The Song of Jael: A synthesis

Chapter 9, “The Song of Jael: a synthesis,” is a discussion of Mabel Daniels’s most modern work, which is based on her most psychological text. The text, fashioned by Daniels, is a synthesis of the poem, “Sisera,” by Edwin Arlington Robinson, which is, in part, based on the Hebrew Scriptures, and Daniels’s additional selections from them. Daniels engaged techniques in this work that she had used in her earlier compositions, including the theme of sleep and dreams, but she greatly increased the dissonance of sound in Jael to match the greater psychological urgency of its text. This work is far grander in scope than any of Daniels’s previous works due to its extended length and rich and varied musical procedures. This chapter presents a discussion of Mabel Daniels's most modern work, which is based on her most psychological text. The text, fashioned by Daniels, is a synthesis of the poem, "Sisera", by Edwin Arlington Robinson, which is, in part, based on the Hebrew Scriptures, and Daniels's additional selections from them. Daniels engaged techniques in this work that she had used in her earlier compositions, including the theme of sleep and dreams, but she greatly increased the dissonance of sound in Jael to match the greater psychological urgency of its text. This work is far grander in scope than any of Daniels's previous works due to its extended length and rich and varied musical procedures. Daniels explores a full range of designs in text setting to include chant-like declamation, anguished recitative, and lyrical melody, as many interesting textures. Daniels's setting of "Sisera" became The Song of Jael Op. 37 of 1937, a cantata for soprano solo, mixed chorus, and orchestra.