Boston, MA: Moscow Hasidic Capella, 3/10/2004

[Henry <hbg...>]

Hi, all.

Sorry, no further update on how to play bagpipes (I know you are
disappointed) though initial attempts would have been very appropriate at
certain points during the reading of the Megillah.

Meanwhile, friends of mine asked that I post the following:

HBG

---------- Forwarded message ----------

    MOSCOW HASIDIC CAPELLA
    Wednesday, March 10, at 8:00 p.m.
    Temple Israel
    Longwood Avenue, Boston
    Tickets: 617-965-1673

    Director, Alexander Tsaliuk; joined by Joseph Malovany, Chief Cantor
    of the 5th Avenue Synagogue in New York

    The 20 member Male Choir of the Academy of Cantorial Art was
established in 1991, and is made up of professional musicians, as well as
students of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory.  The ensemble
specializes in performing a wide range of Jewish vocal music: Jewish and
Russian folk songs, Jewish liturgical repertoire, and modern Jewish and
Israeli compositions.  The director, Mr. Tsaliuk, had "the astonishing
experience of visiting the KGB archives, and finding long-lost and
long-banned works of the Jewish liturgy," and these are included in the
program.  This is their first visit to the USA.

    [We] attended the performance on Sunday, March 7 in Providence.  The
singing was of an extremely high calibre, and very, very spirited. Among
the wonders of the performance: familiar liturgical melodies integrated
with Russian chord progressions, stunning solos (amazing basses, amazing
tenors, amazing baritone!!) of both liturgical and folk music, deeply
emotional delivery, whether Hasidic Shabbat melodies, Hebrew Liturgical
songs, or Yiddish, Georgian, Russian or Ukrainian folk songs.  There was
also a charming "time-warp" element:  even though the age range in the
ensemble was from early 20s to 60s (at least), the performing style seemed
to come right out of the 1940s or 50s.  The event was deeply
satisfying---- like stepping back in time, and witnessing performances of
extremely high artistic quality, performed with full heart by an ensemble
that could not have existed even 20 years ago. Everyone was happy at
concert's end: singers, directors, audience.

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