"In the summer of 2011, I came upon the idea of composing original music for the Book of Psalms. The Book of Psalms was written 3000 years ago by King David, Asaph, his musical director and the sons of Korah who were working under David. Asaph, while not getting much recognition, functioned much like Billy Strayhorn did for Duke Ellington.
One morning while meditating on Psalm 27 and using the ancient technique of Lectio Divina where one slowly repeats a Scripture passage, I began to hear the text in musical terms. The music of rhythm and melody emerged and I decided to follow composer's instincts and and write it down. This led to a full blown composition. Now 3 1/2 years later I have completed 108 of 150 of the Psalms.
I first began composing music in 1966 while working with the legendary jazz trumpet/sax player Ira Sullivan in Miami, Fl. Most compositions would begin with a sound from the piano, a chord progression, melodic fragment or a rhythmic idea. The Jazz Psalms always begin with the sacred text of the Psalm. I work with Music Serving the Word Ministries, Scottsdale, AZ. The name of the ministry clearly states the mission to "serve the Word."
Through the practice of Lectio Divina, a particular phrase or word will stand out and become the seed of musical thought. From there, the text is extracted, form is decided and musical style reveals itself and the necessary steps to composition completion. The result is a sort of snapshot of the theme of the Psalm. It is important to realize that the Psalms Reborn are just a reflection of one of the multiple themes of the Psalms. The Psalms are complex and often long and not easily ready for jazz composition.
Psalms Reborn are songs written in the language of modern music with various styles and ensembles that are meant to be sung as were the original Psalms written by King David and his musical staff. In fact, the Book of Psalms is the only book of the Holy Bible that is musical. The intention of the Psalms Reborn is to lead people to discover the richness of the original Book of Psalms considered to be the prayer of the church.
Suffice to say that the Psalms Reborn Project and the gift of the Book of Psalms has led me to the most spiritually fulfilling endeavor of my life. It is truly a gift from God and I invite you to share in this experience by listening to this work."
Blessings, Chuck
(BEGINNINGS cmarohnic blog 03/2015)