HaMelekh

Program Note

HaMelech is a setting of two chapters from Heychalot Rabati, an ancient Jewish mystical text almost two thousand years old. This work was commissioned by the John Leopold and Martha Dellheim Endowment Fund at the Jewish Theological Seminary and by Hazzan Matthew Klein. The text gives instructions on navigating the different spaces that an initiate uses to reach G-d's presence, each "space" being a different "room" (heychal). The first movement set by the composer, "Oso Adom," expresses both the fear and trembling of entering the final room. The cantorial style of this first movement is drawn from the Eastern European style. The second, "HaMelech," portrays the effusive joy that comes from standing in the presence of G-d. This second movement is based on motives from Western European nusach (Jewish chant), but has a distinctly modern character. Mr. Leshnoff worked closely with Hazzan Matthew Klein to capture the cantorial style for these two movements, weaving them together with his signature harmonic palate and 21st-century neo-romantic lyricism.