Classical Work of the Week - January 30, 2006

Max Bruch, born in Cologne, Germany in 1838, was a romantic period composer. Bruch's works can be summed up in a statement he wrote to his publisher in 1884, “As a rule, a good folk tune is more valuable than 200 created works of art." Bruch meticulously studied folk tunes from many cultures. In fact, Kol Nidrei originated from old Hebrew melodies. Kol Nidrei, meaning "all vows", is a Jewish prayer sung on the eve of Yom Kippur. Because of the piece's wide success, many believed Bruch himself to be Jewish, when in fact he was a German Protestant. Bruch's Kol Nedrei for cello and orchestra is a fantastic piece. To me, it almost sounds like a modern day film score. Filled with rich chords, Kol Nedrei takes on epic qualities. The beautiful melody of the solo cello cuts through the lush orchestration of the orchestra. It's my hope you enjoy this piece as much as I do. Listen to a sample of Bruch's Kol Nedrei.