom, bom signed by Bernstein there in the lower right corner. Yet, this is something which was deleted from the word, never appeared in the work. The 7, 4 section of the 1st movement includes material from 2 sketches. The lion's share is a bifolium from the Skin of Our Teeth marked 7, 4 and moto perpetuo. Bernstein based measures 14 to 39 and the musical repeat of 40 to 65 of the final version upon a sketch in 2 parts from Skin adding a great deal on the choir and orchestra on the repeat. The opening 7, 4 sketch originally written for the Skin of Our Teeth, marked moto perpetuo, appears as follows. Well if you start in the top line there, you have the dah, bah, dee, duh, dah, dah, dum, buh, bah, bah, bee, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, dum, bum, bum, bah, dah, dah, duh, dah, dah, duh, dee just running right through the top line of each of those 2 line, each of those 2 lines, staves. After measure 65, Bernstein needed additional material to complete his setting of Psalm 100 which he wrote on folio for verso of the Chichester Psalm text. The opening up here, you've got yom, bom, bee, bom. And then you were in 7, 4 and the low A flat there in the right, in the left hand of the piano -- bah, dah, dee, dum, boom, bom, bom, bee, bom, bom. There's a bass drum strikes. Very distinctive in that segment of the movement. Titled after 7, 4 build, this material also appears in 2 parts but there are bars with only 1 line of music and other with additional staves. Bernstein changed his mind about the ordering continuity, the passage between the sketch and draft. But each measure used in the movement appears in the sketch. Where Bernstein suggested using long notes in the choir to a line back in the 7, 4 material, which he did starting in Measure 84. Measures 83 to 100 of the 1st movement include an instrumental version of the 1st page of the Skin sketch and 1st 2 measures of the 2nd page. Bernstein then composed the last 15 measures of the movement from the last 3 lines of the 2nd page of the 7, 4 segment from Skin. He made several changes, including a brief segment of bitonality where the sketch had been in 1 key. This is that segment I was talking about where you have the bass drum strike on the 7th beat just from the piano, the piano, vocal score of Chichester Psalms. The theatrical drama that unfolds in the 2nd movement is the lynchpin of Chichester Psalms. Bernstein's seamless craftsmanship with 2 preexistent songs is remarkable. But fresh composition was required when he combined the tunes. He has long been known that he set Psalm 23 to the song, Spring will Come Again, written for the Skin of Our Teeth. Within the sketches for that show, and those for Chichester Psalms, there are 3 pages of material with earlier versions of the music that he used for Psalm 23. But only rough sketches. And right next to music that Bernstein later ignored, the opening of the melody which Bernstein set Psalm 23 appears iin a brief 2 line sketch from the Skin of Our Teeth. Sung with the rhythms from the work, yom, bah, dee, dah, dee, dom, bah, bah, dee, dee, dah, dah, dah, dah, dee, dee, dee, dee, dah, dah, dah, dee, dah, dom. That wonderful ambiguous blues 3rd that's such a part of Bernstein's style. One of the sketches for Chichester Psalms includes a note in Bernstein's hand that he conceived the tune in the 1950s along with a continuation of what became the Psalm 23 tune. On the same page is an early version of the famous song, Somewhere. So perhaps this melody became Psalm 23 he originally intended for Candide or West Side Story. So this is the continuation of that theme from the top part there. Yah, dee, dee, dah, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dah, dee, dah, dah, dah, dee, bah, dee, dom and obviously as Bernstein was organizing the material before he gave it to the Library of Congress, he wrote tune, you know, used in Chichester. But he writes 50s because the sketch was originally from the 1950s. Here part of the tune is in quadruple meter with dotted rhythms in the melody and a somewhat Latin accompaniment in dotted 8ths and 16th notes. The words for this song, Spring will Come Again, appear in the Skin folder, most likely in the hand of Betty Comden or Adolph Green. And the song has been recorded by Linda Eder. Bernstein's melody works well with Psalm 23 in Hebrew. The imagery of Comden's and Green's texts shares the famous psalm's spirit of consolation. The poem by Comden and Green begins with winter's despair but moves quickly to spring's promise and the continued beauty of summer. Bernstein, however, did not write the melody for Skin. Comden, Green wrote their text after the composer pulled the melody from his bottom drawer. Bernstein then jettisoned their text in favor of the pastoral scene and still waters of Psalm 23. In Bernstein's 2 pages of notes that help demonstrate the compositional process of Chichester Psalms, at one point he suggested that the dramatic juxtaposition of the 2nd movement would contrast Psalm 2, Why do the Heathens Rage? and Psalm 131:1, Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. The later which became the text for chorale that ends the set in the 3rd movement. Showing a different direction that the composer might have taken, the sketches the Chichester Psalms include what Bernstein called plainchant -- boys which would be combined with instrumental mixed figures. A reference to the song, Cut, from West Side Story that became the music for Psalm 2 in the 2nd movement. So you have this theme which is unlike anything that appears in Chichester Psalms. Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dum. Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dum. Has a good bit of the Gregorian Chant feeling to it. This largely conjunct theme of the declination pattern of 2 or 3 notes per syllable is musically unsatisfying and unlike anything else in the work. The sketches also include Bernstein's attempt to place the plainchant melody into the point of imitation which is what's going on in these bottom 2 lines here. Bernstein abruptly interrupts Psalm 23 with Psalm 2, why do the heathen rage so furiously together, set to violent music from Mix, a song that remains in draft in finished copies in the West Side Story materials in the Bernstein collection. He did not use Mix in its entirety in Chichester Psalms. But the sections that he did include changed little. The song in West Side Story was in C minor, transposed to A minor in the choral work. At the beginning, the Jets sing the word mix to one loud chord. You see more than one loud chord here. In Chichester Psalms, Bernstein added 3 more chords to allow two statements of the word "Lamah." The first 7 measures of mix then correspond closely to measures 66 to 72 of Chichester Psalms. We got the "La- mah-, Lamah rag'shu, Lamah rag'shu goyim, Lamah rag'shu, Lamah rag'shu goyim, Lamah rag'shu, Lamah rag'shu." Sondheim's text in this passage conveys a similar anger to what one hears in Psalm 2, a canonic passage on pages 8 to 9 of Mix then appears in similar version in measures 73 to 78 -- 80 of the 2nd movement of Chichester Psalms. Additional material from Mix, a march that smacks of Shostakovich Prokofiev, appears in Chichester Psalms in bars 80 to 92. And that's what starts right here. This bah, dah, dee, dah, dah, dee, bom, bom, bom, bom, byah, dah, dah, dee, dee, dee, din, bom, dah, dah, dah, dee, dah, bah, dom. Yah, bah, dah, bah, dum, bah, dum. The canonic material from Mix returns in Chichester Psalms in measures 92 to 101 and the following section from fresh material where Bernstein combined music for Psalms 23 and 2, closely corresponds to a new idea of Mix. Accompanimental patterns of this location of Chichester Psalms are similar to other segments of Mix. The disturbing return of Psalm 2 to material in the last 11 measures of the movement corresponds in spirit to the last 12 measures of Mix. The opening and the finale is a cathartic passage for strings where Bernstein exorcises the demons of Psalm 2. He based the opening on repetitions of the generating cell, stated between static conjunct material, a bit of the melody from Psalm 23 in the 1st trumpet and 1st harp, helps change the affect and allows the innocence that follows in the 10, 4 setting of Psalm 131. The text opens, Lord, Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty Neither do I exercise myself in great things or in things too wonderful for me. Snippets of the music appear in the Skin sketches. The most extensive version is on a page in the Chichester Psalms sketches entitled Wartime Duet. Probably something that he originally wrote in the 1940s. So, in the top part there, you're running the dah, dee, dah, tah, dah, tom. Yah, dah, dee, dee, dee, dee. Yah, dee, dah, dah, dah, dee, dom. The opening of this part of the Chichester Psalms. Bernstein rearranged it substantially for Psalm 131 and did not use the entire sketch. But the melody's contrast between innocent ditonicism and serpentine chromaticism remains as well as the undulating effect of the 5 note patterns. In his letter to Dean Hussey from 11 May, 1965, Bernstein described it as something like a love duet between the men and the boys. Perhaps Bernstein had always the piece as a love song calling it lead in places in the sketches. And he found its place here as an expression of love between a believer and God. The final chorale is more or less the same music that the choir sings in the opening. The triumphant feeling has been replaced by sublime peacefulness. The text in Psalm 133:1 is behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity which Bernstein set very softly. Bernstein's sketch of the final chorale is very close to how the segment appears in the final version. The final version which is in display out there is basically follows this sketch exactly and you have this widely scored chord that ends the piece with the trump intoning bee, dum, bum, bum, but then going up to the final "do" instead of repeating the usual end of the phrase. Bernstein based segment of Chichester Psalms on the works generating cell, the 5 note motive that appears often in the 1st and 3rd movements. This ultimate unifying touch for the set helps demonstrate how Bernstein could accept a commission for a work unlike anything that he was planning on writing while on sabbatical in 1964, 65 and then bring together musical sketches from multiple sources to make those melodies appropriate carriers of Hebrew psalm texts for which they were not originally conceived, and tie the entire work together by progressing logically and dramatically through all or part of 6 songs and composing new music as necessary or combining previously composed material in new ways. It was a virtuosity compositional act that resulted in Bernstein's most successful concert work, the story of which comes alive in several types of materials in the Library of Congress Bernstein Collection. Thank you very much.