Many composers—Jewish or not—have incorporated Hebraic themes and styles into their music, and whether religious or secular in spirit, their approach to the material displays a wonderful diversity. We’ve explored some of this territory before, and in this we continue the journey, with works by Mahler, Ravel, Korngold, Reznicek, Bernstein, and more.
FEATURED RECORDINGS
Title | Group/Artist | Catalog # | UPC |
Mahler: Symphony No. 1 | Chicago Symphony, Claudio Abbado | Deutsche Grammophon 400033-2 | 3259140003328 |
The Magic of the Klezmer [for Ele Chomdo Libi] | Giora Feidman | Delos DE4005 | 013491400525 |
Klezmer Concertos and Encores [for Weinberg’s Canzonetta] | David Krakauer, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz | Naxos 8.559403 | 0636943940327 |
Prayer [for “Lullaby” from Dmitry Shostakovich’s From Jewish Folk Poetry, as arranged by Mikail Bronner] | Sol Gabetta, Amsterdam Sinfonietta | Sony 88883762172 | 888837621724 |
Bernstein: Symphony No. 1,“Jeremiah” | BBC Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin | Chandos CHAN 9889 | 095115988923 |
The Cantorial Voice of the Cello [for Ravel “Kaddisch”] | Coenraad Bloemendal, Valerie Tryon | Dorian DOR-90208 | 053479020826 |
Diamond: Symphony No. 3, Psalm, Kaddish | Janos Starker, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz | Naxos 8.559155 | 636943915523 |
Mercury Living Presence Collector's Edition: [for Bruch Kol Nidre] | Janos Starker | Mercury Living Presence 478 35663566 | 028947835660 |
Reznicek: Chamisso Variations, etc [for Symphonic Variations on Kol Nidrey] | WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne, Michail Jurowski | CPO 777 047-2 | 761203704729 |
Alkan: Preludes, Op. 31 [for “Ancient Melody of the Synagogue,” from Preludes in all Major and Minor Keys] | Laurent Martin | Marco Polo 8.223284 | 0730099328425 |
John Williams Greatest Hits [for main theme from Schindler’s List] | Itzhak Perlman, Boston Symphony Orchestra, John Williams, | MCA 10969 | 008811096922 |