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Beatus Vir Psalm Op. 38 (Górecki)
The Beatus Vir Psalm was written by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki in 1979 for baritone, large mixed chorus and grand orchestra. The work was premiered on June 9, 1979 in Kraków, Poland with Baritone Jerzy Mechlinski and the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus. Górecki conducted the premiere performance. The work was a commission by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II). The Beatus Vir Psalm was intended as the first work in a larger cycle entitled Sancti tui Domine florebunt sicut lilium. No other works of the cycle have been completed, however Górecki has stated that the next piece in the cycle will be entitled Offertorium.

Historical Background of Górecki’s Beatus Vir Psalm
In 1978, Henryk Górecki was in his second three-year term as Rector of the Higher School for Music in Katowice. At the school, the composer found himself surrounded by ardent members of the Party at all levels of the institution. Without many independently-minded musical colleagues with whom to interact Gorecki was generally unhappy in his post. Meanwhile, Górecki received a commission from Cardinal Wojtyła in honor of the 900th anniversary of the assassination of Bishop (later Saint) Stanislaus in 1079. By the fifteenth century, the saint had become the patron saint of Poland, held what are believed to be obvious and potentially dangerous parallels to Poland’s soviet masters. The saint, through his life and, more importantly his death by assassination, is an intrinsic symbol of the state at odds with the church and held particular poignancy in 1970’s Poland. Górecki’s acceptance of the cardinal’s commission forced him into the role of outsider and he was summarily ostracized by his peers. Party members even went so far as to remove all mention of Gorecki from documents and newspapers pertaining to important musical events in Poland. The composer quickly resigned his post as Rector of the Higher School and, upon the election of Cardinal Wojtyła to the papal throne in October of 1978, found himself working at breakneck pace to complete the work in time for its premiere; it was to be June 9, 1979, the first pilgrimage of then Pope John Paul II to his native land since his election. The premiere occurred as planned, with the composer conducting the work in the presence of the pope, who praised the Beatus vir publicly even as he was openly condemning Poland’s Soviet leaders. This would add to already rising tensions between the Church and the Polish Government.

Musical Background of Górecki’s Beatus Vir Psalm
Beginning in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Górecki began to compose larger scale works. At the same time, his music became both harmonically and melodically simpler in his writing than his previous serial compositions. Three primary musical influences also became apparent in his compositional style: Polish folksong, Catholic chant and the Polish music of the past, primarily the works of Karol Szymanowski. Out of these influences evolved two compositional kernels in Górecki’s music: Górecki’s “motto” motif (a rise of a minor third, usually on the first three pitches of the Aeolian or Dorian scales); and the “Skierkowski turn” (the Górecki motto followed by a descending half-step) named for the Polish folk music collector who influenced the music of Karol Szymanowski. Górecki’s motto and turn are found throughout the Beatus Vir Psalm. Two examples are in the baritone in the Lento section beginning at measure 123 and in the final Molto Lento section in the upper instruments of the orchestra beginning in measure 541. The repetitive nature of the melodic writing throughout the Beatus Vir Psalm is a direct descendent of the chant-like responses sung in Catholic churches.

Text of the Beatus Vir
Górecki spent more time selecting the texts for Beatus Vir than he did composing the music of the work. The Latin text consists of selections from the Book of Psalms and was chosen to “emphasize doubts and supplications” and project the “spiritual and moral aspects of the tragedy of St. Stanisalus… rather than any sort of representational drama.”  The Psalm verses Górecki chose are as follows:

Psalms 142 (verses 1,6-8,10), 30 (verses 15-16), 37 (verse 23), 66 (verse 7), 33 (verse 9)

Psalm 142

1.Domine Exaudi orationem meam Exaudi me in tua justitia O Lord,hear my prayer, Listen to me in your righteousness

6.Expandi manus meus ad te anima mea; sicut terra sine aqua, tibi. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

7. Velociter exaudi me, Domine; Non avertas faciem tuam a me. Answer me quickly, O Lord; Do not hide your face from me.

8. Auditam fac mihi,mane misericordiam tuam. Let me hear Thy mercy in the morning.

10. ''Doce me facere voluntatem tuam,quis Deus meus es tu. Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam.'' Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;

may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Psalm 30

15. ''Domine! Deus meus es tu.'' O Lord! You are my God.

