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Sounds of Vilnius: Synagogal Music of the Former Jerushalaim de Lite
A Vocal and Organ Concert Dedicated to the Synagogal Tradition of Vilnius
The concert"Sounds of Vilnius: Synagogal Music of the Former Jerushalaim de Lite"is an artistic journey into the Jewish world of Vilnius – once known as the "Jerusalem of Lithuania" (Jerushalaim de Lite), the spiritual capital of Eastern European Jewry. The synagogues of Vilnius, especially the Choral Synagogue, were not only places of prayer but also vibrant centers of musical, artistic, and communal life. It was there that music emerged which blended liturgy, choral harmony, and distinctive organ parts – a hallmark of the Reform Judaism movement in Central and Eastern Europe.
The concert program features works by outstanding composers and cantors associated with Vilnius:
-Abraham Moshe Bernstein (1866–1932)– Chief cantor of the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius from 1893 to 1921, and the author of the monumental three-volume collectionAvodat Habore. A composer, conductor, folklorist, and publicist, Bernstein laid the foundation for the modern synagogal style of Lithuania.
-Jakub Abelow (c. 1880–1945)– A conductor and cantor active in Vilnius, known for promoting choral music based on Jewish prayer and folk melodies. His compositions carry deep emotional and spiritual weight while maintaining a high level of musical sophistication.
-Arno Nadel (1878–1943)– A musicologist, cantor, poet, and composer born in Vilnius. His cycleSchire Simrohrepresents a modern, artistic interpretation of traditional liturgical texts. Nadel also documented the songs of Lithuanian cantors, striving to preserve them for future generations.
-Gershon Sirota (1874–1943)– A world-renowned cantor whose career began in Vilnius. Before becoming a legend of the synagogues in Warsaw and Vienna, he honed his craft in his homeland, merging Hasidic emotionality with operatic vocal mastery.
Performers:
Yael (Anna Woźnicka, Anita Szwacińska, Bartosz Szwaciński, Piotr Łapiński)
Jakub Stefek – organ/harmonium, musical reconstruction and arrangement
A Vocal and Organ Concert Dedicated to the Synagogal Tradition of Vilnius
The concert"Sounds of Vilnius: Synagogal Music of the Former Jerushalaim de Lite"is an artistic journey into the Jewish world of Vilnius – once known as the "Jerusalem of Lithuania" (Jerushalaim de Lite), the spiritual capital of Eastern European Jewry. The synagogues of Vilnius, especially the Choral Synagogue, were not only places of prayer but also vibrant centers of musical, artistic, and communal life. It was there that music emerged which blended liturgy, choral harmony, and distinctive organ parts – a hallmark of the Reform Judaism movement in Central and Eastern Europe.
The concert program features works by outstanding composers and cantors associated with Vilnius:
-Abraham Moshe Bernstein (1866–1932)– Chief cantor of the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius from 1893 to 1921, and the author of the monumental three-volume collectionAvodat Habore. A composer, conductor, folklorist, and publicist, Bernstein laid the foundation for the modern synagogal style of Lithuania.
-Jakub Abelow (c. 1880–1945)– A conductor and cantor active in Vilnius, known for promoting choral music based on Jewish prayer and folk melodies. His compositions carry deep emotional and spiritual weight while maintaining a high level of musical sophistication.
-Arno Nadel (1878–1943)– A musicologist, cantor, poet, and composer born in Vilnius. His cycleSchire Simrohrepresents a modern, artistic interpretation of traditional liturgical texts. Nadel also documented the songs of Lithuanian cantors, striving to preserve them for future generations.
-Gershon Sirota (1874–1943)– A world-renowned cantor whose career began in Vilnius. Before becoming a legend of the synagogues in Warsaw and Vienna, he honed his craft in his homeland, merging Hasidic emotionality with operatic vocal mastery.
Performers:
Yael (Anna Woźnicka, Anita Szwacińska, Bartosz Szwaciński, Piotr Łapiński)
Jakub Stefek – organ/harmonium, musical reconstruction and arrangement