Prophets, Kings & Klezmer- Vereski Pass

This just in from Vereski Pass:

Prophets, Kings & Klezmer

Have you ever heard internationally-acclaimed Klezmer Band Vereski Pass?  

Here's your chance to hear internationally-acclaimed Klezmer Band Vereski Pass 

in concert with San Francisco Choral Artists.  

Together we present an innovative program of Jewish music

from the last 2000 years: psalms, folksongs, dances and lullabies

expressed through the fusion of chamber choir and Klezmer band.

You'll hear improvisation, three world premieres, settings of

traditional Jewish texts, lively dance music and plangent a cappella

harmonies.

Palo Alto: Sun, Mar 11, 4 PM

Congregation Etz Chayim, 4161 Alma St.

Click here to buy online at brownpapertickets.com

San Francisco: Sat, Mar 17, 8 PM 

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1111 O’Farrell St.

Click here to buy online at brownpapertickets.com

Oakland: Sun, Mar 18, 4 PM

Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St.

Click here to buy online at brownpapertickets.com

The concerts showcase a variety of new and standard Klezmer music,

and a wealth of choral music by Jewish composers, including richly

scored six-part Shir Hama’alot by 17th century Italian composer

Salamone Rossi, beloved works by Darius Milhaud and Felix

Mendelssohn, a lush piece by 19th century composer David Nowakowsky called

Hashkivenu #2, Sylke Zimpel’s arrangement of the familiar

folk tune Tumbalalaika, and compelling psalm settings by contemporary

composers George Rochberg, Malcolm Singer, and Karen Tarlow.

For this program local composer Tina Harrington and

Composer-Not-in-Residence Matt Van Brink each created new works that

feature the two ensembles. Using energetic rhythms, Harrington's Vest

Oysforn draws on the tradition of Eastern European folk music. The

unique characters of two Romanian dances, the Doina and the Hora, are

featured Matt Van Brink's work They Disappear.

Tickets are on sale now!  

www.sfca.org/tickets

Advanced Purchase: $12 Student/$22 Senior/$25 General

At the Door: $15 Student/$28 Senior/$30 General

About Veretski Pass          

Taking its name from the mountain pass through which Magyar tribes

crossed into the Carpathian basin to settle what later became the

Austro-Hungarian Empire, Veretski Pass offers a unique and exciting

combination of virtuosic musicianship and raw energy that has excited

concertgoers across the world. The trio plays Old Country Music with

origins in the Ottoman Empire, once fabled as the borderlands of the

East and the West. In a true collage of Carpathian, Jewish, Romanian

and Ottoman styles, typical suites contain dances from Moldavia and

Bessarabia; Jewish melodies from Poland and Romania; Hutzul wedding

music from Carpathian-Ruthenia; and haunting Rebetic aires from

Smyrna, seamlessly integrated with original compositions. Veretski

Pass recently performed at the Concertgebouw concert hall in

Amsterdam, and their CDs have repeatedly been on the 10- best

recording lists of journalists. For biographies of individual members

of Veretski Pass, please visit: www.veretskipass.com

About the Choral Artists          

Nationally-recognized San Francisco Choral Artists has achieved

renown through innovative programs and stunning performances

presenting new works and masterworks of the last 600 years.

Specializing in the music of living composers, SFCA has premiered

over 175 works and collaborated with The Alexander String Quartet,

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Composers Inc, The Whole Noyse, and

others. Magen Solomon, Artistic Director since since 1995, avidly

cultivates engagements with living composers to bridge the gulf

between audience, composer, and performer. Active as a guest

conductor, adjudicator and clinician, she has worked with many noted

conductors.

What People are Saying                    

"...awash in gorgeous harmonies... exquisite, rich, and sensuous,

...beautiful phrasing, and a perfect blend ...deeply beautiful and

moving"

Jonathan Russell, San Francisco Classical Voice; Professor, San

Francisco Conservatory of Music           

"...imaginatively-chosen, challenging, and very beautifully sung..."

Lisa Hirsch, San Francisco Classical Voice           

"A Bay Area treasure"

Kirke Mechem, Composer

Contact Us                        

www.sfca.org

info@sfca.org              

415-494-8149 

News From Veretski Pass

Veretski Pass
Music from the Carpathian Bow

Cookie Segelstein - Violin, Viola
Joshua Horowitz – Cimbalom, Chromatic Button Accordion, Piano
Stuart Brotman - Bass, Basy, Tilinca, Baraban

“…Veretski Pass, one hot band!” Chicago Sun Times

“…Veretski Pass stands out as something bold, unusual and musically satisfying.” Simon Broughton, BBC and Songlines Magazine

"… No one else on the local scene - or any other scene - is doing what Veretski Pass is. The tunes are mysterious, enthralling and beautiful." Eric R. Danton, Hartford Courant

