A
fascinating disc. Naxos is once more to be congratulated for
its championing of the fringes of the repertoire.
The
present release forms part of its Milken Archive series (American
Jewish Music). All three works take their inspiration from
the Bible; Old Testament, of course. Performances are consistently
excellent, as is documentation and presentation.
Aaron
Avshalomov, Siberian by birth, spent a significant period
in China, and there is indeed a clear oriental influence here.
The second tableau, 'Rebecca by the well', is bathed in Ravelian
chinoiserie. Avshalomov writes with a confident hand, and
one that is warmly devotional, too. The piece here is in four
movements, each with a heading (Queen Esther's Prayer;
Rebecca by the well; Ruth and Naomi; Processional).
The third movement in particular is inviting, given an affectionate
performance here. There is also a lovely, glowing conclusion
to this tableau.
Sheila
Silver, a pupil of Ligeti and Harold Shapiro, takes the listener
into more progressive territory - unsurprisingly perhaps -
yet her Jewish origins are explicit. She takes material she
herself has experienced. An example includes eavesdropping
on a group of men singing farewell to the Sabbath provided
the impetus for the extended, somewhat slithery melody of
the first movement. The work is a symphony for strings with
the leader acting as occasional soloist - with great success
in the present instance. Silver's use of expressive, yearning
intervals is particularly impressive. Her imagination is similarly
striking, and the still ending reverberates long in the memory.
What else of hers is waiting to be discovered, I wonder?
Finally,
Jan Meyerowitz's Symphony, 'Midrash Esther'. Meyerowitz
had an impressive run of teachers (Zemlinsky, Respighi and
Casella), and William Steinberg was a staunch advocate of
his music. Not difficult to see why Steinberg was such a fan
on the basis of this work. Midrash Esther apparently
means 'Commentary on the Book of Esther'. The story of Esther
is centred on a threatened genocide of the Jews by Haman and
Esther's key role in the eventual Jewish victory.
Meyerowitz's
score is magisterial. After the initial chorale-like religiosity,
a punchy and very angular second movement (depicting Haman)
leads to a movement memorably marked, 'Adagio-cantabilissimo'.
Indeed there are many cantabile lines, contrasting with the
active, and even quite dance-inspired, finale. This is an
excellent, extrovert way to end an enjoyable and instructive
disc. Recommended.
Colin Clarke
