Traditional Cantorial And Concert Favorites
Milken Archive of American Jewish Music, Naxos, (2005),
$6.98
by Mitchell Bard
The Milken Archive enlisted golden-throated cantor,
Simon Spiro, to sing and arrange a collection of pieces in its latest
release, Traditional
Cantorial And Concert Favorites. As is the case with the other CDs
published through Naxos, this disc is beautifully recorded.
This is a disc of spiritual music that is more lofty
than lively. It contains a variety of melodies to some well-known songs
such as Shalom Aleikhem and Ya Ribbon Olam and less familiar pieces
such as Ba'avur David and the Yiddish poem Khanike Lid. The CD is a
bit shorter than some of the others in the Archive with a playing time
of just over one hour for the nine tracks.
Spiro's voice is so beautiful, it could easily have
been recorded without the choral background. There is no bombast or
effort to prove the quality of his voice. This is a pleasant surprise
given that Spiro has played the lead in Phantom of the Opera and might be expected to engage in more theatrical renditions. Instead,
the melodies are simple and clear and take you to the spirtual place
often sought in contemplation or in prayer.
In addition to Spiro, a London-born cantor, composer
and arranger, the disk features soprano Amy Goldstein, the New York
Cantorial Choir, the Ne'imah Singers, Schola Hebraeica, the world's
only professional male chorus devoted to Jewish music, and a large ensemble
that includes Schola known as Coro Hebraeico. The conductor is Neil
Levin.
As with all the Archive CDs, this one includes wonderful
liner notes that provide an extensive description of the works that
are performed as well as background on the artists. Information is also
available at the Milken
Archive web site.
The Milken Archive is producing an astounding collection
of American Jewish music – sacred and secular – with the
collaboration of distinguished artists, ensembles and recording producers.
We will be reviewing more of the collection in coming weeks.
Sources: Mitchel Bard is the Executive Director of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise |