Aron Zelkowicz - Stutschewsky: Chamber Music (2016)

Joachim Stutschewsky (1891–1982) confronted his identity as a Jewish musician by melding the Mediterranean sounds of his adopted Israel with the early klezmer influences of his youth in Ukraine. He gave his own instrument, the cello, rhapsodic treatment in the explicitly cantorial and folk-infused short pieces on this disc (the first dedicated to his music from a western label), with the piano providing enough harmonic surprises to elevate these simple melodies to sophisticated concert works. The two trios, The Klezmer’s Wedding and Hassidic Fantasy, are expertly arranged suites of nigunim (tunes) and freilachs (joyous dances).

Featuring:
Musicians of the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival
Aron Zelkowicz, cello
Luz Manriquez, piano
Jennifer Orchard, violin
Marissa Byers, clarinet