Lucas Richman: Y'varechecha (Priestly Blessing)

Y’varechecha (Priestly Blessing)
Music by Lucas Richman
Text from Numbers 6:24-26
Y’varechecha, for chorus and orchestra, was commissioned to honor Berney Kubetz in celebration of his 75th birthday. Acknowledging Mr. Kubetz’s many years of service and support of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, as well as his unfailing friendship and kindness, composer Lucas Richman has woven several aspects of the honoree’s life into this musical work, most significantly represented by the selection of the text of “Y’varechecha” (also known as the Priestly Blessing or Aaronic Blessing from the Torah). Additionally, the work acknowledges Mr. Kubetz as an avid devotee of music, with him having studied trumpet in high school and eventually finding his life-long calling of blowing the Shofar in Jewish services.
Forming the basis of the work’s melodic material, the name “BERNEY” has been translated into the musical pitches B-E-D-G-E-D, heard first in the work’s introduction which features the solo French horn declaiming a setting of the Hebrew prayer known as the “Shehecheyanu” (Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, for granting us life, for sustaining us and for helping us to reach this day.). A figure of ascending thirds becomes the underscore for a setting of the “Y’varechecha” prayer, sung in both Hebrew and English, with interjections from the English Horn playing the 6-note motive in reverse order. The music builds to a final iteration of the full liturgical text before returning to the music of the introduction, ending with the chorus’ summation, “Kein y’hi ratzon” (May it be so).
Y’varechecha received its world premiere on April 28, 2024, with the composer conducting the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.
Instrumentation: SATB chorus, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English Horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp and strings.
Y’varechecha
Music by Lucas Richman
Text from Numbers 6:24-26
Yevarechecha Adonai, V’Yishmerecha
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Ya’er Adonai Panav Eleicha, Vichuneka
May the Lord shine his face toward you and be gracious unto you.
Yisa Adonai Panav Eleicha,
May the Lord lift his countenance upon you,
V’Yasem Lecha Shalom
And give you peace.
Kein y’hi ratzon, Amen
May it be so, Amen