In 2001, composer Jon Magnussen met the unusual challenge of unifying his new score for Psalm, an already-existing dance work from 1967, with the original artistic conceit of the choreographer, José Limón, who died in 1972. Limón was inspired directly by his reading of André Schwartz-Bart’s Holocaust novel, The Last of the Just, and had initially desired to use Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms as the score for the dance. Faced with cost-preclusive licensing fees for the Stravinksy, Limón engaged Eugene Lester to compose a score for Psalm. The Lester score, now lost, served the work for only a brief time, when the piece fell out of the repertory. When approached to create a new score for the extant dance work, Magnussen chose to draw his own influence from three works: the dance itself, Schwartz-Bart’s novel, and Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms. In addition, Limón Company Artistic Director Carla Maxwell served as Magnussen’s collaborator in reworking Psalm to resemble the work she believed Limón had desired all along. Magnussen’s influence from Stravinsky and Schwartz-Bart are revealed in the choices of text, the scored forces, and melodic ideas generated by the composer by mapping the names of significant Holocaust sites onto scalar patterns. Limón’s memoir, personal articles, and sketches of artistic ideas along with personal interviews with Magnussen and Maxwell will inform my research. These sources easily establish Magnussen as a significant composer, and Psalm as a significant work of art; its value is reflected in the careful confluence of the artistic contributions of three significant artists, Limón, Schwartz-Bart, and Magnussen.

Abstract The aim of the present dissertation is to study what linguistic conditions contribute to the accessibility of the psalm to the user of the psalm. The study is to shed light upon the role of adjectives, interjections, the syntax of the text, nouns with religious semantic content, and nouns pertaining to nature, in the Swedish psalm. Futhermore, the use of adjectives by a group of psalm authors is studied by way of comparing their use of adjectives in psalms with that in the rest of their poetry, in order to find out if psalms act as a special genre of poetry for them. The material consists of the psalms of 48 Swedish psalmists, and also a selection of other poetry by nine psalm authors. The authors chosen from the psalm book of 1819 were born in the 18th century, those from the psalm book of 1937 in the 19th century, and those from the psalm book of 1986 in the 20th century. The portion of adjectives of the words in the graphical text is the highest among the 19th century psalmists and lowest among the 20th century psalmists. All the groups of psalmists share the adjectives evig ‘eternal’, god ‘good’, and helig ‘holy’ out of the ten most often occurring adjectives. Some adjectives used in older psalms are not found in the psalm poetry of the 20th century psalmists. All the nine psalmists with the special reference to other poetry use a greater variety of adjectives in the rest of poetry than they use in their psalms. The older psalm authors use adjectives with religious content more often than the younger psalmists in the rest of poetry. The portion of interjections varies quite little in the psalm texts from different centuries. The most common are interjections that express emotion. Among these the interjection ack ‘o!, lo!’ shows an insignificant frequency of occurrence in the new psalm. The nouns of religious content belong to psalm language. With respect to the ideological content of religion, the nouns nåd ‘grace’, synd ‘sin’, salighet ‘blessedness; salvation’, and barmhärtighet ‘mercifulness’ occur less often in the new psalm than in the old one. The use of nouns pertaining to nature is derived from the Bible. Names of Swedish plants and animals occur in the psalm of the 20th century, only. Syntactically and, semantically the psalm has become more easily accessible to the psalm user since the year 1819. / Abstrakt Syftet med föreliggande avhandling är att undersöka vilka språkliga omständigheter som inverkar på psalmens tillgänglighet för psalmbrukaren. Avhandlingen vill redogöra för vilken roll adjektiv, interjektioner, textens syntax, substantiv med religiöst innehåll och naturbetecknande substantiv spelar i den svenska psalmen. För adjektivens del jämförs också vissa författares bruk av adjektiv i psalmer och övrig diktning för att undersöka om psalmdiktning för dem är en speciell art av diktning. Materialet omfattar psalmerna av 48 svenska psalmförfattare samt ett urval av nio psalmförfattares övriga dikter. Författarna från 1819 års psalmbok är födda på 1700-talet, författarna från 1937 års psalmbok är födda på 1800-talet och författarna från 1986 års psalmbok på 1900-talet. Andelen av adjektiv av alla grafiska ord är störst hos 1800-talisterna och minst hos 1900-talisterna. Av de tio oftast förekommande adjektiven är evig, god och helig gemensamma för alla grupperna. Vissa i äldre psalmer förekommande adjektiv finns inte hos 1900-talisterna. Alla de nio särskilt undersökta psalmförfattarna använder i sin övriga produktion flera adjektiv än i sina psalmer. äldre psalmförfattare använder religiöst laddade adjektiv i sin övriga produktion oftare än yngre psalmister. Andelen av interjektioner i texter från olika århundraden varierar inte mycket. Vanligast är känslouttryckande interjektioner. Av dem har ack i den nya psalmen en obefintlig roll. Substantiv med religiöst innehåll hör till psalmspråket. Angående religionens ideologiska innehåll kan det konstateras att substantiv som nåd, synd, salighet och barmhärtighet förekommer mera sällan i den nya än den gamla psalmen. Bruket av naturbetecknande ord i psalmer är bibelbundet. Svenska växt- och djurnamn förekommer endast i 1900-talspsalmen. Sedan 1819 har psalmen syntaktiskt och semantiskt blivit tillgängligare för psalmbrukarna.

