De Profundis

Details

Year: 1993

Duration: 25'

Instrumentation: sa soli/satb chorus/opt unison children’s choir/2(picc)222/2200/timp/str

Program Notes

De Profundis

John Buckley

(b. 1951)

De Profundis

De Profundis was commissioned by the Tallaght Choral Society with financial aid from the Arts Council and the Irish Music Rights Organisation. The work, which is scored for four- part choir, children’s choir, soprano and contralto soloists, and orchestra, was completed in March 1993.

The work is a setting of Psalm 130 De profundis damavi ad te, Domine, which is sung by the adult choir and Psalm 131 Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum sung by the children’s choir and the two soloists. The  texts  of  the  two  psalms are interwoven; the gentle lyricism of the latter entwined with the more rigorous tone of the former. In the setting, I have attempted to capture something of the mood of supplication and the sonorous beauty of the language.

Musically, the piece falls into three sections which are performed without a break. A fast short middle section is flanked by two sections of slower, more reflective music.  In  the  opening  section the choral part alternates between flowing contrapuntal writing and a series of stark block chords. The two soloists have long, elaborate melodic lines, frequently in counterpoint  with  each other or with the choir. The middle section (Si iniquitates observaveris . . . ) is a strongly accented rhythmic dance with frequent changes of metre.  In  the  final  section the children’s choir takes over from the soloists; their melodic lines are simpler and at times close to  plainchant.  The adult choir develops the contrapuntal writing of the opening section.

I am most grateful to the conductor of the Tallaght Choral Society, James Cavanagh for his continuous encouragement and enthusiastic commitment to the work, during the process of composition and rehearsal.

DE    PROFUNDIS

(Psalm 130)

Choir

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine, exaudi vocem meam:

Fiant aures tuae intendentes, in vocem deprecationis meae.

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine, exaudi vocem meam:

Fiant aures tuae intendentes, in vocem deprecationis meae.

Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, Domine quis sustinebit?

Quia apud te propitiatio est:

et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine. Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus:

speravit anima mea in Domino.

Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus: speravit anima mea in Domino.

A custodia matutina usque ad noctem: speret Israel in Domino.

Quia apud Dominum misericordia: et copiosa apud eum redemptio.

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine, exaudi vocem meam.

(Psalm 131)

Solo Soprano/Solo Contralto

 Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum: neque elati sunt oculi mei.

Neque ambulavi in magnis: neque in mirabilibus super me.

Si non humiliter sentiebam: sed exaltavi animam meam: Si non humiliter sentiebam: sed exaltavi animam meam:

(in vocem deprecationis meae.) Sicut ablactatus est super matre sua, ita retributio in anima mea.

Children’s Choir or Soloists

Si non humiliter sentiebam: sed exaltavi animam meam:

Sicut ablactatus est super matre sua,

ita retributio in anima mea. Speret Israel in Domino,

ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum. (exaudi vocem meam.)

Choir

Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord: Lord hear my voice:

Let thy ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplication.

Out of the depths I cry to thee,0 Lord: Lord, hear my voice:

Let thy ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplication.

If thou, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who could bear it?

For with thee there is forgiveness:

and because of thy law I have relied on thee,

0 Lord.

My soul hath relied on his word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

My soul hath relied on his word:

my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

From the morning watch even until night: let Israel trust in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.

Out of the depths I cry to thee,

0 Lord: Lord, hear my voice.

(Psalm 131)

Solo Soprano, Solo C0ntralto

Lord, my heart is not exalted: nor are my eyes lofty.

Neither have I walked in great matters: nor in wonderful things above me.

If I were not humble minded: but exalted my soul:

If I were not humble minded:

but exalted my soul:

(to the voice of my supplication.) As a child in its mother’s arms, so restore my soul within me.

Children’s choir or soloists

If I were not humble minded: but exalted my soul:

As a child in its mother’s arms,

so restore my soul within me. Let Israel trust in the Lord,

from henceforth now and forever. (hear my voice.)

Listen