Bernstein: Concerto for Orchestra -4 Benediction (NY Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein)

This is the last movement of Bernstein's Concerto for Orchestra. It was originally a two-movement work entitled "Jubilee Games" for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The Benediction movement was added a little later, and finally the theme and variations "Mixed Doubles" was inserted as the new second movement.

The movement was actually first heard at the opening of the new Carnegie Hall under the title "Opening Prayer". It concludes with the solo baritone (Jose Eduardo Chama here) intoning the Jewish Priestly Blessing (Birkat Kohanim):

Yeverechecha adonai ve'yishmereicha.
[May the Lord bless you and keep you.]
Ya'er adonai panav eileicha vichuneika.
[May the Lord shine his face upon you and be gracious to you.]
Yisa adonai panav eileicha ve'yasem lecha shalom.
[May the Lord lift his face up to you and grant you peace.]

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