We Are Dreamers

We Are Dreamers was commissioned* in honor of the 50th anniversary of the state of Israel. The text is Psalm 126, whose theme is the return of exiles to Zion. This psalm, sung after festive meals on Sabbath and holidays, has sustained generations of Jews in exile. Communities throughout the Diaspora (dispersion) have created their own melodies for this text, and many of these communities have now fulfilled its dream of returning to the land. In this composition, I have selected three melodies with contrasting interpretations of the experience of exile and return.

The music begins with a plaintive Salonikan Greek melody in the clarinet, infused with yearning for return. The atmosphere has a dreamlike quality enhanced by the vibraphone and sustained choral harmonies. It is the call of a lover for her beloved from afar. Gradually the chorus emerges, as if itself coming out of exile, leading to an ecstatic vision of reunion with trills and tremolos in the clarinet and piano. This gives way to a dumbek solo and a lively Yemenite version of the psalm. Here the dumbek joins the chorus in rhythmic shifts as the music frees itself from the bonds of exile and revels in the joy of return. In the midst of this energy the tempo slows to allow a melody from Morocco to emerge. Recalling the lover’s yearning from the opening, the Moroccan melody expresses the sweetness of intimacy when two lovers finally reunite. Soon the Yemenite tune sneaks back via the clarinet, introducing a contrapuntal choral climax and triumphant ending.

We Are Dreamers was commissioned by a consortium of Jewish choral ensembles led by Zamir Chorale of Boston, along with the Rottenberg Chorale of New York; Gratz College Choir of Pennsylvania; Zemer Chai of Washington, DC; and Kol Dodi of New Jersey. It grew out of a six-week residency in Israel during spring of 1997 sponsored by the South Carolina Arts Commission and Hillel at the University of South Carolina. The melodies are from recordings found at the National Sound Archives of the Jewish National and University Library, Jerusalem, Israel. —Meira Warshauer, 1998

Psalm 126:
A Song of Ascents.
When G-d returns Zion from exile
We will be as if in a dream,
Our mouths filled with laughter
Our tongues with songs of joy.
Then shall they say among the nations,
“G-d has made greatness for them.”
G-d has made greatness for us,
We rejoiced.

Return us from our exile, Oh G-d,
Like streams in the desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap with joyous song.
The one who goes weeping
Carrying his bag of seed
Will come back with songs of joy
Carrying his sheaves.

Text and translation for We Are Dreamers by Meira Warshauer (from Psalm 126):

Shir HaMa’alot.
A Song of Ascents.

We are dreamers returning from exile,
filled with laughter.

.Az yimale s’chok pinu
Then our mouths will be filled with laughter

ul shoneynu rinah.
and our tongues with joyous song.

Az hayinu s’meychim, s’meychim.
Then we will be happy, happy.

We are as dreamers returning from exile, returning, returning from exile… .

Shir hama’alot
A Song of Ascents

b’shuv Adoshem et shivat tziyon.
When G-d returns Zion from exile

*Hayinu k’chol-a-mim.
We will be as if in a dream,

Az yimale s’chok pinu
Then our mouths will be filled with laughter

ulshonenu rinah,
and our tongues with joyous song.

az yomeru vagoyim
Then shall they say among the nations,

higdil Adoshem la’asot im eyleh.
“G-d has made greatness for them.”

Hidgil Adoshem la’asot imanu,
G-d has made greatness for us,

hayinu s’meychim.
We rejoiced.

Haloch yeylech uvachoh
The one who walks along weeping

nosey meshech hazara
carrying his bag of seed.

bo yavo v’rinah
He will return with joyous song

nosey alumotav.
carrying his sheaves.

*(Hebrew transliteration transcribed according to the Yemenite pronunciation for this melody.)