Berlin’s Philharmonie hears its first chazan since 1933

Berlin’s Philharmonie hears its first chazan since 1933

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norman lebrecht

November 07, 2016

press release:

Berlin, Germany- Seventy-eight years after Kristallnacht, Berlin is bringing back the sounds of Jewish liturgy, which were silenced during the Holocaust, to Europe’s most important and prestigious concert hall. On November 2, 2016 at 8 p.m., the Berlin Philharmonic Hall hosted “Jewish New Years Concert” with cantors Netanel Hershtik and Avraham Kirshenbaum.

“This is the first time in the history of the Berlin Philharmonic Hall in which cantors will perform Jewish liturgy and this is a great message,” said Netanel Hershtik, cantor of the prestigious Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York. “The German people are expressing their remorse for the actions of their ancestors and it’s most appropriate to bring the music that was silenced and celebrate it in Europe’s most important musical venue.”

The concert featured Cantor Netanel Hershtik of New York and Cantor Avremi Kirshenboim of Jerusalem, who was accompanied by the Orchester Jakobsplatz München, conducted by Daniel Grossmann.

Orchester Jakobsplatz München, Jüdisches Neujahrskonzert, Kantorenkonzert, 2. November 2016 im Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie Berlin
 Netanel Hershtik, Kantor Avraham Kirshenbaum, Kantor Richard C. Schneider, Moderation Daniel Grossmann, Dirigent Copyright (C) Thomas Aurin Gleditschstr. 45, D-10781 Berlin Tel.:+49 (0)30 2175 6205 Mobil.:+49 (0)170 2933679 Veröffentlichung nur gegen Honorar zzgl. 7% MWSt. und Belegexemplar Steuer Nr.: 11/18/213/52812, UID Nr.: DE 170 902 977 Commerzbank, BLZ: 810 80 000, Konto-Nr.: 316 030 000 SWIFT-BIC: DRES DE FF 810, IBAN: DE07 81080000 0316030000

Note: The old Philharmonie hall was destroyed by British bombing in 1944. The new Philharmonie opened in 1963. No chazan sang in either since 1933.

Comments

  • Esfir Ross says:

    In the building that on Ben-Gurion street. What next to please Israel.

    • Mark says:

      Too bad stupidity cannot be converted into energy, otherwise you would be able to supply power to the whole continent.

    • Max Grimm says:

      While I don’t know what specific building on Ben-Gurion-Straße you are referring to, I doubt rather strongly that you are referring to the Berliner Philharmonie or the Kammermusiksaal.
      If you ever find yourself at the Philharmonie, pay attention to the street signs and you’d find that it’s on the Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße (Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße Nr. 1 to be precise).

    • luciano tanto says:

      …todo lo que haga falta. (Se puede seguir odiando al judío de muchas maneras, evidentemente).

  • gabriel says:

    @esfir ross it’s not about pleasing Israel it’s about picking up a thread that was violently destroid in the third Reich and the second world war by the nazis. Judaism and Jewish culture was part of the German culture for more than 1700 years, and the things happening at the Berliner Philharmonie on Herbert-von-Karajan-Strasse (!) are hopefully a sign that some German-Jewish relationships might be on its way to a certain “normality”…

  • peter kramer says:

    i think this is awesome…to mend and heal the past….some may critisize this…but its a beginning..long may it continue

  • Ben says:

    The Japanese government has a thing or two to learn from this, towards its neighboring Asian countries, for its war crimes during WWII.

  • Jennifer says:

    Karajan was an active member of the Nazi party and was promoted by them to become what he have become. Who would ever believe that a cantor would sing on that stage.

    • Saxon Broken says:

      He was not an active member of the Nazi party. Rather, as a young man trying to make his way he joined the Nazi party since this was more-or-less required if he was to have a career as a conductor. (Many others also joined for similar reasons.) But he didn’t take his membership very seriously since he let it lapse and had to rejoin; and moreover he married someone considered by the Nazis to be Jewish during the war. There is no evidence he was ever ideologically committed.

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