Jewish music for two Recorders, arranged by Hans Lewitus

Jewish music, just like the Jewish people, has been around for centuries and originates from various backgrounds. Just like the recorder, an ancient instrument that has been revived in the past few decades so does the Jewish history and within it, the Jewish music.
This album is a collection of beautiful songs, some of which are very ancient, religious, and Hassidic, while others are modern and secular. Some come from Europe and are sung in Yiddish while others were “born” in Israel and are in modern Hebrew.
Is there a common character to these varied tunes? Perhaps the favor for minor scale, some modality, and the use of syncopation. Nevertheless, each one of them is a unique piece, recorded for the first time in this special arrangement made by Hans Lewitus for two Recorders. In the album, one can hear and enjoy the whole Recorder family, accompanied sometimes by violin, clarinet, and guitar, along with singing.
Musical Director: Inbar Solomon


About this project.
Hebrew melodies for recorder. Arr. by Hans Lewitus
My father spent two years with the Palestine Symphony Orchestra in the late 1930s, before the State of Israel was founded. Perhaps it was then that he heard and came to love the traditional music of the Jewish people and also probably thru his friendship with Joachim Stutschewsky in Vienna and Palestine. Later, in Peru, he arranged many, many different Hebrew and Yiddish melodies for two recorders. I decided to choose 27 of these arrangements to present here. According to Kabbalah, the number 27 is a fortunate number, with echoes of enchantment and the power of creativity. I hope that these songs will open your hearts to the joys of a music that may be less familiar to you, or that may transport you back to a different time or place.
This album is dedicated to a few people who helped me discover the titles of the songs, none of which were named in my father’s manuscripts.
First, to my son Justin, who found most of the titles.
Second, to Daniel Radsinski and Rita Kajomovitz, both of whom were tireless in their efforts to help identify the remaining songs and more.
I also want to acknowledge the members of two Jewish groups that were very influential in my life: Jazit Kineret in Lima, Peru, and the 1970 cohort of The Majon: Institute for Leadership in Jerusalem.
Lastly, to Meirav Moran, who graciously permitted me to use a photograph of her and my father for the album’s cover. The photograph was taken circa 1977 at the home of her late parents, Rami and Dalia, overlooking the fields of their Kibbutz, Kibbutz Ga’ash in Israel, where Meirav and her sisters Marit, Neta and Assia grew up.
And last but not least: to my mother Eva Lewitus ,great supporter of this and all my projects and the photographer of this album’s cover.


Ricardo Lewitus