Blessing, by Karen Siegel

Blessing, by Karen Siegel
For Four Part Mixed Chorus
Performance: Te Deum Chamber Choir, Artistic Director Matthew Christopher Shepard, live performance 2018
Purchase the score for Blessing and other works at seeadot.com!
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Lyrics:
May Adonai bless you and keep you.
May Adonai shine light upon you and be gracious unto you. May Adonai look toward you and grant you peace
-Priestly Blessing (כהנים ברכת), Numbers 6: 24-26
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Program Note:
The Birkat Kohanim, or Priestly Blessing, is chanted in many Jewish prayer services by descendants of the Kohanim, the Jewish group traditionally assigned the task of leading prayer and ceremonies. A variation of this blessing is also recited in some Christian traditions. Hopefully this English translation can be meaningful to people of many faith traditions. My setting alternates between homophonic, straightforward statements and layering of aleatoric repetitions over sustained chords. As congregants in a synagogue, or individuals in any faith community, the voices are heard both as unique and with the strength of the whole. Commissioned by Te Deum Chamber Choir, Artistic Director Matthew Christopher Shepard.