Jewish Tone Poems
Title |
Time |
Play |
| Four Biblical Tableaux | 12:17 | ▼ |
| Queen Esther's Prayer | 03:36 | |
| Rebecca by the Well | 02:09 | |
| Ruth and Naomi | 02:21 | |
| Processional | 04:01 | |
| Shirat Sara | 22:25 | ▼ |
| I. Allegro misterioso | 07:48 | |
| II. Softly, as in prayer | 05:53 | |
| III. Fast and very precise | 08:54 | |
| Symphony Midrash Esther | 28:28 | ▼ |
| I. Andante grave assai | 03:36 | |
| II. Haman: molto agitato e feroce | 07:06 | |
| III. Esther and Ahasuerus: adagio-cantabilissimo | 08:37 | |
| IV. Purim: allegro aggressivo, ma festoso | 09:05 |
Avshalomov - Silver - Meyerowitz
These World Premiere Recordings will appeal to all lovers of orchestral tone poems in the Romantic and modernist traditions. Avshalomov's delightful miniatures shimmer with colors akin to Rimsky-Korsakov and Far Eastern music. Silver's penetrating soul portrait of the biblical matriarch Sarah is richly set for a full string orchestra. Meyerowitz's colossal Symphony Midrash Esther—premiered by the New York Philharmonic under Dimitri Mitropoulus, but recorded here for the first time—presents one of the most dramatic Jewish legends: how Queen Esther of Persia saved the Jewish People from a genocidal attack planned by the wicked courtier Haman. The finale, Purim, celebrates Esther's triumph.
Reviews and Recognitions:
"...beautifully crafted, with luminous mixed hues and a winning blend of emotional intensity and coherence." —Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"These very interesting, neoromantic pieces by three Jewish composers should find a wide audience as they have immediate, emotional appeal.... All this plus great performances and sound make this a musical experience of literally Biblical proportions." —Bob McQ, TowerRecords.com
"[Sheila Silver's Shirat Sarah is] expertly written for strings.... Silver...writes powerfully and expressively...." —Steve Schwartz, ClassicalCDReview.com