To the Chief Musician upon Ai-je-leth Sha-har,
A Psalm of David
Text from the Holy Bible, King James Version
A CANTATA IN BAROQUE STYLE
for Pipe Organ and Mixed Voices
by
An-lun Huang, Op. 43 (1987)
土豆网视频 Video on Website Tudou:
1987年多伦多华人圣乐促进会联合诗班世界性首演音频，黄飞立指挥：
2001年俄罗斯国家尤洛夫合唱团演唱，，古雪夫指挥：
“Were all of these notes written by yourself?” asked the excited Russian musicians while the Canadian-Chinese composer, An-lun Huang , entered the rehearsal hall of the Russian State Urov Choir of Moscow, early December of 1996. Applauded and hailed by the choir members, Gusev, the music director, shocked Huang by crossing the barriers of language with the traditional Russian bear hug, kiss on both cheeks and a word which can be understood by all: “Bravo!!” They couldn‘t believe that the cantata they practiced was composed by this Chinese man standing in front of them. “Really such a great work for the human voice, at least, its composer should look like that big, fat and beard man, Brahms!” said the Russians.
Actually, choral music is the major part of An-lun Huang‘s compositions. For example, his choral piece, the excerpt of his opera “Flower Guardian” performed by a 300-member-choir at the Lincoln Center of New York, November of 1989, was his 7th operatic score. Huang’s choral music, like his other works, is always on his truck of the symphonic idea and Chinese idioms. Nevertheless, this cantata, A Psalm of David---Psalm 22, is an exception because of its substance. As the largest Chinese choral work ever composed, with its grand structure and superb compositional technique, it has lifted such types of music to a new level.
The music was commissioned by the Association of Toronto Chinese Evangelical Church Missions (ATCECM) of Canada. This cantata, which is considered as the largest Chinese sacred music, was premiered by the Mass Choir of the ATCECM, conducted by the father of the composer, Fei-li Huang, in Toronto, 1987. After a great performance in Hong Kong, the composer was invited to conduct another successful concert of the cantata in Lincoln Center, New York, U.S.A., 1994.
Presented by the Musician‘s Association of Moscow on December 9, 1996, this cantata made its Russian premiere at the Great Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music. It was the first concert by a Canadian-Chinese composer at this world famous music hall. The performers were the Russian State Urov Choir, Canadian-Chinese soprano Jane Chu, Russian baritone Trapeshnikov, organist Schmitov and the great Russian conductor, Gusev. Accompanying the cantata was the largest pipe organ in Russia. This historical instrument was built by the famous European builder, A.Cavaille-Coll (Paris), last century during the time of Glazunov in 1899. The CD was recorded in the hall right after the concert.
“As beautiful as an angel,”the musicians exclaimed over Jane Chu‘s voice. The Russians realized the value of this Canadian composition as soon as the first chord sounded during the concert. The musicians were surprised to see a large crowd of the audience rushing out during the intermission, only to return with huge bouquets of flowers. The musicians were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic audience after the concert. People just didn‘t want to leave. They expressed their gratitude to the organizer of the concert, Tso Chen Guan , for introducing “such great music” to Moscow.
A Psalm of David---Psalm 22 has been called the Psalm of the crucifixion. The Psalm, though written a thousand years before the days of Jesus, describes His bodily condition and emotional experience on the cross. In fact, the description is so vivid and accurate that one would think the writer was physically present at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
It is precisely this great sense of awe and reverence induced from reading the marvelous Psalm that inspired composer An-lun Huang to set the text into music. Following the foot steps of traditional church music, the cantata is essentially written in the Baroque style. The musical conception is typical of this 18th century musical era when a highly emotional type of expression was favored. Yet the music sounds refreshingly modern thanks to the ingenious use of chromatics which was prevalent in the 19th and early 20th century music.
The Sinfonia, an organ Toccata and Fugue, begins in g minor depicting a chaotic and somewhat bitter feeling. The fugue features two main themes in chromatic progression. Both signify and incessant supplication of God. The Sinfonia was dedicated to the Canadian organist, Thomas Fiches, a closed friend of the composer.
