MAX BRUCH ( ARR . RIBKE ) Kol Nidrei
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Born 1838 in Cologne , Prussia ; died 1920 in Berlin , Germany
• Max Bruch was born in Cologne to a musical family — his mother , Wilhelmine , was a singer . Max wrote his first piece at age nine for his mother ’ s birthday . After that , music became Bruch ’ s passion and he began studying music more seriously .
• In addition to his immense compositional output , Bruch was also an active conductor who served as music director of the Liverpool Philharmonic .
• Bruch was an exceptionally productive composer writing over 200 works in his lifetime . His first violin concerto , his most famous work , eclipsed much of his other writing and remains a staple of the violin repertoire to this day .
THE WORLD AT A GLANCE
1880
MUSIC Tchaikovsky ’ s 1812 Overture
TECHNOLOGY The first electric streetlight is installed
ABOUT THE PIECE
• Bruch wrote this work for cello and orchestra in 1880 while living in Liverpool .
• The work is based on Jewish melodies including the Kol Nidrei , a prayer recited during the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur . Bruch was interested in Jewish folk melodies and stated , “ Even though I am a Protestant , as an artist I deeply felt the outstanding beauty of these melodies , and therefore I gladly spread them throughout my arrangement .”
POP CULTURE Barnum & Bailey Circus is founded
HISTORY The Blizzard of 1880
BSO SESSIONS | MAY-JUNE 2021
11