SOLI November 2001 Concert Program Notes & Bios

Nigun (Improvisation) is the center movement of the suite Baal Shem (Three Pieces of Chassidic
Life), composed in 1923, and it is probably performed more often without the outer movements than
with them. According to Mina Miller, the entire suite “depicts spiritual and religious elements of
orthodox Jewish life. The first movement, Contrition, addresses the act of atonement for one’s sins;
Nigun… reflects on the deep emotional and religious feeling of this act. Rejoicing speaks to a
fundamental aspect of Judaism. In this work, however, it specifically relates to the annual festival of
Simchas Torah (which celebrates the completion of the reading of the Book of Law).”

The three scenes From Jewish Life could be termed Bloch’s Baal Shem for cello, so similar is the
intent of these two works. Not only do both have three movements about Jewish life, but even the
subject matter of the movements (atonement and reflection) is similar. But whereas Nigun is an
extroverted work, From Jewish Life is contemplative and melancholy, avoiding virtuosity. In both
works, Bloch uses shofar-like calls, augmented intervals (often as a crying motif), and quarter tones
in the strings to evoke Jewish music.

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