Notes from Cotel regarding “Night of the Murdered Poets”

In September 1970, eighty Moscow Jews signed a bold appeal to conscience which they wished to make public to the world. It was addressed “Brother Jews!” I first came across this remarkable document in a pamphlet published by the National Conference on Soviet Jewery, which also included poems by the murdered poets. When I read lines, “With anxious longing and great hope we stretch our hands out to you-Sh’ma Isreal! Hear O Isreal!…,” the words literally leaped out of the page at me. Immediately, I heard the traditional chant of the Sh’ma Isreal and conceived of this work, based entirely (every note) on that melody.

Also on the program are works by Ernst von Dohnyani, Bela Bartok, and “Kol Nidrei” by Max Bruch