Uploaded July 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Stream our new album - "Between the Notes: Music for Violin & Piano"
hyperurl.co/5tbpdm
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Daniel Kurganov, Violin
Constantine Finehouse, Piano
Music of an age-old prophecy:
Typically rife with overtones of Strauss and Mahler, Ernest Bloch’s compositions periodically explore and honor Jewish culture. The Nigun (“Improvisation”) from his suite Baal Shem (1923) represents one such departure from the classical form. It speaks the harmonic and stylistic language reminiscent of the great cantorial traditions of pre-war Europe, when it was not unheard of for synagogue leaders to have the voice of an opera singer. It can be said that this tradition was a catalyst for what is often called the "Golden Age of Violin Playing." One can imagine young Jewish mothers holding their toddlers’ hands as they passed the shtetl synagogue only to hear the divine voice of a great cantor such as Manfred Lewandowski. These soulful sounds were a major influence on early 20th-century violinists such as Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, Toscha Seidel and countless others. The cantorial tradition has since greatly declined, and early audio recordings bear witness to the striking resemblance in the temperament and way in which these musicians moved between the notes.
Stream our new album - "Between the Notes: Music for Violin & Piano"
hyperurl.co/5tbpdm
Follow me on Facebook:
facebook.com/dkviolin
Daniel Kurganov, Violin
Constantine Finehouse, Piano
Music of an age-old prophecy:
Typically rife with overtones of Strauss and Mahler, Ernest Bloch’s compositions periodically explore and honor Jewish culture. The Nigun (“Improvisation”) from his suite Baal Shem (1923) represents one such departure from the classical form. It speaks the harmonic and stylistic language reminiscent of the great cantorial traditions of pre-war Europe, when it was not unheard of for synagogue leaders to have the voice of an opera singer. It can be said that this tradition was a catalyst for what is often called the "Golden Age of Violin Playing." One can imagine young Jewish mothers holding their toddlers’ hands as they passed the shtetl synagogue only to hear the divine voice of a great cantor such as Manfred Lewandowski. These soulful sounds were a major influence on early 20th-century violinists such as Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, Toscha Seidel and countless others. The cantorial tradition has since greatly declined, and early audio recordings bear witness to the striking resemblance in the temperament and way in which these musicians moved between the notes.
![[Restored, 1953] Isaac Stern - Sarasate Zigeunerweisen & Wieniawski Concerto No.2](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZpwbsJjPimo/mqdefault.jpg "[Restored, 1953] Isaac Stern - Sarasate Zigeunerweisen & Wieniawski Concerto No.2
The great Isaac Stern performing in his prime! Here, he played Eugene Ysaye in the 1953 film Tonight We Sing. The pianist is Alexander Zakin. I restored this footage from a decent source I was able to find.
00:00 - Pablo de Sarasate - Zigeunerweisen
04:00 - Henryk Wieniawski - Violin Concerto No.2 Op. 22 in d minor, III. Allegro con fuoco – à la Zingara
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Enjoy.")
