Part 1
For those missing the live sounds we can’t currently offer, evoke High Holidays past with Music Previously Heard at CBH.
1. Kol Nidrei
The CBH Strings’ version of Kol Nidre that often opens the service comes from the first half of this beautiful cello showpiece by Max Bruch, a 19th century German (non-Jewish) composer.
2. Kol Nidrei
A haunting piece for string quartet that only hints at the original liturgical theme. By New York baby boomer John Zorn.
3. Chichester Psalms, Part III
In this work named after the English cathedral that commissioned it, American musical legend Leonard Bernstein sets lines from psalms, in the original Hebrew, culminating in a hushed Hineh Mah Tov. The CBH Chorus and Strings have presented this part of the Chichester Psalms several times. (We also recommend beautiful Part II, with a solo voice and harp.)
4. Tehillim, Part 1
“Tehillim” means psalms or praises, from the same root as halleluyah. The ever-shifting rhythms and meters by American minimalist composer Steve Reich made this one of CBH’s most ambitious efforts. David says it’s still hard to believe we pulled it off. Will would probably agree.
One of our family’s first intergenerational contributions to High Holiday services was a string version of this trio for high voices from Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah. It’s the line we know as “Esa eynay”: eyes, mountains, help.
One of the most quintessential American pieces, by a gay Jewish composer from Brooklyn, Aaron Copland. We’ve chosen an especially appropriate, recent rendition.
7. Alleluia
The CBH Chorus did just the first section of this a cappella (unaccompanied) piece by choral music phenom Eric Whitacre and loved singing it. We added an initial H.
8. Prayer
Another gorgeous cello solo, by Ernest Bloch (Jewish-Swiss-American, not to be confused with Bruch). Aria Posner first played this with the CBH Strings at age 12!
Part 2
A few more contemplative pieces for the season.
9. Tenebrae
By Jewish-Argentine-American composer Osvaldo Golijov. Glance at Golijov’s comments here and here(planetarium, Earth, beauty and pain, Middle East, the alef-bet) and then please do listen to at least the beginning, even if you’re not into classical music per se. It’s transporting.
10. Cello Concerto, first movement
Mieczyslaw Weinberg, a Jewish refugee from Warsaw, wrote this contemplative and haunting piece in Moscow in 1948. Aria and the CBH Strings performed this in concert a few years back.
11. Vidui
“Vidui” means confession. Think “Ashamnu, bagadnu...” This Vidui is the slower middle section from Baal Shem: Three Pictures of Hassidic Life, violin-based ashkenazica by Ernest Bloch.