Cantorial Voices
Jewish Harmonies for the Soul

“Many Faces to the Cantorate” featured three cantors - Elihahu Schleifer, Josee Wolff and Tamar Havilio – in an evening rich in variety. Aya Schleifer accompanied on the piano. The evening was a tribute to Professor E. Schleifer, cantor, teacher and musicologist, who has been director of the Cantorial Studies program at Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem and will be retiring from the post at the end of the academic year. 
The evening presented traditional and modern cantorial music, Yiddish songs and music of Jewish and Israeli composers, trios duets and solos.

Her [Wolff's] reading of Moshe Ganchoff’s “Hashkivenu” (arranged by Israel Goldstein) was dramatic and emotional, with its many changes of tonality.
Nineteenth century French composer and pianist Maurice Ravel composed his “Deux Melodies Hebraiques” in 1914.  The first song, “Kaddish”, is an arrangement of the traditional New Year melody and the second, “The Eternal Question,” is based on traditional Yiddish verse from Eastern Europe. We were privileged to hear them performed by Cantor Josee Wolff. Born in the Netherlands, Wolff performs widely and is on the faculty of Hebrew Union College in New York. Her performance of the Ravel pieces was powerful and profound, poignant and wistful. Wolff also sang Leonard Bernstein’s “A Simple Song,” and her palette of sounds and emotions, vocal ease and dynamics never failed to involve the audience.

This was a meaningful and attractive concert, presenting fine artists and much variety. Monica Fallon’s program notes were a source of information and interest.

“Many Faces to the Cantorate”
The Hebrew Union College Concerts
Cantors Elihahu Schleifer, Josee Wolff and Tamar Havilio
Aya Schleifer-piano
Hebrew Union College, 13 King David St.
February 7, 2008

- Pamela Hickman is GoJerusalem’s classical music critic. She is a native of Melbourne, Australia and has studied piano, voice and theory in Australia, New York and Israel.

For the complete review go to http://www.gojerusalem.com/articles.aspx?articleid=357