The absence of response from God creates a tremendous emotion that culminates in an explosive outcry in the No. 1, Chorus. [Psalm22:1,2]. These are the exact words spoken by Jesus moments before his death on the cross:
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
Even in utter despondence, the psalmist cannot deny the fact that God is still holy and righteous. The lucid organ passage in No. 2, Chorus, [Psalm22:3,4,5], elucidates a momentarily placid feeling that besets the sufferer:
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel,
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
However, the peace of mind proves to be short-lived and once again the poet plunges himself into an abysmal depth of despair and helplessness. This is precisely the central theme in the No. 3 Chorus.[Psalm 22:6,7,8]:
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Soprano solo in No. 4 , [Psalm 22:9,10,11], with its warm flowing melodies depicts the intimate feeling the psalmist has toward God. Yet it continues to give the premonition that there is a break in the peace ahead:
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
The baritone solo in No. 5, [Psalm22:12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19], portrays the uttermost affliction and anguish of the poet. The dramatic chorus creates a hideous atmosphere of oppression in sharp contrast to the physical degradation of the sufferer illustrated by the solo:
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Ba'-shan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
No. 6 is a Pasacaglia, [Psalm22:19,20,21], featuring a repeated bass theme in the organ accompaniment that reiterates itself 22 times with exactly the same number of variation sung by the choir:
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
The mood changes abruptly to a joyful praise to God in No. 7, soprano solo. [Psalm22:22,23,24,25]:
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him: but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
No. 8 is written in a dance style, [Psalm22:26]. The obstinato syncopated bass rhythm is mixed with the melodies sung by the choir resulting in an exotic music that is highly suggestive of a Middle East dance which was not uncommon in King David's time:
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
The music is followed by its finale, No. 9, a proclamation of a duet and echoed by a further declaration by the choir. It leads to a warm, angelic announcement which in turn culminates in an enormous fugue declaring God's great deed of deliverance, [Psalm22:27,28,29,30, and 31]:
