Chamber Music Cello,
Piano
SKU:
CF.BF141
Composed by
Ernest Bloch. Edited by
Julian Schwarz. 12+8
pages. Carl Fischer Music
#BF141. Published by Carl
Fischer Music (CF.BF141).
ISBN 9781491159989.
UPC:
680160918584.
The
three pieces From Jewish
Life were composed by
Swiss-American composer
Ernest Bloch in 1924, the
same year he took U.S.
citizenship. Though
clearly inspired and
influenced by Jewish
experience, they are
purely concert pieces,
and do not provide any
specific liturgical
significance.
The
first movement, Prayer,
is a deeply heartfelt
plea to the almighty. As
Neil W Levin writes, The
initial four-note motive
in the minor mode,
together with its
elaboration in the
ensuing phrases, sounds
as if it might have
served as the skeletal
model for Max Janowski's
(1912-1991) now
well-known setting of the
High Holyday prayer Avinu
Malkenu. This prayer has
special meaning in my own
spiritual life, as I have
been singing it since my
childhood. Both Prayer
and Janowski's Avinu
Malkenu are cantorial in
nature, to be sung with
heartfelt
pathos.
The second
movement, Supplication
(the act of begging
humbly), has more angst,
almost a sense of urgency
as a result of the
rhythmic motor in the
piano. The third
movement, Jewish Song,
evokes a quintessentially
Eastern-European
melancholy. Its falling
motives with bent
intonation might
represent the pain of the
Jewish
experience.
The
works were dedicated to
Dutch-American cellist
Hans Kindler, a highly
influential musician of
his time, and founder of
the National Symphony
Orchestra in Washington,
D.C. Mr. Kindler was the
soloist for the world
premiere of Bloch's most
celebrated work, Schelomo
in 1917.
Though
the popularity of Bloch's
oeuvre has been dominated
by works of Jewish
connection, we should not
forget that Bloch had
many other stylistic
periods, including
Franco-Belgian, modal,
serial, and even American
folk. In 1927, he was
awarded Musical America's
composition prize in a
unanimous vote, despite
being regarded as an
outsider by American
music writers at the
time. His winning work
America (1928) was
performed by every major
orchestra and conductor
in the following seasons.
May we be proud of his
contributions to American
music.
The three
pieces From Jewish Life
were composed by
Swiss-American composer
Ernest Bloch in 1924, the
same year he took U.S.
citizenship. Though
clearly inspired and
influenced by Jewish
experience, they are
purely concert pieces,
and do not provide any
specific liturgical
significance. The first
movement, Prayer, is a
deeply heartfelt plea to
the almighty. As Neil W
Levin writes, The initial
four-note motive in the
minor mode, together with
its elaboration in the
ensuing phrases, sounds
as if it might have
served as the skeletal
model for Max Janowski's
(1912-1991) now
well-known setting of the
High Holyday prayer Avinu
Malkenu. This prayer has
special meaning in my own
spiritual life, as I have
been singing it since my
childhood. Both Prayer
and Janowski's Avinu
Malkenu are cantorial in
nature, to be sung with
heartfelt pathos. The
second movement,
Supplication (the act of
begging humbly), has more
angst, almost a sense of
urgency as a result of
the rhythmic motor in the
piano. The third
movement, Jewish Song,
evokes a quintessentially
Eastern-European
melancholy. Its falling
motives with bent
intonation might
represent the pain of the
Jewish experience. The
works were dedicated to
Dutch-American cellist
Hans Kindler, a highly
influential musician of
his time, and founder of
the National Symphony
Orchestra in Washington,
D.C. Mr. Kindler was the
soloist for the world
premiere of Bloch's most
celebrated work, Schelomo
in 1917. Though the
popularity of Bloch's
oeuvre has been dominated
by works of Jewish
connection, we should not
forget that Bloch had
many other stylistic
periods, including
Franco-Belgian, modal,
serial, and even American
folk. In 1927, he was
awarded Musical America's
composition prize in a
unanimous vote, despite
being regarded as an
outsider by American
music writers at the
time. His winning work
America (1928) was
performed by every major
orchestra and conductor
in the following seasons.
May we be proud of his
contributions to American
music.
The three
pieces From Jewish Life
were composed by
Swiss-American composer
Ernest Bloch in 1924, the
same year he took U.S.
citizenship. Though
clearly inspired and
influenced by Jewish
experience, they are
purely concert pieces,
and do not provide any
specific liturgical
significance.The first
movement,
“Prayerâ€, is
a deeply heartfelt plea
to the almighty. As Neil
W Levin writes,
“The initial
four-note motive in the
minor mode, together with
its elaboration in the
ensuing phrases, sounds
as if it might have
served as the skeletal
model for Max
Janowski’s
(1912–1991) now
well-known setting of the
High Holyday prayer Avinu
Malkenu.†This
prayer has special
meaning in my own
spiritual life, as I have
been singing it since my
childhood. Both
“Prayer†and
Janowski’s Avinu
Malkenu are cantorial in
nature, to be sung with
heartfelt pathos.The
second movement,
“Supplicationâ€
(the act of begging
humbly), has more angst,
almost a sense of urgency
as a result of the
rhythmic motor in the
piano. The third
movement, “Jewish
Songâ€, evokes a
quintessentially
Eastern-European
melancholy. Its falling
motives with bent
intonation might
represent the pain of the
Jewish experience.The
works were dedicated to
Dutch-American cellist
Hans Kindler, a highly
influential musician of
his time, and founder of
the National Symphony
Orchestra in Washington,
D.C. Mr. Kindler was the
soloist for the world
premiere of
Bloch’s most
celebrated work, Schelomo
in 1917.Though the
popularity of
Bloch’s oeuvre has
been dominated by works
of Jewish connection, we
should not forget that
Bloch had many other
stylistic periods,
including Franco-Belgian,
modal, serial, and even
American folk. In 1927,
he was awarded Musical
America’s
composition prize in a
unanimous vote, despite
being regarded as an
outsider by American
music writers at the
time. His winning work
America (1928) was
performed by every major
orchestra and conductor
in the following seasons.
May we be proud of his
contributions to American
music.