Pergament: Den judiska sången (The Jewish Song)

Featuring

James DePreist
Sven-Olof Eliasson
Birgit Nordin
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Choir
Moses Pergament

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Composer Biography

Moses Pergament, the composer, was born in Helsinki in 1893 to a Jewish orthodox family and studied in his hometown and St. Petersburg before moving to Stockholm in 1915.

Composition History

The choral symphony "Den judiska sången" (The Jewish Song) was created in the final stages of World War II, influenced by the atrocities of Nazism.

Compositional Technique

Moses Pergament's music draws from both Jewish and Nordic cultures, with his melodic lines deeply rooted in ancient Jewish synagogue music and Hebrew cantilena.

Critical Reception

Moses Pergament struggled to gain recognition as a composer in Sweden, as his cosmopolitan background and modern sympathies clashed with the dominant late Romantic, nationalist spirit of the time.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Moses Pergament, as a music critic and composer, championed universal values like knowledge, reason, and open-mindedness, which he saw as the Jewish people's mission, especially during the interwar period.

Recording & Production

This recording of "Den judiska sången" was made live at the Stockholm Concert Hall in February 1974, with additional takes recorded around the same time.

Historical Context

Pergament's grandfather, Moshe, was one of thousands of 'cantonists', Jewish boys conscripted into the Russian army, who later settled in Finland after their service.