SAN DIEGO –Since reviewing live music concerts is not possible during these days of isolation, I will be writing weekly columns about some of my favorite CD recordings by people whom I know, and include examples of audio selections from their discs. First, I plan to write about the 16 CDs featuring my younger sister, concert violinist Zina Schiff.
Although I had originally intended to go through her recordings chronologically, because Pesach is this coming week, I have, instead, decided to begin this series with one of her Jewish albums, whose title is appropriate for Pesach, Elijah’s Violin. That title comes from an Egyptian-Jewish legend about a magical violin, found in a book of the same name by Howard Schwartz.
This was the third CD Zina made in a trilogy of Jewish music, recorded in 2000, with Cameron Grant, solo pianist with the New York City Ballet.
Music Web International describes this CD as “a superb array of international Jewish composers, a deeply felt collection of rareties.”
I have chosen two examples from this wonderful collection, most of which are premiere recordings.
The composers on the album include Abraham Ellstein (1907-1963), from the American Yiddish Theater; Efrem Zimbalist (1889-1985), who trained in Leopold Auer’s St. Petersburg Conservatory class along with the great violinists, Jascha Heifetz and Mischa Elman; Israeli composers Paul Ben-Haim (1907-1984) and Menahem Avidom (1908-1995); Julius Chayes (1910-1985), Detroit-based composer and conductor; David Amram (1930-), Philadelphia-born composer for theater and films; and Paul Kirman, whose background is unknown.
The first audio example,“Orientale” by Efrem Zimbalist, is a two-minute piece that is sure to lift your spirits with its poignant melody and klezmer-like dance. (To listen, please click Elijah’s Violin – Track 8)
Zimbalist was the director of the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia when, at 14 years old, Zina was accepted as a scholarship student to that renowned institution.
While at Curtis, Zina won both the Junior and Senior Auditions of the Philadelphia Orchestra, soloing with that esteemed ensemble, performing Bloch’s Baal Shem Suite, and the Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto.
The second audio example is Paul Kirman’s Yemenite Song. (To listen, please click Elijah’s Violin – Track 16)
Kirman’s life is a mystery. His German publisher, Schott, had no file on him—files for Jewish composers were destroyed during the Holocaust. We do know that the New York-based violinist, Samuel Dushkin, edited Kirman’s pieces and these works were performed by violinist Karol Froelich in the Nazi show ghetto of Terezin, as evidenced by a printed program. The only thing we are certain about Paul Kirman is that he wrote enchanting works, beautifully brought to life on this CD by Violinist Zina Schiff, assisted by pianist Cameron Grant.
Elijah’s Violin is available through Amazon and other online CD distributors.
May this music be comforting during these challenging times. Happy Pesach!
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Eileen Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com