De Profundis (1980)

for male choir, percussions ad libitum and organ

dedicated to the Austrian composer Gottfried von Einem (1918–1996) 

I have chosen this piece for many various reasons. I believe it to be one of the most essential of his works to understand his structuring of ideas, tintinnabuli style and, how he treats rhythm. The rhythm comes from the syllables in this piece, meaning each syllable has a length of a half note and the bar lengths are determined by how many syllables each word has. This creates a unique, almost free flow, speech like a state, hiding behind a well structured idea. 

The basis of the composition is a pilgrimage song, Psalm 130 (129) Out of the depths, I cry to you, Lord, which has been composed following the beginning of the psalm: one voice, in all possible combinations sings the first two verses of the psalm, two voices sing the third and fourth, three voices sing the fifth and sixth, whereas the seventh and eighth psalms are sung by the entire four-part male choir. The beauty of this constructuion is that he explores all of the possiblities within sections, constatly expanding. With this gradual addition of voices, what started as an individual lament ultimately becomes a collective wailing. (Arvo Pärt Centre 2025)

The melodic modes that he chose for this piece, for each verse of the psalm and changing to a different one with each sentece (or a phrase), he follows this pattern:

- Ascending from

- Descending towards

- Ascending towards

- Descending from

Each mode aims to reach the tonic E or starts from it. This piece is also a great example Pärt's usage of serial pairings within the section. Only by gradually adding the sections in different combinations, he manages to create a build up without adding any extra harmonic material. 

Vocal Text

Psalm 130 (129)

De profundis clamavi ad te Domine:
Domine exaudi vocem meam: Fiant aures tuae intendentes, in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observaveris Domine: Domine quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est: et propter legem tuam sustinui te Domine.

Sustinuit anima mea in verbo eius: speravit anima mea in Domino.

A custodia matutina usque ad noctem: speret Israel in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia: et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel, ex omnibus iniquitatibus eius.

Psalm 130 (129)
(Translation)

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (Arvo Pärt Centre 2025)

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