My Music - Jeremiah
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Composed: 1994-2004
First performance:

Denne kantate med tekster fra Jeremias' Bog og Klagesangene har hentet musikalsk inspiration i Perotins organi. Værkets satser er ensfarvede flader, alle med orgelpunkt, hvor satserne kontrasterer mod hinanden.
Alle diatoniske modi anvendes; to andre ikke-diatoniske modi spiller også en vigtig rolle.
Kantaten er i to dele, indledt med et instrumentalt præludium, adskilt af et intermezzo og afsluttet af en meditation hvor korets melodi udvikler sig igennem cluster-agtige klange.

If you wish to perform, publish, or just study this work, please send me a note.

OriginalTranslation

Præludium - Arie 1  - Synth

(instrumentalt præludium)

Gid mit hoved var fuldt af tårer
og mine øjne en tårekilde;
så ville jeg græde dag og nat
over de dræbte hos mit folks datter.

På grund af mit lemlæstede folks datter er jeg knust,
jeg sørger, jeg er grebet af gru.
Er der ikke balsam i Gilead,
er der ingen læger dér?
Hvorfor er mit folks datters sår
da ikke blevet lægt?

Jer 8,21-23

Prelude - aria 1

(instrumental prelude)

Oh that my head were waters,
and mine eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night
for the slain of the daughter of my people!

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt;
I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Is there no balm in Gilead;
is there no physician there?
why then is not the health of the daughter
of my people recovered?

KJV Jeremiah 8,21-23

Kor 1  - Synth

De vil helbrede mit lemlæstede folk,
de siger letsindigt: Fred, fred,
skønt der ikke er fred.
De bliver til skamme, fordi de handlede afskyeligt;
men skammen føler de ikke, spotten forstår de ikke.
Derfor skal de falde iblandt faldne;
når straffen kommer, skal de snuble, siger Herren.

Gør jeres færd og jeres gerninger gode,
så vil jeg lade jer bo på dette sted.
Sæt ikke jeres lid til de løgneord:
Herrens tempel, Herrens tempel, Herrens tempel!
Nej, gør jeres færd og jeres gerninger gode,
så vil jeg lade jer bo på dette sted
fra evighed til evighed i det land, jeg gav til jeres fædre.

I sætter jeres lid til løgneord, der intet gavner.
Kan I stjæle, begå drab, eller bryde et ægteskab,
kan I sværge falsk eller tænde offerild for Ba'al,
kan I følge andre guder, som I ikke før har kendt,
og så komme og træde frem for mit ansigt
i dette hus, som mit navn er udråbt over, og sige: Vi er reddet!
når I begår alle disse afskyelige handlinger?
Er dette hus, som mit navn er udråbt over en røverkule?
Også jeg kan se! siger Herren.

Jer 6,14f; 7,5ff

Chorus 1

They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly,
saying, Peace, peace;
when there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:
therefore they shall fall among them that fall:
at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Amend your ways and your doings,
and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
Trust ye not in lying words, saying,
The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings;
Then will I cause you to dwell in this place,
in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery,
and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal,
and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
And come and stand before me
in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered
to do all these abominations?
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?
Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

KJV Jer 6,14f; 7,5ff

Kor 2  - Synth

Du skal sige til dem: Dette siger Herren:
Rejser man sig ikke, når man er faldet?
Vender man ikke tilbage, når man er vendt om?
Hvorfor bliver dette folk så i sit frafald?
Hvorfor er Jerusalem evigt utro?
De holder fast ved svig
og nægter at vende om.
Jeg har lyttet og hørt efter,
men de taler ikke sandhed.
Ingen angrer sin ondskab
og siger: "Hvad har jeg dog gjort?"
Alle fortsætter løbet
som heste, der styrter fremad i krigen.
Endog storken på himlen
ved, når tiden er inde;
duen og svalen og droslen
passer selv tiden, når de skal komme.
Men mit folk ved ikke,
hvad Herren har krav på.

