Psalm 149 for solo percussion
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Review from Percussive Notes (2026):
Reviewed by: Brian Graiser
“Psalm 149” for solo percussion is a six-movement artistic response to the text of the titular Psalm, and is roughly 26 minutes in length. The composer uses the large scope of the piece to grapple with his conflicting thoughts and feelings surrounding the original text, and that conflict is evident from the opening movement, which is surprisingly martial and process-oriented. Indeed, there is a sense that the creation of this piece was therapeutic, or perhaps cathartic, for the composer, and his motivation in writing the piece must also include a wish to provide a similar experience for the performer and audience, assuming they share his sensibilities on the subject.
Each movement reveals its own distinctive musical ecosystem, including a dance-like second movement and a gently lyrical song without words in the final movement. The through-composed recitative with spoken text in the third movement is ostensibly a simple setting of the Psalm text, but the fluid asymmetrical meter, frequently-changing rhythmic subdivisions, and angular percussion accompaniment communicate an anxiousness and unease with the source material that seems better suited for modern geopolitical discourse than earnest religious worship; why else would the movements begin with markings such as “Simply, Raw,” “Oppressively Disjunct,” and “With Fury”?
The piece sounds like something Xenakis might have written upon hearing a lecture by Rzewski. There are many impressive moments of virtuosity and emotion, and by the end the audience will be left with no doubt as to the composer’s point of view. Indeed, the piece is lengthy enough that some performers may wish to only play selected movements. I would recommend this work to college- or professional-level performers seeking a large-scale, virtuosic solo that is relevant to Middle East politics, although I urge potential performers to visit the provided link and watch the video first to ensure that the unabashedly provocative politics of the piece are in line with their own artistic and personal sensibilities.
