Six Bible Poems: - 3. The Marriage at Cana

3. - The Marriage at Cana of Galilee (St. John ii, 1)

Of the "Third Poem" Weinberger writes: This wedding music is based on four notes which form the Basso ostinato. The piece is planned as an orchestral composition and the instrumentation is indicated in Psalm 150, which gives the following "score": Trumpet, Psaltery, Harp, Timbrel, Stringed Instrument, Organs and Cymbals. In St. John ii, we read "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the Mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and His disciples, to the marriage."


I found this movement to be the most "difficult to get right", and despite the fact that it was a pain, I really like it, in it's own unique way. It gives the impression of a courtly dance which is first announced by the basso ostinato, thumping away, full organ, at the low end of the pedal board. It does a gradual decrescendo, until only 8' solo stops are in play. Notice how effective the Pedal's 16' Open Wood is at conveying the idea of a plucked, string bass. I had to "thump" the notes to get the intended sound. The ostinato never stops and the sound gradually increases as the dance, always stately, increases to almost full organ at the end. To make the effect of a "final thump", I added the 32' Bombarde as I realeased the final chord.

This is one of the movements that you NEED the crescendo pedal on!

As an interesting side note - I bought these pieces in a used music sale years ago, but had never done them, since they looked too hard. The owner of them had been an "Annie M. Hainsworth". Her only markings through the entire set are in the margins of this work. I quote: "Has a gay sound, but where to use it?!?"

That is a mighty good question, Annie! ;-)

This Third Poem is dedicated to John Harms, who "advised" the composer on registrations, etc. It is the only one of the six to show a dedication.