Jer 8,4-7

Chorus 2

Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD;
Shall they fall, and not arise?
shall he turn away, and not return?
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back
by a perpetual backsliding?
they hold fast deceit,
they refuse to return.
I hearkened and heard,
but they spake not aright:
no man repented him of his wickedness,
saying, What have I done?
every one turned to his course,
as the horse rusheth into the battle.
Yea, the stork in the heaven
knoweth her appointed times;
and the turtle and the crane and the swallow
observe the time of their coming;
but my people know not
the judgment of the LORD.

KJV Jeremiah 8,4-7

Kor 3-Arie 2-intermz  - Synth

Dette siger Herren:
Stil jer ved vejene, og se jer om;
spørg efter de gamle stier,
følg vejen til det gode,
så skal I finde hvile for jeres sjæle.
Men de svarer: Det vil vi ikke!
Jeg stiller vægtere ud for jer, lyt, lyt, lyt til hornet!
Men de svarer: Det vil vi ikke!
Hør derfor, I folkeslag, forstå, du folkeforsamling,
hvad der skal ske dem.
Hør, du jord: Jeg bringer en ulykke over dette folk,
den er frugten af deres planer.
For de lyttede ikke til mine ord,
de forkastede min lov.


Jeg så jorden, og der var tomhed og øde,
himlen, og der var intet lys.
Jeg så bjergene, og de rystede,
alle højene skælvede.
Jeg så, og der var intet menneske,
alle himlens fugle var fløjet.
Jeg så, og frugthaverne var ørken,
alle byerne var jævnet med jorden
af Herren i hans glødende vrede.

Jer 6,16-19; 4,23-26

Chorus 3 - aria 2 -

Thus saith the LORD,
Stand ye in the ways, and see,
and ask for the old paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein,
and ye shall find rest for your souls.
But they said, We will not walk therein.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet.
But they said, We will not hearken.
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation,
what is among them.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people,
even the fruit of their thoughts,
because they have not hearkened unto my words,
nor to my law, but rejected it.


I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void;
and the heavens, and they had no light.
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,
and all the hills moved lightly.
I beheld, and, lo, there was no man,
and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness,
and all the cities thereof were broken down
at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.

KJV

Ritornel/Kor 4  - Synth

Herrens troskab er ikke hørt op,
hans barmhjertighed er ikke forbi,
den er ny hver morgen;
din trofasthed er stor.


Det er godt at vente i tavshed
på Herrens frelse,
det er godt for en mand
at bære åg i sin ungdom;
han skal sidde ensom og tavs,
når Herren lægger det på ham,
han skal ligge med munden i støvet,
måske er der håb!
Han skal vende kinden mod ham, der slår ham,
han skal mættes med spot.
For Herren
forstøder ikke for evigt;
nej, selv når han kuer,
forbarmer han sig i sin store troskab.

Klages 3,22f.26ff

Chorus 4

It is through the Lord's love that we have not come to destruction,
because his mercies have no limit.
They are new every morning;
great is your good faith.


It is good to go on hoping and quietly
waiting for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for a man
to undergo the yoke when he is young.
Let him be seated by himself, saying nothing,
because he has put it on him.
Let him put his mouth in the dust,
if by chance there may be hope.
Let his face be turned to him who gives him blows;
let him be full of shame.
For the Lord does not
give a man up for ever.
For though he sends grief,
still he will have pity in the full measure of his love.

KJV Lamentations

Ritornel/Kor 6  - Synth

Herrens troskab er ikke hørt op,
hans barmhjertighed er ikke forbi,
den er ny hver morgen;
din trofasthed er stor.

Hvorfor klager det menneske, der lever?
Hvorfor klager en mand over straffen for sin synd?
Lad os ransage og udforske vore veje
og vende om til Herren;
lad os løfte vore hjerter i hænderne
til Gud i himlen.

Klages 3,39ff

Chorus 5

It is through the Lord's love that we have not come to destruction,
because his mercies have no limit.
They are new every morning;
great is your good faith.

What protest may a living man make,
even a man about the punishment of his sin?
Let us make search and put our ways to the test,
turning again to the Lord;
Lifting up our hearts with our hands
to God in the heavens.

KJV Lamentations

Rit./Arie/Rit./Kor 7  - Synth

Herrens troskab er ikke hørt op,
hans barmhjertighed er ikke forbi,
den er ny hver morgen;
din trofasthed er stor.

