Kol nidrei, Op. 47

Composer: BRUCH, Max
  • Bruch composed Kol nidrei: Adagio on Hebrew Melodies, Op. 47, in 1880.1 At the time, he was living in Liverpool, where he was employed as director of the city’s Philharmonic Society.2
  • From 1878–80, Bruch had lived in Berlin, where he directed a choir called the Stern’scher Gesangverein. The choir contained several Jewish singers, who provided Bruch with folk melodies for Jewish-influenced compositions, including Kol nidrei.3
  • Bruch dedicated this piece to cellist Robert Hausmann. Hausmann was also the cellist for whom (with violinist Joachim) Brahms had written his Double Concerto.4
  • “Kol nidrei” is Aramaic for “All Vows.” It is the name of a synagogue prayer that is sung at the opening of Yom Kippur services.

Sources

  1. “Kol Nidrei, Op.47 (Bruch, Max),” IMSLP, accessed February 18, 2021,  https://imslp.org/wiki/Kol_Nidrei%2C_Op.47_(Bruch%2C_Max).
  2.  Christopher Fifield, “Bruch, Max,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed February 18, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000004122.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid.

Cut IDs

19402 44675 44864 19402 44864