Programme notes:

Tereza Jaďuďová (b. 2001)
Psalms (Žalmy)
Written in 2026

Psalms (ŽALMY) is a choral cycle drawing on texts in Old Church Slavonic, whose thematic core reflects spiritual contemplation, humility, and the relationship between the human and the divine. The use of this ancient liturgical language situates the work within a broader historical and sacred context, while allowing the sound of the text itself—its weight, rhythm, and phonetic character—to become a central musical element.

The composition explores a rich choral sound world shaped by the use of clusters and dense harmonic fields. Rather than functioning purely as dissonance, these clusters create a sense of suspended space, evoking both tension and transcendence. At times, the texture condenses into compact sonorities; elsewhere, it opens into more transparent, resonant passages, allowing the text to emerge with clarity.

The setting responds closely to the meaning and declamation of the words, balancing expressive intensity with moments of stillness and introspection. Through this interplay of sound, language, and texture, the work moves between earthly weight and spiritual elevation, offering a contemporary reflection on sacred choral tradition.