Shalom Chaverim is an ancient Hebrew (farewell)song which was originally sung at the end of a celebration or meeting. It was and is mostly sung as a round. Freely translated the words mean ?Goodbye friends goodbye and see you again!?. The varying moods at a parting have been captured very well by Andreas Schulte in his arrangement ?Variations on Shalom Chaverim?. The composer himself says about the song ?Although the melody is in a minor key the overall atmosphere in the song is positive. one wishes each other all the best. Saying goodbye however also hurts. When you slow down the pace of the melody and add ?blue notes? in the harmonies this can be sensed immediately.?Schulte refers here to the first variation. The second variation is very intense with possibly even deeper-felt emotions. ?Variations on Shalom Chaverim? ends on a cheerful and positive note in fast tempo and with oriental elements in the melody: ?L'hitra'ot Shalom? (See you again and farewell!).

The Yiddish word ‘Klezmer’ has been derived from the Old Hebrew words ‘Kley’ (tool instrument) and ‘Zemer’ (song singing making music).Klezmer is the traditional music of Jews from Eastern Europe.Yiddish musicians (Klezmorim) were regularly invited to come and play at Yiddish weddings as well as several other Jewish celebrations and festive occasions. Despite its close connection with traditional Eastern European folk music Klezmer music has succeeded in preserving its distinctive Jewish character. ‘Klezmer Discovery’ is a voyage of discovery through the richly varied music of the Jewish people from Eastern Europe.The introduction consists of a number of motives from differenttraditional melodies (a Mitzve Tenzel and L’cha Dodi) followed by a melody in 3/8th time (Kandel’s Hora). This dance melody originally came from Bessarabia (present-day Moldavia) and was taken along to America by Jewish musicians round 1900. Subsequently ‘Der Terk in Amerika’ a composition by famous clarinet player Naftule Brandwein can be heard. A number of fast cheerful dance melodies (bulgars) form the finale of ‘Klezmer Discovery’ (Lebedyk un Freylekh Lomir sich iberbetn and Sherele).