By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson
MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — We seem to be getting used to living from one crisis to another here in Israel. Whether this is appropriate adaptive behavior or simply refusing to acknowledge reality is a question for psychologists to answer, and I have the feeling that it will one day be a subject for extensive academic research.
But meanwhile we do our best to continue with our daily lives while trying not to get too stressed by the swirling, whirling world-shaking events we seem to be living through. Whether we are affected by events on the global stage or developments closer to home at the level of national politics, domestic pressures or simply the nightly news broadcast on television we have learned to cope, do our best to get a good night’s sleep and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Everyone has their own coping mechanism, whether by ignoring the global or domestic situation, finding consolation in food, entertainment, family gatherings or social activities — it’s a clear case of ‘chac’un son gout,’ [to each his own] as the French would say.
My other half (OH) and I find one of our main sources of consolation lies in classical music. We listen to the classical music channel on the radio throughout the day, and if the fare that is presented is not to our taste there are plenty of other sources of good music. My latest discovery (apologies for being slow in catching on) is having access to almost unlimited classical music through Apple Music.
But the best experience of all is being able to attend live performances of music, whether provided by excellent Israeli artists or by guest performers from abroad. In that respect the last few weeks have supplied us with a veritable feast of music offered by first-rate performers from Israel as well as from other countries. The fact that excellent musicians are prepared to come to Israel at a time when each day brings some new crisis or threat provides us with wonderful music as well as serving to raise our spirits and give us renewed hope that the world is not a completely hostile place. Sitting in a packed concert hall provides a clear indication that we are not the only ones who find consolation in live performances of classical music.
Hearing the Austrian tenor Daniel Johannsen sing Schubert’s ‘Winter Journey,’ (Winterreise) in the intimate setting of the Eden-Tamir Music Center in Ein Kerem was a sublime musical experience in which the words of the poems set to heart-tending music, played by Dror Semmel on the Center’s Graf Fortepiano, reproduced the sound as it was heard in Schubert’s time. We left the auditorium feeling uplifted and inspired.
A similar sense of awe and admiration enveloped us as we listened to the young Israeli pianist, Roman Abramowitch, play Bach’s monumental ‘Goldberg Variations,’ in its fullest version, requiring consummate virtuosity that took our breath away.
Another world-renowned artist who graced our concert hall with his presence was the cellist Stephen Isserles, who chose to play Kabalevsky’s demanding cello concerto with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. I personally would have preferred Dvorak’s or Saint-Saens’ or even Elgar’s cello concerto, but the opportunity to hear and see this great cellist in person was also a unique experience.
Our week of music included a superb performance of Mahler’s ‘Song of the Earth’ by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. The evening began with a dramatic announcement by guest conductor, Robert Trevianio from America, who informed the audience that the Lithuanian mezzo-soprano, Justina Gringitta, was not feeling well and had spent the day taking ‘every medication known to man’ in order to be able to perform that evening. It was still touch and go whether she would be able to sing and the orchestra had prepared an alternative program (Tchaikovsky’s fourth symphony) in case she couldn’t perform. This elicited a groan of disappointment from the usually-polite audience, and everyone hoped and prayed that we would be able to hear Mahler’s tremendous music as planned.
When the artists (the conductor, the Australian tenor Samuel Sacker and Justina) came on to the stage for the performance there was enthusiastic applause and we all settled back in our seats, eager to hear the music. The orchestra played the demanding score with tremendous skill and it was with bated breath that we awaited the soprano’s solo. When we heard the rich, mellifluous sound that emerged from her throat we were moved to tears, and when the performance ended the entire audience rose to its feet and erupted in cheering and applause.
Words cannot express how much we appreciate all those wonderful artists who have come to bring us solace in our time of need. This includes the ‘Man with the Blue Violin,’ Pavel Sporcl from the Czech Republic, who told the audience in Ein Kerem, how much he loves Israel and feels at home here. The necklace with a Star of David that he was wearing was clearly evident against his white T-shirt, complemented by his golden jacket and shoes.
So it is particularly saddening to hear that Zubin Mehta, one of music’s leading figures and a stalwart supporter of Israel, has announced that he will no longer perform in Israel in protest against the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We can only hope that the day will come in the not-too-distant future when we will be able to benefit from Zubin Mehta’s inspiring presence once again.
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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson is a freelance writer based in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevasseret Zion, Israel.