Kaddish – a Holocaust Memorial concert

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A music review by Victor Grynberg

Leonard Bernstein

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been at many thousands of symphonic concerts since the 1950s but this was the most moving concert I have ever attended,

The title of this concert was certainly indicative of a very moving program but what was played and narrated left expectations far behind.

Contrary to normal practice, the major work KADDISH by the great Leonard Bernstein was in fact, the opening piece and it was in the second half that the short pieces were played.

But before any music was commenced, we saw on the big screen behind the orchestra a seven-minute video of U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the stepson of former Melbourne resident and world-renowned author Samuel Pisar, talking about his Jewish heritage, the concert to come, and how his step-sister Leah Pisar ( Samuel’s daughter ) would be the narrator.

So , accompanied by the 80+ members of the MSO Chorus and the Young Voices of Melbourne, the music and narration began . Under the very committed direction of Conductor Benjamin Northey the superb piece was played and sang . Leah Pisar’s narration was outstanding

Bernstein was a composer and orchestral conductor whom the Jewish community worldwide was very proud of and this magnificent piece was delivered superbly in the excellent acoustics of Hamer Hall to a most appreciative packed house.

This alone might have been enough for a great evening but what happened in the second half was just amazing.

It began with a moving speech on the big screen by Kim Beazley. The former Labor politician who is now Chairman of the Australian War Memorial ,a partner in the evening ,was excellent.

After asking the audience to refrain from any applause till the 16 pieces were completed the music began with narrative between every piece by renowned Jewish concert pianist Simon Tedeschi who not only narrated but actually wrote his moving and very important words about every composer. He  also edited the music so the program didn’t run too long .

The opening piece was the world premiere of a piece by much-acclaimed Australian Jewish composer Elena Kats-Chernin.

THE NIGHT OF BROKEN GLAS
This was such a masterpiece that when I saw Elena straight after the concert I not only congratulated her but begged her to expand the piece to a 20-25 minute work.

Later she told me she had the same request from someone very high up in the MSO administration.

This piece by Elena was completed by the great William Barton who had written and was now playing on Yidaki (a type of didgeroo) WILLIAM BARTON MARCH. A wonderful tribute to the great Aboriginal leader who famously in November 1938 had led an Aboriginal delegation to the office of the German Consulate in Melbourne to complain strongly about Kristallnacht.

Following this introduction there were 14 pieces many written by Jews who had perished in the Holocaust.

A children’s choir accompanied several numbers.

With the profound words of explanation by Simon Tedeschi the emotion grew stronger piece by piece.

Full compliments also to Chris Latham who orchestrated six of the pieces and was very important in preparing the MSO for this unforgettable event.

Complimenting the music and narration the program for the evening is an essential recognition of the lives of the composers and some of the people involved.

The audience having been asked to stay silent during these 16 pieces reacted at the end with a near unanimous standing ovation with the applause going on and on.

We and others had travelled from Sydney to Melbourne for this concert so in the strongest way possible I’m requesting that Benjamin Northey come to Sydney next November to do a repeat of this absolutely memorable and moving concert.

An extra thank you to the Gandel Foundation which the previous night were the major sponsors of A SECRET CHORD the new exhibition just opening at Melbourne’s  Jewish Museum of Australia and now were important sponsors here