Jeg råbte dit navn, Herre,
fra den dybe grav;
du hørte mit råb:
"Luk ikke dit øre for min stønnen, for mit nødskrig!"
Du kom mig nær, da jeg kaldte,
du sagde: "Frygt ikke!"


Husk, Herre, hvad der skete os,
se dog, hvordan vi bliver spottet.
Vor ejendom er kommet i hænderne på fremmede,
vore huse tilhører udlændinge.
Vi er faderløse, har ingen far,
vore mødre sidder som enker.
Vandet, vi drikker, må vi købe,
brændet får vi kun mod betaling.
Vi bliver tæt forfulgt,
vi er udmattede, vi får ingen hvile.
Vi rakte hånden frem mod Egypten
og mod Assyrien for at mættes med brød.
Vore fædre syndede, de er ikke mere,
vi må bære deres straf.
Trælle hersker over os,
ingen befrier os fra dem.
Med livet som indsats henter vi føden hjem
truet af ørkenens sværd;
vores hud er hed som en ovn
i den glødende hunger.
Kvinder voldtages i Zion,
jomfruer i Judas byer.
Stormænd bliver grebet og hængt,
der bliver ikke vist de ældste respekt.
Unge mænd må trække kværnen,
drenge segner under brændet.
De ældste sidder ikke mere i porten,
de unge mænd spiller ikke mere på strenge.
Vort hjertes fryd er til ende,
vor dans er forvandlet til sorg,
kronen faldt af vort hoved.
Ve os, vi har syndet!
Vort hjerte er sygt,
vore øjne formørkes;
fordi Zions bjerg ligger øde,
strejfer ræve omkring.

Du, Herre, troner til evig tid,
din trone står i slægt efter slægt.
Hvorfor glemmer du os for evigt?
Hvorfor svigter du os for altid?
Lad os vende om til dig, Herre, så vi vender om,
gør vore dage nye, som de var i fortiden,
hvis du ikke helt har forkastet os
og ikke er alt for vred på os.

Klages 3,22; 5

Aria 3 - Chorus 6

It is through the Lord's love that we have not come to destruction,
because his mercies have no limit.
They are new every morning;
great is your good faith.

I was making prayer to your name, O Lord,
out of the lowest prison.
My voice came to you;
let not your ear be shut to my breathing, to my cry.
You came near in the day when I made my prayer to you:
you said, Have no fear.


Keep in mind, O Lord, what has come to us:
take note and see our shame.
Our heritage is given up to men of strange lands,
our houses to those who are not our countrymen.
We are children without fathers,
our mothers are like widows.
We give money for a drink of water,
we get our wood for a price.
Our attackers are on our necks:
overcome with weariness, we have no rest.
We have given our hands to the Egyptians
and to the Assyrians so that we might have enough bread.
Our fathers were sinners and are dead;
and the weight of their evil-doing is on us.
Servants are ruling over us,
and there is no one to make us free from their hands.
We put our lives in danger to get our bread,
because of the sword of the waste land.
Our skin is heated like an oven
because of our burning heat from need of food.
They took by force the women in Zion,
the virgins in the towns of Judah.
Their hands put princes to death by hanging:
the faces of old men were not honoured.
The young men were crushing the grain,
and the boys were falling under the wood.
The old men are no longer seated in the doorway,
and the music of the young men has come to an end.
The joy of our hearts is ended;
our dancing is changed into sorrow.
The crown has been taken from our head:
sorrow is ours, for we are sinners.
Because of this our hearts are feeble;
for these things our eyes are dark;
Because of the mountain of Zion which is a waste;
jackals go over it.

You, O Lord, are seated as King for ever;
the seat of your power is eternal.
Why have we gone from your memory for ever?
why have you been turned away from us for so long?
Make us come back to you, O Lord, and let us be turned;
make our days new again as in the past.
But you have quite given us up;
you are full of wrath against us.

KJV Lamentations

Meditation  - Synth

(ingen tekst)

Meditation

(no text)

Note: The Midi/Synth sound files are only provided to give a preview of the music; all of my music is intended to be performed by living musicians.
If you find that some of my music has too much similarity with other music, please contact me. I don't intend to plagiarize.