The American Jewish world. [volume] (Minneapolis ;) 1915-current, 1921-05-20
THE AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD

IdcC CndC Willie CIlo Jew Is d ucVOCcu
husband, he is also good son. The
Jew may love the music of his adopt
ed country but he never forgets the
lullabies his mother sang while rock
ing him to sleep, neither can he for
get the sacred motives chanted in the
synagogue. They are part and parcel
of him. The fact that the great aca-
denies of the world have called upon
him to furnish copies Of his musical
manuscripts for their historic musi-
cal archives, should in itself satisfy
the most skeptical critics. The ques-
ton, "Is there distinct Jewish Ma
tional Musical Art?" no more lends
itself to dispute than the query, els
there Jewish people?"
The Menorah Society Of the Uni
versity of Minnesota has rendered a
notable service in this regard, We'd
nesday evening, by producing pro-
gram of Jewish Classic, Liturgical
and Folk music, in the Armory Of the
University. To the University SYM
phony Orchestra, under the direction
of Professor Abe Pepinsky, the trio,
the players in which were, Engelbert
Roentgen, Karl Scheurer and Abe
Pepinsky, and Annette Yde Lake, is
due the credit for the delivery of
wonderful Jewish musical message.
The program consisted of the Over
ture, king Solomon" by Tobani,
made up of "Kol Nidre," "Hanukkah,"
"Succoth,' "Min Hametzar," eli
Zion" and "L'Dovid Boruch" and three
Hebrew melodies by RimskyKorsa-
kov, Moussorgski and Karganoff,
played by the Orchestra; "Rachem,"
by Mana yucca, and "Eili, Eili," by
Sander Russott; "Sand un Stern" by
Frug- Bernstein; Gale Ovend" and
"Kumm Zu Mir in Hederil," by Gel
bart, sung by Annette Yde Lake;
three Hebrew melodies by Joachim,
from impressions of Byron's poems
(arranged for trio by Mr.. Roentgen),
played by the Trio, and "Kol Nidre,"
by Bruch, played by Mr.. Roentgen.
Each section Of the program did JUS
tice to the occasion. The orchestra
played with feeling and dignity. AL
though a new organization and not
quite complete in ensemble, it showed
fine balance and good sense of pro-
portion. Precision in attack marked
it's renditions throughout it's SYM
phony selections as well as in the ac--
compartments. Mrs. Lake, who is
not Jewish, surprised her hearers with
her perfect enunciation in Hebrew
and Yiddish. She sang with taste, in
telligence and sympathetic musical
feeling. Her voice is not only of
good natural quality, but she also has
real talent for Interpretation. Mr.
Roentgen's playing of the Kol Nidre
was delightful from every angle, not
withstanding the fact that he is also
not of the Jewish faith. He seemed
to be enveloped in the spirit of the
composition and rendered the sacred
selection with a reverence and feeling
that enlisted a rapt attention of the
audience. For artistry, interpreted
tive intelligence and general musical
predominance, Mr.. Roentgen is among
the best in his field. The playing of
the trio numbers by the three eminent
artists gave the impression of one in
strument instead of three. Their Sc
lections were rendered with fawless
technique and perfect understanding.
The perfection was not only in tech
nical details but it was also evidenced
in tone effects. The Menorah society
and Trio ensemble is indebted to Mr..
Roentgen for his splendid arrange