Kiddush (Kurt Weill)

As I prepare for a quiet summer Shabbat, I’m excited to share with you this piece which fascinates me both musically and historically.
Kurt Weill (1900-1950), one of America’s most influential composers, was born and raised in a religious Jewish family in Dessau, Germany. As the Nazis came into power in 1933, he fled to Paris and later immigrated to America. Kiddush by Kurt Weill was the first synagogue piece
to be written in an American popular style and is an amalgam of Germanic stolidity, American blues, and Broadway pop harmony. It was commissioned by Park Avenue Synagogue and premiered in 1946.
Weill dedicated this piece to his father, Albert Weill, who was a cantor.
This recording was made in Berlin and is included in the album Heritage, featuring treasures of Jewish-German composers.
With RIAS Kammerchor
Colin Fowler, Music Director
Justin Doyle, Conductor
Program notes: Dr. Anat Rubinstein
Recording Producer: Florian B. Schmidt
Video Editing: Tami Shaham
Special thanks to Eli Grunfeld
www.azischwartz.com
Lyrics
Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments
Lovingly You have favored us with the gift of your Holy Shabbat
And has taken delight in us.
Out of love and with favor You have given us the holy Sabbath
As our inheritance, in remembrance of Your creation,
First among the sacred days
Which recall the Exodus from Egypt.
You have chosen us of all peoples for Your service,
And You have given us a sacred purpose in life.
In loving favor, You have given us
Your holy Shabbat as a heritage.
Praise are You, O Lord, who hallows the Shabbat.
[Friday evening]
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְרָצָה בָנוּ
וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשׁוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחִילָנוּ זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית
תְּחִלָּה לְמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם
כִּי בָנוּ בָחַרְתָּ וְאוֹתָנוּ קִדַּשְׁתָּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים
וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשֶׁךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת
Barukh atah, Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borei p'ri ha-gafen.
Barukh atah, Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam,
asher kid'shanu b'mitsvotav v-ratsa vanu,
ve-shabat kodsho be-ahava uv-ratson hinhilanu,
zikaron le-ma’aseh v'reishit, t'hila le-mikra’ei kodesh, zekher li-y’tsi’at Mitsra’yim.
Ki vanu vaharta ve-otanu kidashta mikol ha’amim, ve-Shabat kodsh'kha b'ahava uv-ratson hinhaltanu.
Barukh atah Adonai, m’kadesh ha-Shabat.

[@1kjosef1]

This is a wonderful piece by Weill, so rarely intoned. Beautifully sung here. Weill was often at his best writing choral music, and small wonder - not only was his father a cantor, but his grandfather, and his paternal line going all the way back to the 14th century. Thank you for posting this! Wonderful!

[@Hels_Angels]

Hauntingly beautiful. Fantastic! 💕💕 Weill and Schwartz, a wonderful combination 👍

[@WilliamBrown-wu7fx]

Hauntingly beautiful, doesn't matter if it was recorded in a church, and beautiful organ playing!!

[@robertoa.m.3984]

Unbelievably beautiful! Thank you! Shalom from Centralamerica.

[@andrewb724]

Absolutely beautiful!!! Amazing singing Cantor Schwartz!!!!

[@elviegraceganchero-gelman6338]

This is so beautiful, mesmerising.

[@hpgerrin]

The most pure, angelic voice in the world!

[@carloshugogeib7961]

Beautiful! Amazing!!

[@olivenbaumchenfindeichgut4200]

Wunderschön.

[@hannureittu4310]

❤

Wunderbar!!!

[@zegeraldo2009]

Shabat Shalom Lekulam!!!

[@Hels_Angels]

ZEGERALDO BHZ ! תודה רבה לך 🍷👍

[@balldoza4964]

interessant gracias por las letras

[@amberyashai]

🎤💕😊🙋

[@maria3poema]

✡️😍🙏

[@AquaIgnis2012]

Why is there a cross on the Wall?

[@ejvr99]

The album was recorded March 15, 16, 17, at Christuskirche, Oberschöne-weide, Berlin, Germany; and July 2018 at Park Avenue Synagogue.

[@manassetobias2085]

This building is a protestant church/Temple?

[@balldoza4964]

catholic?

[@manassetobias2085]

@@balldoza4964 non! just protestant, because not jewish temple, non synagogue. catcholic is absurd :) protestant is rational in Germany, one thing is absolute: Azi Schwartz is Jewish, in religious and ethnicity, both. pardon my fool English communication.

[@christopherhartley845]

It is a Jewish Synagogue in New York City ( America) 😊.

[@ejvr99]

@@christopherhartley845 The album was recorded March 15, 16, 17, at Christuskirche, Oberschöne-weide, Berlin, Germany; and July 2018 at Park Avenue Synagogue.

[@wvmouraventura]

פרשנות גדולה. ברכותי. אלוהים שיבח.

[@jonlevinson4300]

I find it odd that you would be wearing a tallis in a church.

[@davidcourt238]

Pity this was recorded in a church?