Sound Samples and Info on Veretski Pass albums:
First Album ( Veretski Pass ) 2004, Second Album ( Trafik ) 2008, Latest Album ( The Klezmer Shul Live ) 2011 Veretski Pass Website

Taking its name from the mountain pass through which Magyar tribes crossed into the Carpathian basin to settle what later became the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Veretski Pass offers a unique and exciting combination of virtuosic musicianship and raw energy that has excited concertgoers across the world. The trio plays “Old Country” music with origins in the Ottoman Empire, once fabled as the borderlands of the East and the West. In a true collage of Carpathian, Jewish, Rumanian and Ottoman styles, typical suites contain dances from Moldavia and Bessarabia; Jewish melodies from Poland and Rumania; Hutzul wedding music from Carpathian-Ruthenia; and haunting Rebetic aires from Smyrna, seamlessly integrated with original compositions. Veretski Pass recently performed at the Concertgebouw Concert Hall in Amsterdam, and their CDs have repeatedly been on the 10-best recording lists of journalists.

Worldwide Concert Booking
Please contact Golden Horn with your inquiries. Golden Horn Records • P.O. Box 5776 • Walnut Creek, CA 94596 www.goldenhorn.com

Review: Trafik

Review: Trafik
Veretski Pass

There are times when a musical performance completely transcends our notions of what we think of as “good” music, regardless of the genre. Such is the case with Trafik, the new release from the trio Veretski Pass. When you are presented with such distinctive material, virtuosic musicianship, and excellent engineering, you have the ingredients for an amazing album.

The music originates from Eastern Europe in the Carpathian region, where the real Veretski Pass is located. The traffic referred to in the album title is the transiting of various peoples through the area. Musical styles from the neighboring cultures in the region are blended together and transformed into a sound that is unique to this group.

Trafik consists of nine suites, each with its own thematic idea. Some of the suite or track titles are slang phrases from the cultures represented; others are more descriptive. One of my favorites is Zero Dark Hundred, a beautiful Violin doina. Others, such as the suite Full Bow of Horse have the titles Dov the Cow Swimmer and Noisy Dog. There is also the lovely Tango Under the Influence, an accordion feature, with a steady rhythmic Bass line underneath. If you are curious about these titles go to the Veretski Pass website and Klezmer Podcast 18.

The trio consists of highly talented musicians Cookie Segelstein (Violin); Joshua Horowitz (Button Accordion, Tsimbl); and Stuart Brotman (Cello, Tilinca, Baraban). They have a communal approach to arranging their music, combining traditional melodies with original compositions in such a way that the line is blurred between the two. They have a way of making original works sound just like a traditional village melody. And it works the other way around, too. As Segelstein says: “We decided to just play music we like, and if we didn’t like it we’d rewrite it.” They also blend their own compositions with improvisations to come up with some very interesting musical forms.

One of the suites that I like a lot is The Pass, consisting of Red Mist and Risen Ground, with Brotman playing the Tilinca, or Carpathian Flute, a simple village instrument that seems to have a life of its own. We hear a Tilinca doina, followed by a lively dance. The last section, Klyucharkier Kolomeyke and Hutzulka is a fast dance with Brotman switching to Balaban (or Poik, a drum/cymbal setup) and Horowitz on Tsimbl.

But the music is more that just dances. The slower songs, like the Hora tracks are moving, but not in a sentimental way. They simply reflect the feeling of the music from this region. And the folk fiddle style is in high gear on Three Wheels Czardas. Segelstein is just as much a master of the folk fiddle as she is of the doina, and everything in between.

Now, just a bit about the engineering of Trafik. From a technical point of view, this album is a finely crafted work of art. The album was recorded “live” with very little editing. There are no overdubs or reverb. It was recorded in a recital hall with great natural acoustics. The only editing was to combine the best “takes” together. In fact, only 15 edits were made on the album. For a more in-depth look at the recording process look at Recording Trafik with Veretski Pass by Yves Feder, recording master for Tiny Radio
Productions on the Veretski Pass website.

The CD package has a minimum of information. Only track title information, credits, and special thanks are included. The group’s website has some additional information, such as a Glossary for both the Suite and Track Titles, bios, instrument information, photos, and the aforementioned look at the recording process.

I find Trafik to be a great look into the world of Eastern European village music. I highly recommend this album to anyone who has an interest in the Carpathian klezmer style, or who just appreciates a masterful performance of this deep and meaningful music. It is a celebration fit for the young and old alike. Don’t “Pass” this album up!

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

Trafik
Veretski Pass
Golden Horn Records
2008

Links:
Veretski Pass
Golden Horn Records
VP At Sacramento
VP On Focus580