Achron, J: Dance Improvisation, Op. 37

Admired by Schoenberg (who described him as ‘one of the most underestimated of modern composers’), Joseph Achron was a boundary defying violinist-composer of extraordinary gifts. He drew on his Jewish faith to profound effect, from the early influence of his cantor father to his enthusiastic championing of the Society for Jewish Folk Music (which did for Jewish music what Bartók did for Eastern European folk culture). It’s hardly surprising that much of Achron’s music is for violin—he was a consummate player himself and a prolific recitalist. But what’s striking is how varied and exploratory his output is, delighting in experimentation, as the wonderfully named Suite bizarre demonstrates, just as much as the direct emotionalism of his transcriptions of Hebraic melodies. Who better to present this music than two artists steeped in similar traditions to Achron: Hagai Shaham and Arnon Erez.

The music of Russian and Soviet Jewish composers remains largely unknown. The Stalinist program of Socialist Realism was brutally enforced resulting the deaths and imprisonment of many of many artists and composers. It has been the goal of pianist and musicologist Jascha Nemstov to rescue this precious legacy and presents it to listeners once again.

In this recital of heart-breaking beauty, Tuban and Nemstov have produced an invaluable document of Jewish culture that demands to be heard!

Includes six world premiere recordings.