Music on Jewish Themes
- The Priestly Blessing for a capella chorus
2. Hal’lu Et Adonai B’chalil (Praise the Lord with the Flute) for flute and piano
Catherine Hare – Flute; Joseph Ramadan – Piano.
Written in 2013, this short piece is a sparkling and triumphant exposition for flute and piano.
3. Rachamana for a capella chorus
The Joseph Ramadan Singers
Composed in 2015 for the New London Synagogue S’lichot service.
This prayer, towards the end of the Selichot service, was composed in Aramaic by
Rav Amram Gaon (821-875) in the ninth century. This setting of mine was composoed to be used in the liturgy.
May the All-merciful who answers the poor, answer us;
4. Ha-N’shamah Lach for cantor and chorus
Stephen Cotsen – Cantor; New London Synagogue Choir.
Composed in 2006 This prayer is taken from the S’lichot prayers recited during the High Holiday season.
There is a well known setting of the first verse of Han’shamah lach attributed to Shalom Carlebach, but there are very few other settings in circulation and I wanted to offer an alternative.
Han’shamah lach v’haguf pa-alach,
chusah al amalach.
Han’shamah lach v’haguf shelach,
Adonai, aseih l’ma-an sh’mecha.
The soul is Yours and the body is Your workmanship;.
have compassion on what You have created;
the soul is Yours and the body is Yours,
Adonai, do this for the sake of Your Name.
5. Solu for a capella chorus
The Joseph Ramadan Singers
Isaiah Chapter 62 V. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10.
Written in 2008 for the induction service of our esteemed Rabbi Jeremy Gordon at the New London Synagogue on the 18th May 2008.
6. Meditation on Sh’ma Koleinu for Piano
Mitra Alice Tham – Piano
As its title suggests, Meditation on Sh’ma Koleinu is a reflective piece, based around the melody of the prayer from the Yom Kippur liturgy. The origin of the melody is not known. The structure of this meditation is the harmonized melody itself, followed by four variations, the last of which brings us back to the original melody.
7. Kaddish for Tenor, Baritone and Piano
Cantor Jason Greene – Tenor; Cantor Steven Lees – Baritone; Stephen Dickinson – Piano
The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God’s name. In the Liturgy different versions of the Kaddish are used functionally as separators between sections of the service.
“The Mourner’s Kaddish” is recited as part of the mourning rituals in Judaism in all prayer services, as well as at funerals and memorials. Mourners say Kaddish to show that despite their loss they still praise God.
This concert setting of Kaddish Yatom was written in 2006.
8. The Butterfly (from I never saw another butterfly) for children’s chorus and piano
The Finchley Children’s Music Group
I Never Saw Another Butterfly is a song cycle setting of poems written by Jewish children in the concentration camp, Terezin, otherwise known in German as Theresienstadt. None of them survived.
The Butterfly
The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone….
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
It went away I’m sure because it wished to
Kiss the world goodbye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
~The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here,
in the ghetto.
4.66.1942 Pavel Friedmann
9. Reflection on Psalm 43 for piano
Mitra Alice Tham – Piano
This piece was written in 2015 as a present to my cousin’s grandson. I asked him to choose a psalm text that meant something to him, and it also spoke to me. The piece represents my interpretation of the psalm in which the supplicant has been exiled from Zion. He longs of the joy of approaching the alter in Jerusalem and celebrating God with song.
10. Meditation on Ma’oz Tzur for piano
Mitra AliceTham – Piano
This is a meditation on the famous Ma’oz Tzur melody centrally associated with Chanukah. It is up-tempo, strong and celebrating our deliverance from persecution.
12.The Prison from ‘Songs from Hanagidc for Tenor and piano
Yoav Ovid – Tenor; Mitra Alice Tham – Piano
Samuel Hanagid lived from 993-1056AD. He was born in Cordoba, and a renowned Talmudist and statesman, he was the first Spanish Jew to be granted the title Nagid (‘Prince’). He was appointed vizier shortly after the accession to the throne (1038) of Badis, the Berber ruler of Granada. In this capacity he commanded the armies of Granada in a series of victorious campaigns against Seville and her allies, which lasted from 1038 to !056. The many poems he sent his son from the battlefield constitute a unique poetic diary of his tempestuous life. He died after a strenuous compaign and was succeeded as vizier and commander by his son, Yehosef. Ten years later Yehosef was assassinated and the Jewish community of Granada was massacred by the Muslims. Hanagid’s vast knowledge of Hebrew and Arabic culture is apparent ion his technical mastery and in his rich repertoire of themes and motifs. He excels in the fusion of epic and lyrical elements.
The Prison
Eretz l’adam be-it k’lu kol yamav,
Lachein ani omeir emet lasachal:
Tarutz v’shamayim s’vivotecha mi kol avarim;
Kum v’tzei im tuchal.
The earth is a prison to man all his life.
Therefore I say this truth to the fool:
Though you rush about, the sky surrounds you on all sides. Try to get out, if you can.
13. War from Songs from Hanagid
War
Asher kol ish l’sachek ba y’ave,
V’sofo kaz’keina ham’usa
Asher kol shochra yivke v’yid’ve
War is at first like a beautiful girl
with whom all men long to play,
but in the end like a repulsive hag
whose suitors all weep and ache
14. String Quartet No 5 (1st Movement)
The Holiwell String Quartet
My 5th string quartet was composed in 2023 and is subtitled Tefillah (Prayer). It is in three movements, and each one is subtitled with the name of a fundamental Jewish prayer which the music seeks to express.
The 1st movement is subtitled Sh’ma Yisrael, an affirmation of God’s singularity and kingship.
The 2nd movement is subtitled Birkat Koanim (The Priestly blessing). It is a blessing recited to the congregation by those of priestly descent. Its origins are in the book of Numbers. God directly commands Moses to instruct Aaron and hi sons on how to bless the people of Israel. It invokes God’s protection, grace, and peace.
The 3rd movement is subtitled Kedushah (Holiness). Kedushah means holiness, and is the sanctification of God’s name. The liturgical Kedushah consists of three scriptural verses – Ezekiel’s and Isaiah’s mystical visions of the divine and a declaration of God’s eternity from Psalms. These verses were thought to be divinely charged to spread holiness.