The Beatitudes

Program Notes

In 2015 I composed “Poor in Spirit” - a short piece for choir and flugelhorn. The occasion was a concert with Eric Whitacre Singers in London, where he was conducting the London premiere of my choral work, “The Salvage Men.” Before our trip to the UK, I mentioned to Eric a crazy idea that had haunted me for quite a time; a short piece for flugelhorn and choir.   Eric enthusiastically accepted, and the piece was composed. We were very happy with the results, eventually releasing the live recording of “Poor in Spirit”,  along with all of the music performed in Union Chapel for Eric’s program.   I loved the idea of the improvising flugelhorn as a color - it brought a sense of the ecstatic or unpredictable to a choral piece - it was really fun to perform as well.

My text,  “Blessed are the Poor in Spirit” was a short phrase from the Beatitudes, (a series of short wisdom texts from the new testament).   I thought perhaps someday I may compose a larger piece - a settling of all eight of the Beatitudes.  Thankfully Grant Gershon and the Los Angeles Master Chorale embraced this crazy, larger pitch with equal passion and support. 

Since hearing the beatitudes in my childhood, I've been haunted and puzzled by them.  Combining “blessed are you” with “when you suffer, hunger, mourn? This felt as much a Buddhist Koan as a Christian teaching to me.  Other parts of the text seem to offer unexpected rewards, such as “the meek will inherit the earth.” - what?  

As I began to compose the larger work,  the first text to be set was “Blessed are those who mourn.”  - a text that had a newfound resonance with me.   During the time from proposing this work to Grant in the fall of 2023, and actually beginning work in 2025, both of my elderly parents had passed.  My own 18 month journey through grief and loss of both parents was embedded in the artistic assignment before me, to be channeled into song. Although the text also offers “comfort” to the mourning, a core meaning here seems to invite us to commit to a more difficult, universal truth expressed in the beatitudes. This truth is shared in many other wisdom texts,  Buddhist, Jewish, etc.  Life is suffering, and suffering is unavoidable. 

In observing both of my parents decline, I witnessed a dramatically different  journey as they passed through the inescapable entropy, and suffering of old age.  My father was generally calm and accepting of his decline.  Mom, by contrast, would often try to avoid and fight against suffering.  Although a very relatable human response, It was plain to see mom’s  struggle “with” suffering was bringing even more of the same to her, not less.

In the same way my experience with grief involved layers of surrender, acceptance, eventually became more natural, somehow lighter.  My goal with this setting was to create an immersive, meditative musical journey - through which each of these simple ideas could be explored and felt by the listener.  Even though the text is quite simple, each of the movements take their time to resonate and perhaps, inviting us to accept or surrender to the different states.

My first major choral work, “The Salvage Men” was first commissioned and premiered by the Los Angeles Master Chorale in 2015.   I’m so very grateful to premiere this new piece with this inspiring and gifted group of artists, including Grant Gershon and Jenny Wong.

– Jeff Beal

New York, December 2025