Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Meditations on Ecclesiastes, for string orchestra (1958)
I. Introduction: Largo (To everything there is a season...and a time to every purpose under the heaven,)
II. Theme: Adagio con sentimento (A time to be born,)
III. Solenne (And a time to die;)
IV. Soave, e leggiero (A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;)
V. Grave, con rividezza (A time to kill,)
VI. Larghetto, con leggerezza (And a time to heal;)
VII. Animato (A time to break down and a time to build up;)
VIII. Adagio, con intensità (A time to weep and to mourn,)
IX. Spumante (A time to dance and to laugh;)
X. Adagio liberamente (A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;)
XI. Con brio, molto deciso (A time of hate and of war,)
XII. Semplice: Adagio (A time to love and a time of peace.)
--Ecclesiastes III:1-8
Princeton Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas Harsanyi
Norman Dello Joio’s years of touring with his own jazz band have left a marked impression on his music, especially at the cadences. Meditations on Ecclesiastes is simply conceived: the opening premise, ‘‘To everything there is a season...”, gives rise to a theme, and each line beginning ‘‘A time to...” produces a variation on that theme. The moods of the lines are sharply opposed, giving Dello Joio’s highly descriptive score a good deal of vigorous and refreshing contrast. Meditations on Ecclesiastes was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in June of 1958. --Charles Briefer
Art by Walter Crane
Meditations on Ecclesiastes, for string orchestra (1958)
I. Introduction: Largo (To everything there is a season...and a time to every purpose under the heaven,)
II. Theme: Adagio con sentimento (A time to be born,)
III. Solenne (And a time to die;)
IV. Soave, e leggiero (A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;)
V. Grave, con rividezza (A time to kill,)
VI. Larghetto, con leggerezza (And a time to heal;)
VII. Animato (A time to break down and a time to build up;)
VIII. Adagio, con intensità (A time to weep and to mourn,)
IX. Spumante (A time to dance and to laugh;)
X. Adagio liberamente (A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;)
XI. Con brio, molto deciso (A time of hate and of war,)
XII. Semplice: Adagio (A time to love and a time of peace.)
--Ecclesiastes III:1-8
Princeton Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas Harsanyi
Norman Dello Joio’s years of touring with his own jazz band have left a marked impression on his music, especially at the cadences. Meditations on Ecclesiastes is simply conceived: the opening premise, ‘‘To everything there is a season...”, gives rise to a theme, and each line beginning ‘‘A time to...” produces a variation on that theme. The moods of the lines are sharply opposed, giving Dello Joio’s highly descriptive score a good deal of vigorous and refreshing contrast. Meditations on Ecclesiastes was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in June of 1958. --Charles Briefer
Art by Walter Crane
