About

Dodi li vaani lo (My beloved is mine, and I am his) was commissioned for Cantabile Chamber Chorale by Mitzi Lasky and Seth and Carolyn Rudnick, in memory of their parents, Dr. Stanford and Lucille Batter Rudnick, and by Cantabile.  This piece was also written in celebration of Cantabile’s 20th anniversary as a chorus, all under the direction of Rebecca Scott, and it was the 3rd piece that I have written for Cantabile–it has been so significant for me to be an active part of their musical lives!  The premiere of the piece took place in March 2009.

The Song of Songs is a favorite text both of mine and of Mitzi’s, and Mitzi felt that it would be most suitable as a tribute to the love of her parents for each other.  I chose a selection of short texts from different parts of the poem, with the opening line as a refrain, and with each successive line becoming musically more and more caught up in the intoxication of love.

Dodi Li has also been arranged in an instrumental version for two clarinets and piano (or clarinet, viola, and piano, or solo piano) as part of my composition Sea of Reeds. The two-clarinet version has been recorded by the Grneta Ensemble on the album (also entitled Sea of Reeds) of my chamber music with clarinet (Navona Records NV5979). 

—Gerald Cohen

Commissioned by Cantabile Chamber Chorale, Rebecca Scott, music director.

Score

Arrangements

SATB Chorus and piano (without clarinet)
Instrumental versions, as part of Sea of Reeds: Piano solo, 2 clarinets and piano, clarinet, viola and piano

Listen/Watch

Text

Refrain:
Dodi li, vaani lo, 
haroeh bashoshanim. 

K’shoshana bein hachochim, 
kein rayati bein habanot.
K’tapuach baatsei hayaar, 
kein dodi bein habanim.
(Refrain)

Hayoshevet baganim, 
chavemost rim makshivim, 
l’koleich hashmiini!
(Refrain)

Ichlu rei-im, sh’tu v’shichru dodim!

Refrain: 
My beloved is mine and I am his,
He browses among the lilies.

Like a lily among thorns, 
so is my darling among the maidens.
Like an apple tree among trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the youths.
(Refrain)

O you who linger in the garden, 
A lover is listening;
Let me hear your voice!
(Refrain)

Eat, lovers; and drink, become intoxicated with love!

(Shir Hashirim 2:16, 2:2-3, 8:13, 5:1)

Performances

Premiere: Cantabile Chamber Chorale, Rebecca Scott, music director, March 2009, New Brunswick, NJ