16. In manibus tuis sortes meae. My times are in your hands.

Psalm 37 23. Domine Deus salutis meae. Lord God save me.

Psalm 66

7. ''Terra dedit fructum suum. Benedicat nos Deus, Deus noster.'' The land will yield its fruit, God, our God, will bless us.

Psalm 33

9. ''Gustate, et videte, quoniam Suavis est Dominus. Beatus vir,Qui sperat in eo.'' Taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Instrumentation
Górecki indicates the Beatus Vir Psalm is for “Grand” Orchestra. The instrumentation is as follows:

4 Flutes, 4 Oboes, 4 B-flat Clarinets, 4 Bassoons (2 Contrabassoons), 4 B-flat Trumpets, 4 Horns in F, 4 Trombones, 4 Tubas, Campanelli(Glockenspiel), Campane, 2 Harps, Piano (four hands), Strings (each part divided into two parts: prima parte and seconda parte), Baritone Solo, and Large Mixed Choir (SATB)

Structural Analysis
Like many other of his compositions, Górecki indicates the performance duration of the Beatus vir. The 33-35 minute-long work has no formal movement division but can be analyzed in ten contrasting sections as follows:

Section 1: Beginning until m. 112


 * Marked by persistent E-flat in prima parte of each instrumental grouping


 * Choral parts sing two motives: half step (C natural-B natural) or whole step (C natural-D natural)


 * Toward the end of first section, in m. 104, the chorus rises to finally include the E-flat; the corresponding motive (E-flat-D natural-C natural-B natural) becomes the material that is used by the Baritone soloist.

Section 2: m. 113-122 Molto meno mosso


 * Marked by dynamic shift to mp from ffff sempre in the first section as well as the harmonic movement from E-flat major to the E-flat-B natural tritone


 * Functions as a transition into Section 3

Section 3: m. 123-164
 * Persistent C pedal tones with Baritone intoning opening motive built from “Górecki motto” and “Skierkowski’s turn”

Section 4: m. 165-212
 * Reprise of Section 3 material, slightly altered. Baritone extension
 * Entrance of Chorus (repeats material stated by Baritone)

Section 5: m. 213-283
 * Pedal E-flat with first violins, prima parte violi and seconda parte violincelli vacillating between G natural and F natural
 * Baritone builds range
 * Sempre Avanti

Section 6: mm. 284-380
 * Entrance of Chorus men in unison with Baritone
 * Entrance of Chorus women at the octave in m. 319, unison maintained

Section 7: mm. 381-395 Subito Lento
 * Subito mp
 * Bridge to next section

Section 8: mm. 396-449 Lento, Sostenuto, Contemplativo
 * E-flat pedal
 * Entrance of Baritone; use of opening material (half step c-b)

Section 9: mm. 450-540 Molto Lento
 * Shift from E-flat augmented (now spelled to imply B augmented) to C pedal then to first V-I progression (mm. 465-467)
 * Strings repeating chorus

Section 10: mm. 541-561 Orchestra “turn” leads to intonation of choral ‘Domine’ in winds, keyboard and percussion (E natural, G natural, F-sharp)

Discography
Górecki: Old Polish Music, Beatus vir, Totus Tuus

Release Date: 04/22/1997

Label: Decca

Catalogue: 436835

Number of Discs: 1

John Nelson, conductor

Prague Philharmonic Chorus, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Górecki: Symphony No 2 “Copernican,” Beatus vir

Release Date: 04/17/2001 Label: Naxos Catalogue: 8555375 Number of Discs: 1

Antoni Wit, conductor

Silesian Philharmonic Chorus, Polish Radio/TV Chorus, Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Henryk Mikolaj Górecki: Symphony No. 2, for Soprano, Baritone, Mixed Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 31/Beatus Vir, for Baritone, Mixed Chorus, and Orchestra, op. 38

Release date: 7/21/1993

Label: Stradivarius

Catalogue: B00000198I

Number of Discs: 1

Thomas Pal, conductor Bartók Chorus, Friscay Symphony Orchestra