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
The cantata begins in dull g minor, which signifies the agony and suffering of Christ, and ends in bright G major in celebration of the victory and sovereignty of God.
Cui, Shi-guang
大衛之詩
──詩篇二十二篇
大衛之詩，交與伶長，調用朝鹿
為混聲合唱與管風琴之巴羅克風格神曲
歌詞：採自英皇詹姆士一世聖經欽定本﹝英文﹞
作曲：黃安倫, 作品四十三﹝一九八七﹞
指揮：斯坦尼斯拉夫‧古雪夫 演唱：俄羅斯國家尤洛夫合唱團
Stanislav Gusev conducted the State Acadmic Yurlov Russian A Cappella Chorus
女高音：朱小強 男中音：德米特里‧特拉別茲尼柯夫 管風琴：阿列克西‧施密托夫
Soprano: Jane Chu Baritone:Dmitri.Trapeznikov Organist: Alexie. Schmitov
序曲： 管風琴獨奏
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Sinfonia: Pipe Organ Solo
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第一部： 合唱
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No.1 : Chorus
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第二部： 合唱
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No.2 : Chorus
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第三部： 男中音與合唱
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No.3 : Baritone Solo and Chorus
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第四部： 女高音獨唱
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No.4: Soprano Solo
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第五部： 男中音與合唱
第六部： 合唱
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No.5: Baritone Solo and Chorus
No.6: Chorus
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第七部： 女高音獨唱
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No.7:Soprano Solo
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第八部： 合唱
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No.8: Chorus
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第九部：男中音、女高音二重唱及合唱
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No.9: Duet for Baritone & Soprano Chorus
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莫斯科，一九九六年十二月初的一天，正當俄國國家合唱團在排練《大衛之詩》的間隙，剛從多倫多飛到的華裔作曲家黃安倫出現在排練廳裏。俄國音樂家們以掌聲與歡呼雷動加上俄式的擁抱和親吻歡迎作曲家的到來，“Bravo!”的喊聲四起，氣氛熱烈哄動。變革之後的俄羅斯全然不同於蘇聯時代，惟其偉大的文化傳統卻仍一如既往。他們傳統的，或者說是其特有的北方式的對音樂的那種神聖和熱愛，在排演這部巨作時由衷地表露無遺。音樂家們盛讚《大衛之詩》是“真正為人聲寫的佳構，”並尊崇為大師之作。
一九九六年的十二月九日 ，在著名指揮家俄羅斯人民功勳藝術家古雪夫的領導下，《大衛之詩──詩篇二十二篇》在莫斯科柴科夫斯基音樂院大音樂廳的俄羅斯首演，成了該世界聞名的演奏廳的第一次華人作品專場音樂會。演出者為俄羅斯國家優洛夫合唱團、華裔女高音歌唱家朱小強、俄國男中音歌唱家特拉別施尼科夫和管風琴家施密托夫。該大音樂廳的管風琴乃是俄羅斯最大的並深具歷史意義，還是格拉祖諾夫的時代由德國名家所建。以深厚的合唱傳統著稱而又一向對新作苛刻的俄國音樂界立刻接受了這部作品，聽眾們也以傳統的方式表達出他們的熱烈反應，全曲結束後紛紛以鮮花鋪滿了前台。音樂會後，熱情的聽眾圍住作曲家和參予演出的音樂家們，驚嘆朱小強“天使般的聲音！”並感謝“莫斯科音樂家協會”的負責人左貞觀“把如此傑出的作品推介來莫斯科。”本CD亦於音樂會後在此大音樂廳完成錄製。
合唱作品確實在黃安倫的創作中佔了極大的比重，僅以戲劇性的音樂為例，一九八九年在紐約林肯中心由三百人合唱團成功演出的《護花神》選曲，就已是他譜寫的第七部歌劇的總譜了。雖然這些合唱一如其他作品，都展示了作曲家特有的交響性思維和對民族風格一貫的執著，然而由於內容的關係，以巴羅克方式寫作的《大衛之詩──詩篇二十二篇》卻是一個例外。作為華人所作的最大規模之合唱音樂，這部九個樂章﹝外加一首序曲﹞的巨構，無論在宏大的結構和精湛的作曲技巧上，都達到一個空前的高度；特別在二十世紀音樂以反叛為特徵的背景下，這部力作再次雄辯地證明了先輩大師的傳統之永恒的生命力。
