SCORE STUDY EPISODE #3: PSALM (Persichetti)

I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THIS COMPOSITION OR THIS RECORDING, THEY ARE THE PROPERTIES OF THE COMPOSER, PUBLISHER AND PERFORMER. THIS VIDEO IS SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND HAS BEEN MONETIZED FOR THE COPYRIGHT OWNERS.
Psalm for Band (1952)
Composed by Vincent Persichetti
Published by Theodore Presser Music
Performed by The University of North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Corporon conducting.
Reduction and Analysis by Anthony J. O'Toole
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[@jacobbass6437]

I love the “please read this book” this piece is amazing and got to sit in an ensemble with this piece and it’s such an amazing listen.

[@metroidnerd9001]

I played this piece in high school band 7 years ago, and at first I thought it was kind of boring, but something about it kept me listening long after our contest. The "chorale" theme was the only theme I really caught onto when we actually played it, but seeing the depths of analysis you've done with this piece has helped me see a little bit as to why it was so memorable. So many motifs and interesting harmonies. I can still perfectly follow the euphonium part as I listen. We rehearsed it so much, since it was a bit above our difficulty level (top band at the school, but only 9th and 10th graders), that it's been ingrained into my head. A recording of our performance is actually on KZbin, and I like to think we did as much justice to it as we could.

[@kennethsubrin4885]

please do more Persichetti! 😍

[@padraicfanning7055]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmKtf6yJgLiamNU

[@matthewnell]

The imitation between the woodwinds and percussion around 5:42 is so nice! Persichetti really knew how to make drums sing; it was refreshing to me as a percussionist to have a melody on timpani, snare, or toms.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

He used the percussion in a more melodic role rather than as rhythmic/dynamic support like most band composers up to that point.

[@tommybrain4204]

gonna start by saying you probably know better than i do, but this is how i see it: I think Roman numeral analysis as Persichetti does it in his book would be far more effective for this; he doesn't really explain it as far as I can tell, but what I've gathered from it that because harmonies don't have to be in the same mode as the melody, it is more effective to simply write an upper case numeral for each chord. also, the quality of the chord no longer is a determining factor in its function. function is dependent on two factors: the cycle being used (the cycle of seconds, thirds, and fifths, and the position of the dominant chord within the mode.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

I’m a huge VP fan and I’ve studied his music and writing extensively, I know the point you’re getting at and appreciate you’re taking the time to write this all out. But my approach to this piece and this series of score studies is to be as accessible as possible in my style and mode of analysis. These are geared towards the most common denominator to be as useful as possible to as many as possible. I don’t want only people with 2-5 semesters of theory under their belt to understand what I’m saying. Simple chord descriptions and generally a cursory analysis of the orchestration, formal structure, harmonic vocabulary and melodic grammar are provided. This allows them a foot in the door and get them more interested in buying the score and digging in for themselves - at least that’s my overall mission with this endeavor since not exactly lucrative to make these, I do it because I wish there were readily available and accessible resources like this when I was a teenager with only an internet connection and a library card.