An international music director plays the accordion in world premiere

An international music director plays the accordion in world premiere

main

norman lebrecht

March 04, 2016

There are two striking precedents in this world premiere, shown first on Slipped Disc.

The Ra’anana orchestra’s music director, Omer Meir Wellber, leads from the accordion – yes, he conducts and squeezes at the same time.

The other is that the new work, by Ella Milch-Sheriff (pictured), is composed in Yiddish, a language all but destroyed in Hitler’s Holocaust and now experiencing a gentle revival.

Oh, and it’s a remarkable piece. Watch.

ella milch sheriff

Comments

  • John Cheek says:

    It would be very helpful, indeed essential to have some idea of what this piece is about, preferably text and translation.

  • esfir ross says:

    Yiddish, the language of European Jews was not destroyed by Holocaust. It’s still official language of Jewish Autonomy Region, Jewish orthodox speak it in everyday life. It was my first language. It wasn’t used in practical life. But today’s surge interest to learn it.

    • Saxon Broken says:

      While it wasn’t “destroyed by Hitler”, Yiddish has fallen out of use. If you go back to the 1920s and 1930s there was Yiddish theatre and cinema in New York, and Yiddish newspapers. Similarly, London had a German/Yiddish community around Hampstead, with cinema and bookshops in both languages in the 1950s. Both communities made an enormous contribution to literature, politics, music, academia etc. Assimilation has meant that 2nd and 3rd generation children now speak English and have lost their cultural separateness. Norman Lebrecht is one of the last representatives of this community.

  • Roscoe Daoust says:

    I can’t see Omer as just another rich- kid abusive, hack of a conductor.

    • Ella Milch-Sheriff says:

      I have seen Omer conduct the IPO, other orchestras and opera as well as know him personally. He is an extremely knowledgable young man, extremely deep going and thoughtful and an outstanding musician. I felt privileged to have him conduct my composition.

  • MOST READ TODAY: