O Jerusalem!: City of Three Faiths / Sorrell, Apollo's Fire

$14.99
Label
Avie Records
Release Date
February 11, 2022
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      Various
    • CONDUCTOR
      Jeannette Sorrell
    • PERFORMER
      Apollo's Fire
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      February 11, 2022
    • UPC
      822252250121
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      AV2501
    • LABEL
      Avie Records
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Classical
    Works ⌄

    1. Ir me kero, Madre, a Yerushalayim (I want to go to Jerusalem, mother) (arr. J. Sorrell for vocals, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Amanda Powell, Jeffrey Strauss

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    2. Kuando el Rey Nimrod al kampo salía (When King Nimrod went out to the fields) (arr. J. Sorrell for vocals, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Amanda Powell, Sorab Wadia, Jeffrey Strauss

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    3. Taxim (Improvisation) - Ir me quería yo por este caminico (I want to go down this little road) (arr. J. Sorrell for narrators, soprano and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional, Daphna Mor

      Ensemble: Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Amanda Powell, Daphna Mor, Sorab Wadia

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    4. Tzur mishelo achalnu (The Lord our Rock) (arr. D. Mor and J. Sorrell for vocals, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Daphna Mor

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    5. Nani Nani (Lullaby) (arr. J. Sorrell and A. Powell for soprano and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Amanda Powell

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    6. A la una yo nací (At One I was Born) (arr. J. Sorrell for tenor, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Sorab Wadia, Ronnie Malley

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    7. Havun-Havun (arr. R. Schiffer for cello, double bass and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Grigor Narekatsi

      Ensemble: Apollo's Fire

      Performer: René Schiffer, Sue Yelanjian

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    8. Taxim (Improvisation)

      Composer: Ronnie Malley

      Performer: Ronnie Malley

    9. Longha Farahfaza

      Composer: Riad Mohammed Al Sunbati

      Ensemble: Apollo's Fire

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    10. Muslim Call to Prayer

      Composer: Anonymous

      Performer: Ronnie Malley, Rex Benincasa

    11. Sancta Maria succurre miseris

      Composer: Anonymous

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    12. Concerto: Nigra sum

      Composer: Claudio Monteverdi

      Performer: Jacob Perry, William Simms

    13. Magnificat: Gloria Patri

      Composer: Claudio Monteverdi

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Jacob Perry, Nathan Hodgson

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    14. Taxim (improvisation) - Tzur mishelo achalnu (The Lord our Rock) (arr. J. Sorrell for vocals, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Brian Kay, Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Sorab Wadia, Jeffrey Strauss, Brian Kay

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    15. Ki eshmera Shabbat (If I Guard the Sabbath) (arr. J. Sorrell, J. Strauss and R. Schiffer for baritone, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Anonymous

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Jeffrey Strauss

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    16. Longha Nahawand (arr. T. Bergmann and E. Tanabe for dulcimer, violin and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Tina Bergmann, Emi Tanabe

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell

    17. Cantigas de Santa Maria: No. 100. Santa Maria, Strela do Dia (arr. J. Sorrell for vocals, mixed choir and chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Alfonso X

      Ensemble: Apollo's Singers, Apollo's Fire

      Performer: Amanda Powell, Brian Kay

      Conductor: Jeannette Sorrell


The crossroads of Christianity, Judaism and Islam create the backdrop to O! Jerusalem, a scintillating live recording by Apollo’s Fire that interweaves the lives and music of the peoples who have inhabited the “City on a Hill” since Biblical times. Conceived and directed by Jeanette Sorrell, Grammy Award-winning founder of Apollo’s Fire, O! Jerusalem conjures a tour of the Old City’s four quarters – Christian, Jewish, Arab and Armenian – and the confluence of the communities’ sacred and secular music from 1200 – 1650. This colorful and vibrant program – featuring musicians of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian backgrounds – premiered to packed audiences in New York City, Chicago, and the ensemble’s home base of Cleveland where this recording was captured live. O! Jerusalem follows in the footsteps of Sephardic Journey (AV2361), one of ten Apollo’s Fire releases to debut in Billboard’s Classical Chart Top 10.

REVIEW:

The program is organized as a walk through the four neighborhoods of Jerusalem's Old Quarter, namely Jewish, Arab, Christian, and Armenian, concluding with a festival secular dance set in which the traditions mingle. Much of the program was recorded live in 2020, just before the pandemic shut things down; these tracks are augmented by others recorded earlier. Most or all of the music seems to have been performed by members of Apollo's Fire itself. Beyond the rather plaintive hopes for peace that it expresses, the program is both instructive and engaging.

-- AllMusicGuide.com (James Manheim)