All Our Sages “Lerner’s most epic song – her daring confrontation with one of Goldberg’s most enigmatic poems. All Our Sages is an apocalyptic prophecy. The poem’s uniform rhyme-scheme, reminiscent of Hebrew medieval poetry, enhances the sense of fatalism. The music makes a courageous attempt to forestall and reject this sense of impending doom.
According to the composer, the repetitions I added to the original text question the poet’s determination of absolute truth. The desperate prayer early in the poem is presented as a dialogue between the piano (as narrator) and the clarinet, the latter being identified with Jewish music. The instrumental prelude conveys my impressions of the world of Jewish tradition which the poet rejects.
​
At the song’s climax, the dramatic surge towards the poem’s final words is suddenly cut off by the pianist’s run. The key words “will thus be” are repeated thrice, as is customary in Jewish prayer. This prayer-like atmosphere also hints at something beyond the text’s bleak nihilism.
​
Music challenges the fatalism of the song. Alongside the lyrical tonality that sticks out, in all its cruelty, the naked truth in a quick melody that symbolizes a search for origin when trying to escape. The repetitions I added, which do not appear in the original text, question the absolute truth set by the poet. The desperate prayer at the beginning of the song is presented as a dialogue between the piano (in the narrator's role) and the clarinet, which is identified with Jewish music.
The introduction describes my impressions of the world of Jewish tradition against which the poet sets out. At the climactic moment, the dramatic ascent to the song's closing lyrics ("Will Be the End of Days") is abruptly interrupted by the piano "run." The key word, "be", appears in a triangular back, as is customary in Jewish prayer. The ending of the song leaves a message of hope, compassion and love.