Psalms using the language of enmity present a challenge for Christians who wish to use these psalms as prayer. This study investigates the language of enmity in Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 as Christian prayer and beyond the normal form category of lament or complaint of the individual. An argument is proposed to understand Book V of the Psalter as an integral unit, which editors have arranged to represent the post-exilic early restoration period. The study begins with an exegesis of each psalm and seeks to determine the perceived suffering of the psalmist(s) at the hands of enemies and the meaning of the responses to these adversaries. It then moves to a limited historical survey of how commentators through Church history have perceived the suffering and responses in these psalms which use language of enmity. This historical survey is used to correct or clarify the findings in the exegesis. In the third movement of this thesis, the results of the individual exegesis and historical survey of Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 are compared in order to elucidate the meaning of the language of enmity. The findings suggest that the language of enmity represents images of judgment on a recalcitrant adversary. The psalms are also investigated as prayers and as normative scripture. The use of the language of enmity in these psalms suggests a use of language that differs from normal use. In this regard the rhetorical device of synecdoche is most helpful in explaining how the texts function. The basis for the language of enmity seems to be the unchanging nature of moral evil. The study then investigates the psalms as canonical, normative prayer in order to move towards developing a theology of God’s just dealing with people and his people in particular. In this regard the psalms are approached as prayer, regardless of the voice in which they were composed. It is suggested that the text as normative prayer allows the psalmist, God, and the pray-er to inhabit and celebrate the same sacred time and space. Of particular concern is how each psalm speaks to the issue of how God engages with moral evil and the question of what can be known about moral evil. The findings suggest that these psalms are an invaluable spiritual resource for the church and should remain unaltered in their use as Christian private and public prayer. / PhD (Old Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology, 2015

Psalms using the language of enmity present a challenge for Christians who wish to use these psalms as prayer. This study investigates the language of enmity in Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 as Christian prayer and beyond the normal form category of lament or complaint of the individual. An argument is proposed to understand Book V of the Psalter as an integral unit, which editors have arranged to represent the post-exilic early restoration period. The study begins with an exegesis of each psalm and seeks to determine the perceived suffering of the psalmist(s) at the hands of enemies and the meaning of the responses to these adversaries. It then moves to a limited historical survey of how commentators through Church history have perceived the suffering and responses in these psalms which use language of enmity. This historical survey is used to correct or clarify the findings in the exegesis. In the third movement of this thesis, the results of the individual exegesis and historical survey of Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 are compared in order to elucidate the meaning of the language of enmity. The findings suggest that the language of enmity represents images of judgment on a recalcitrant adversary. The psalms are also investigated as prayers and as normative scripture. The use of the language of enmity in these psalms suggests a use of language that differs from normal use. In this regard the rhetorical device of synecdoche is most helpful in explaining how the texts function. The basis for the language of enmity seems to be the unchanging nature of moral evil. The study then investigates the psalms as canonical, normative prayer in order to move towards developing a theology of God’s just dealing with people and his people in particular. In this regard the psalms are approached as prayer, regardless of the voice in which they were composed. It is suggested that the text as normative prayer allows the psalmist, God, and the pray-er to inhabit and celebrate the same sacred time and space. Of particular concern is how each psalm speaks to the issue of how God engages with moral evil and the question of what can be known about moral evil. The findings suggest that these psalms are an invaluable spiritual resource for the church and should remain unaltered in their use as Christian private and public prayer. / PhD (Old Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology, 2015

