PROGRAM NOTE
ADONAI MALACH (Psalm 93) was commissioned by Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun in Milwaukee, as part of a 1985 conference of composers and cantors, where each composer was paired with a cantor and assigned a text from the Jewish liturgy. The challenge I set for myself was to make this short piece melodically appropriate for Cantor Abraham Lubin’s beautiful cantorial style while, at the same time, at least hinting at a harmonic language more inclusive than what is generally heard in a Shabbat Service setting. As I found out, there is a Jewish mode specifically associated with Adonai Malach, and bearing its name, the intervallic properties of which are quite intriguing: taking a major scale as a point of reference, this mode has a major third for the third scale degree, but a minor third at the tenth; a minor seventh at the seventh scale degree, but a half-step leading tone. The vocal and horn parts of my piece, complementing one another, loosely conform to this pitch arrangement through much of the piece. The trio of woodwinds—piccolo, oboe, and clarinet—treated for the most part in block fashion, offers a counterpart of a considerably more dissonant, one might say pungent, style. Throughout, I have attempted to preserve the exultant quality of the text.
Adonai Malach was a small offering to my beloved (late) father, Zvi Arieh Ran, to whom it is dedicated.
—Shulamit Ran
Translation of Adonai Malach (Psalm 93) from Hebrew
The Eternal is enthroned, He is robed in grandeur: the Eternal is robed, He is girded with strength. And He founded the solid earth to be unmoving. Ageless is Thy throne, endless Thy being. The oceans cry out, O Eternal God, the oceans cry out their thunder, the oceans rage in their fury; but greater than the thunder of the torrents, mightier than the breakers of the sea, is the Lord’s majesty on high!
Thy law stands firm, and in Thy temple, O Eternal God, holiness reigns to the end of time!
INFORMATION
Commissioned by Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Milwaukee, for its first composers/cantors conference
First performance:
November 5, 1985
Temple Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun,
Milwaukee, WI
Cantor: Abraham Lubin
SHEET MUSIC
Available from your favorite sheet music seller or directly from Theodore Presser.