這部作品乃是一九八七年加拿大多倫多華人聖樂促進會的委約之作，並由該會所屬的聯合詩班於同年的十一月二十七日在多倫多首演，指揮為作曲家的父親黃飛立教授。由這位中國著名的指揮家執棒，香港聖樂團於一九八八年夏再次成功地演出了這部作品，樂譜並由香港宣道出版社同步出版。該作之美國首演則是一九九四年的十二月，那次盛大的演出乃是假座紐約林肯中心，由紐約談樂合唱團在作者的親自指揮下實現的。
《大衛之詩──詩篇二十二篇》亦被稱為“受難詩篇”，雖然它是在耶穌降生前一千年寫成，卻深入地描寫了千年後耶穌在十字架上所受的精神和肉體上的痛苦，這種生動的描寫令人覺得如非身臨其境，實難有這樣深切的體會。黃安倫把握住作品的風格，把詩篇中苦難的刻畫和敬畏的巨大感染力恰當地用音樂直接傳入聽眾的內心深處。一如傳統的基督教聖樂，大合唱基本上是以巴羅克風格寫成，最低限度，樂曲之音樂概念亦是十八世紀的典型，即傾向高度情感的表達方式。不過，經過巧妙的運用二十世紀初盛行的半音技法，作品仍處處透出清新的現代氣息。
序曲[Sinfonia]由管風琴的托卡塔在低沉的g小調上開啟了全曲，演繹出紛亂而痛苦的感覺；一首強力的二重賦格隨之而至，以半音的旋法層層展開，表達了向上帝不住的哀求。
在缺乏上帝的答允下，音樂逐漸積聚了澎湃的感情，終於在第一部[詩篇22:1,2]的合唱中爆發了震撼性的呼喊，這亦是耶穌臨死時在十字架上肝膽俱裂的“天問”：
一“我的 神、我的 神、為甚麼離棄我‧為甚麼遠離不救我、不聽我唉哼的言語。”
二 “我的 神阿、我白日呼求、你不應允‧夜間呼求、並不住聲。”
詩人在完全絕望的情況下，仍然順服上帝的神聖和公義。在第二部[詩篇22:3,4,5]合唱中，流暢的管風琴寧靜的主旋律反而表達出受難者堅定的信念：
三 “但你是聖潔的、是用以色列的讚美為寶座的。”
四 “我們的祖宗倚靠你‧他們倚靠你、你便解救他們。”
五 “他們哀求你，便蒙解救‧他們倚靠你、就不羞愧。”
但這種寧靜卻是被如此殘酷的現實所反襯：詩人是那樣陷於失望與無助的深淵中，並痛苦地發現，他遭受的無情挖苦和嘲諷竟是事實。第三部[詩篇22:6,7,8] 的男中音獨唱與合唱所強調的，正是這段聖經的主題：
六 “但我是虫、不是人。被眾人羞辱、被百姓藐視。”
七 “凡看見我的都嗤笑我‧他們撇嘴搖頭說：”
八 “ 他把自己交託耶和華，耶和華可以救他罷‧耶和華既喜悅他，可以搭救他罷。”
第四部[詩篇22:9,10,11] 的女高音獨唱充滿溫暖的樂韻，表達了詩人心底對上帝的感覺。但繼續下來的，則是逼近的急難：
九 “但你是叫我出母腹的‧我在母懷裏、你就使我有倚靠的 心。”
十 “我自出母胎就被交在你手裏‧從我母親生我、你就是 我的 神。”
十一 “求你不要遠離我‧因為急難臨近了，沒有人幫助我。”
第五部[詩篇22:12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19] 的男中音獨唱顯示了詩人最深切的悲哀與痛苦，一連串的隱喻將他的迫害者比作準備將他吞食的猛獸。獨特的合唱部份以強烈的戲劇性營造出一種詭異的迫害氣氛，與獨唱所表達的肉體折磨恰成尖銳的對比：
十二 “有許多公牛圍繞我‧巴珊大力的公牛四面困住我。”
十三 “他們向我張口、好像抓撕吼叫的獅子。”
十四 “我如水被倒出來‧我的骨頭都脫了節‧我心在我裏面如蠟鎔化。”
十五 “我的精力枯乾、如同瓦片‧我的舌頭貼在我的牙床上‧你將我安置在死地的塵土中。”
十六 “犬類圍著我‧惡黨環繞我‧他們扎了我的手、我的腳。”
十七 “我的骨頭、我都能數過‧他們瞪著眼睛看我。”
十八 “他們分我的外衣、為我的裏衣拈鬮。”
十九 “耶和華阿、求你不要遠離我‧我的救主阿、求你快來幫助我。”
然後，樂曲不間斷地接入下一部合唱。
第六部[詩篇22:19,20,21]是一首帕薩卡利亞，管風琴重覆地奏出主題達二十二次，而合唱部份則相應作出復雜的變奏。變奏的幅度層層增大，最後達到一個極悲哀的高潮──一個震裂心肺的祈求拯救的呼號。在這首帕薩卡利亞中，黃安倫充份表現出他複調音樂寫作的才華，對這種寫作方式很多當代的作曲家甚至只能望門興嘆：
十九 “耶和華阿、求你不要遠離我‧我的救主阿、求你快來 幫助我。”
二十 “求你救我的靈魂脫離刀劍、救我的生命脫離犬類。
二十一 “救我脫離獅子的口‧你已經應允我、使我脫離野牛的 角。”
第七部[詩篇22:22,23,24,25]由女高音獨唱將音樂轉向對上帝歡樂的歌頌，明亮的G大調使樂曲由悲傷的情緒中轉入一種昂揚、溫暖和親切的氣氛：
二十二 “我要將你的名傳與我的弟兄‧在會中我要讚美你。”
二十三 “你們敬畏耶和華的人、要讚美祂‧雅各的後裔、都要榮耀祂‧以色列的後裔、都要懼怕祂。”
二十四 “因為他沒有藐視憎惡受苦的人、也沒有向他掩面‧那受苦之人呼籲的時候、祂就垂聽。”
二十五 “我在大會中讚美你的話、是從你而來的‧我要在敬畏耶和華的人面前還我的願。”
第八部[詩篇22:26]以舞曲的形式表達，不斷重覆的切分低音節奏曾是巴羅克時代的流行樣式，而合唱團唱出的旋律則是多種聖樂形式的混合。作曲家還鬼斧神工地加入中東的音樂情調，令人聯想到大衛王時代盛行的舞蹈，那時大衛王本人亦會在上帝面前盡情地跳舞。﹝見撒母耳記下六章十四節﹞：
二十六 “謙卑的人必喫得飽足‧尋求耶和華的人必讚美祂‧願你們的心永遠活著。”
第九部[詩篇22:27,28,29,30和31]為終曲。女高音與男中音的二重唱宣告上帝為王，並由合唱進一步地呼應。一首三段體的讚美詩，由起初有力的宣告引出天使熱烈的報導，最後以一曲燦爛宏亮的賦格讚頌上帝的拯救：
二十七 “地的四極、都要想念耶和華、並且歸順祂‧列國的萬族、都要在你面前敬拜。”
二十八 “因為國權是耶和華的‧祂是管理萬國的。”
二十九 “地上一切豐肥的人必喫喝而敬拜‧凡下到塵土中不能存活自己性命的人、都要在祂面前下拜。”
三十 “祂必有後裔事奉祂‧主所行的事、必傳與後代。”
三十一 “他們必來把祂的公義傳給將要生的民、言明這事是祂所行的。”
全曲以低沉的g小調開始，代表耶穌的痛苦與受難；最後以活潑的G大調結束，慶賀上帝的勝利和統治。