The meaning of the Markan Jesus' citation of Psalm 22:2 has long been a matter of debate amongst scholars in the field. More specifically, this debate centers on whether the citation is atomistic or contextual. In an effort both to join and move forward the dialogue on this subject, the primary question of this thesis is: How would Jesus' cry from the cross of Psalm 22:2 in Mark 15:34 have been understood by Mark's first-century readers given its context in the entire narrative of the gospel? The contribution of this thesis is in its multi-level approach to the above question by the examination of a variety of evidence that, in the end, indicates that Mark's earliest readers would have read and understood this psalmic citation as contextual. It is argued that, contra the opinion of the majority of Markan scholarship, a contextual reading of Psalm 22:2 in Mark 15:34 does not serve to negate or dilute the presentation of Jesus as one in distress and agony, but rather enhances this aspect of his death by underscoring his identity as a Righteous Sufferer who experiences suffering but has the promise of vindication. Among the evidence that supports a contextual reading of the citation in the Markan narrative is, (a) the importance of Jesus' impending resurrection/vindication and its foreshadowing in the Markan narrative; (b) the relatively consistent contextual use of the scriptures in the narrative prior to Mark 15:34; (c) the patterns of the textual and liturgical use of the psalms and the presence of the motif of the Righteous Sufferer in Mark's socio-cultural milieu; (d) the Markan presentation of Jesus as the Righteous Sufferer throughout the narrative; and (e) an exegesis of Mark 15:34 and the surrounding Markan passion-resurrection narrative with regard to the function of Ps 22 and the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. A test case of the argument presented in the previous chapters of the thesis is undertaken at the close of the study, when both Matthew and Luke's treatment of Ps 22 and other Righteous Sufferer language is considered, regarding their readings of Ps 22 in Mark as the earliest tangible evidence of the interpretation of the use of Ps 22 in his gospel.

Michael Praetorius was one of the most prolific and innovative Lutheran composers of the early seventeenth century. His Megalynodia Sionia ("The Magnificats of Zion") is a collection of fourteen Magnificats for use in Vespers services. The compositions in the collection present a series of complicated issues that modern editors and performers must unravel to be able to perform this music. The most common method for performing Magnificats at this time was alternatim, in which different musical groups alternated in performing verses. For eleven of the Magnificats in Megalynodia, only six of the twelve verses are supplied by Praetorius. Appropriate sources for the other verses must be identified. Also, there was a tradition in the Lutheran church of inserting chorales between the verses of the Magnificat on feast days. The chorales would be songs associated with the occasion, for example Christmas or Easter. Praetorius gives important instructions to prospective performers as to how these insertions should be chosen and performed. Eleven of the Magnificats are parodies of works by other composers, Orlando di Lasso in particular. Parody technique is the use of polyphonic music by another composer as source material for a new composition. It was a very typical compositional method of the sixteenth century. Lasso started a Continental tradition of using parody technique in the Magnificat; in this collection Praetorius follows in his footsteps. One must take all these issues into account in attempting to create modern performing editions of this music. The study culminates in performing editions of two Magnificats from the collection.

This creative project is a musical setting of Psalms 22, 23 and 24. The text is a paraphrase by the composer in contemporary English.The five movements of the work are: I. Suffering Servant, Psalm 22:1-10 II. Suffering Servant, Psalm 2:11-21 III. Suffering Servant, Psalm 22:22-31IV. Shepherding Savior, Psalm 23 V. Supreme Sovereign, Psalm 24The work was composed for flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, percussion (xylophone, tam tam, triangle, snare drum, suspended cymbal, crash cymbal), tenor soloist, mixed chorus, violin, viola and double bass. One of each instrument is needed to perform this 20-minute work.The musical basis of the composition is the serialization of the intervals: diminished fifth, minor second, major third, major second and minor third.

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Psaume 130, Du fond de l'Abime, by Lili Boulanger, poses a series of problems for conductors. Its large orchestral requirement and thirty-minute performance length severely limit the possibility of programming the work. Having thoroughly studied the composer's other works, I have determined that balance problems in the orchestration need adjustment. Errors exist in the current published edition and warrant correction.For these reasons combined with the assertion, later discussed in this document, that Lili Boulanger may have been asked to make a more practical version of Psaume 130, Du fond de l'Abime in order to promote sales of her music, an orchestral reduction is a viable solution. In addition, she died before the premier of the work and may have re-orchestrated certain passages upon hearing it.The methodology for this process of editing and rescoring includes:1) comparison of the manuscript with the published edition, 2) analysis, which includes tonal, motivic, and structural aspects of the work, 3) analysis of Boulanger's orchestral technique, and 4) an interview with conductor Mark Stringer.I will demonstrate that Lili Boulanger's Psaume 130, Du fond de l'Abime can be arranged for reduced forces while preserving its essential elements. This version will be more accessible for professional, college, community and church choirs, and orchestras.