All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.
Description
The 150 Psalms contain some of the most inspiring lines in the Old Testament: Psalm 23 “The Lord is My Shepherd” and Psalm 121 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills”. Yet few know them as a set, and this recording, in Alex Jennings’ clear performance, allows us to consider them as a whole. They are not all uplifting and comfortable. Many involve darker sentiments of revenge or punishment; many appear to be by David or about David; others are To the chief Musician upon Gittith. Their variety is part of their strength and their power, especially in the magisterial language of the King James Bible used here. They are presented with English choral music from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Alex Jennings's delivery is more like a skilled recitation than a narration. Jennings understands the structure of the Psalms as shaped in the well-known language of the King James Bible. Every word is delivered crisply, and his voice is dignified and always respectful. Transitions are bridged with brief excerpts of English choral music from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The combination is beautiful, meditative, and unified. The one possible objection to this performance is its lack of passion. The Psalms are praise songs, and while Jennings does convey worship, he never sounds like he is moved by joy. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
About the Author
Alex Jennings trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company and has played numerous leading roles in Royal Shakespeare Company productions including Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, Measure for Measure, Richard III, Peer Gynt, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing. His film credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Derek Jarman’s War Requiem, and The Wings of the Dove.
