- “Prayer”.
Many composers as well as artists have selected themes from Jewish songs, anthems, and prayers as the bases for new compositions. One such example is the prayer from the “Kol Nidrei” service, taken from the Yom Kippur liturgy, and orchestrated by composer Max Bruch.
Cellist Sol Gabetta was inspired to record this album from her experience of playing the piece “Prayer” by Swiss-born Jewish composer Ernest Bloch as an encore in her concerts. She always found that the audience was deeply moved and longed for more music of this kind.
As Ms. Gabetta searched to expand this repertoire, she came across other pieces by Ernest Bloch, by Dmitri Shostakovich, and by cellist Pablo Casals.
This CD, titled “Prayer” offers the listener an intimate and meditative musical journey, with these pieces, chosen by Ms. Gabetta.
Bloch, E:
- From Jewish Life
- Schelomo
- Nigun (Baal Shem No. 2)
- Méditation hébraïque
Casals:
- El Cant dels Ocells (Song of the birds), with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Shostakovich:
- Lullaby (from From Jewish Folk Poetry, Op. 79/79a), arranged for violoncello & string orchestra by Mikhail Bronner
- A Warning (from From Jewish Folk Poetry, Op. 79/79a), arranged for violoncello & string orchestra by Mikhail Bronner
- The Song of Misery (from From Jewish Folk Poetry, Op. 79/79a), arranged for violoncello & string orchestra by Mikhail Bronner
- The Young Girl’s Song (from From Jewish Folk Poetry, Op. 79/79a),arranged for violoncello & string orchestra by Mikhail Bronner
Performed by Sol Gabetta, cello, with the Orchestre National de Lyon, Leonard Slatkin conducting.
Based on my comment in the first paragraph, let’s listen to the “Kol Nidrei”, as orchestrated by composer Max Bruch, and performed by cellist Lynn Harrell:
And next, here is Sol Gabetta performing Ernest Bloch’s “Schelomo”:
Tags: Sol Gabetta, Jewish themes, “Prayer”, From Jewish Life, Shostakovich, Bloch, Max Bruch