CDLXXXIX. PERSICHETTI, Vincent (1915-1987)
Psalm for Band, Op. 53
The President's Own United States Marine Band
Jason K. Fettig, cond.
(7:52)
In 1970, prior to my interview with the Composition Department at Juilliard, I was required to send four or five scores of my works. As I found myself sitting in a chair facing Mr. Persichetti, Jacob Druckman and Elliot Carter, I remember feeling quite relaxed, as the three of them sat quietly -- turning pages of the scores to my Second String Quartet, my Piano Trio, and my Kaddish for String Quartet and Tenor.
Persichetti did most of the talking, remarking on the Bartók influence in my Quartet (kindly using the word "influence" rather than "outright imitation"!), that he liked the theme and variations of my serial Piano Trio, and the vocal writing in my Kaddish.
It was quickly obvious that I had been accepted, and I was filled with joy.
I had two lessons with Persichetti -- one in which we just talked, and one in which he went into detail about my 16-year-old efforts at plucking notes from the air and transferring them to vellum manuscript paper.
Then, after only 15 days at Juilliard, I was nearly killed by a drunk driver and never returned to those hallowed halls at Lincoln Center. I ended up in Paris, studying with Nadia Boulanger for two years.
It was quickly obvious that I had been accepted, and I was filled with joy.
I had two lessons with Persichetti -- one in which we just talked, and one in which he went into detail about my 16-year-old efforts at plucking notes from the air and transferring them to vellum manuscript paper.
Then, after only 15 days at Juilliard, I was nearly killed by a drunk driver and never returned to those hallowed halls at Lincoln Center. I ended up in Paris, studying with Nadia Boulanger for two years.
**
All of which is to say that Persichetti was particularly attuned to the young student composer, as he himself was composing substantial material at age fourteen.
All of which is to say that Persichetti was particularly attuned to the young student composer, as he himself was composing substantial material at age fourteen.
**
The Psalm is typical of his writing for concert band -- a medium sadly neglected by most composers. He wrote a ton of music for this typically clichéd ensemble -- not that there's anything wrong with Sousa [see Posts LXVII and CCCXLIV], but a band can also play beautiful, quiet, contemplative music without a string section [see also Myaskovsky's Symphony #19 for band: Post CLIX.]
The Psalm is typical of his writing for concert band -- a medium sadly neglected by most composers. He wrote a ton of music for this typically clichéd ensemble -- not that there's anything wrong with Sousa [see Posts LXVII and CCCXLIV], but a band can also play beautiful, quiet, contemplative music without a string section [see also Myaskovsky's Symphony #19 for band: Post CLIX.]
The music moves from calm hymn-like prayerfulness to a full ensemble of carefully orchestrated fortissimos, and back again to serene moments, using different groups of instruments, always unique in character.
In the final moments, Persichetti rouses the full forces of the band, in clever bouts of stretto, and finally in a chorale-like ending, with a nice punch of finality.
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