Jerusalem-Yerushalayim

The eyes of the world are on Jerusalem. More than any other city, Jerusalem has captured hearts and imaginations around the world and continues to reflect the turbulent emotions of our troubled times. Jerusalem - placed at the centre of the world on mediaeval maps - a crossroads between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Jerusalem - occupied by Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Ottomans, British etc. Jerusalem - the scene of central events in Jewish history and in the Christian gospel - and now home to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic holy sites. While Jerusalem currently attracts media attention as part of a divisive political agenda, the Bible tells an extraordinary story with a much longer perspective - a story that begins in Genesis with the wanderings of Abraham, and ends in incredible hope: a vision of peace for all nations, starting in Jerusalem.

In 2006 the composer Antony Pitts was inspired to begin sketching an oratorio that would tell, simply but powerfully, the Biblical story of Jerusalem - to audiences familiar with both great classical oratorios and popular musicals, and regardless of denomination or religious background, cultural perspective or political viewpoint. The result is Jerusalem-Yerushalayim, an oratorio-cantata with a libretto based on texts from the Tanakh (Old Testament) laid out in a narrative order, and with the ancient Hebrew names for familiar Biblical characters and places - hence the double-barrelled title. Mirroring the four quarters of Jerusalem's 'Old City', the oratorio is divided into four sections of three movements each with a coda looking forward to Isaiah's vision of the wolf living together with the lamb.

The music is new, but has strong historical echoes including familiar Western musical references such as Tallis's Lamentations of Jeremiah, Purcell's My Beloved spake, Handel's Zadok the Priest, and Parry's I was glad - as well as various resonances from far outside the classical canon. In terms of practicality and approachability, Jerusalem-Yerushalayim is modelled on Handel's Messiah, and designed for widespread use - by either professional vocal ensembles or amateur choirs, with SATB soloists, and flexible accompaniment. Unusually, the first part of the oratorio to be completed was the conclusion - the choral coda entitled The Peace of Jerusalem. It was premiered by the Choir of London, conductor Jeremy Summerly, in Israel in April 2007, and has since had performances in the UK by TONUS PEREGRINUS at the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music, and by the Elysian Singers under the direction of the composer in the City of London. TONUS PEREGRINUS has recorded the coda for Hyperion on a new album called Alpha and Omega, and in June 2008 gave the world premiere of the complete oratorio at Opera Fringe in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland - to a standing ovation.