Symphony No. 1 (Bernstein)

Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 1, subtitled "Jeremiah," is a choral symphony composed between 1939 and 1942. It is one of Bernstein's earliest and most significant works, demonstrating his emerging compositional style and deep engagement with his Jewish heritage. The symphony is scored for orchestra and mezzo-soprano soloist.

The work is in three movements:

• I. Prophecy: A powerful and dramatic orchestral movement that evokes the Old Testament prophets and their warnings. It features a driving, percussive rhythmic energy and dissonant harmonies.

• II. Profanation: An energetic and turbulent scherzo. It reflects the destruction and chaos that follow the prophets' disregarded warnings. The movement includes angular melodic lines and complex rhythmic patterns, creating a sense of unease and agitation.

• III. Lamentation: This movement features the mezzo-soprano soloist singing verses from the Book of Lamentations in Hebrew. It is a deeply emotional and mournful expression of grief and loss, lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem. The vocal writing is highly expressive and melismatic.

The "Jeremiah" Symphony was premiered by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bernstein himself, in January 1944. It received immediate critical acclaim and helped establish Bernstein's reputation as a major American composer. The work is notable for its combination of symphonic form with overtly Jewish themes and texts, and it remains a significant example of American orchestral music.