Artist: Various:Joseph Schmidt, Herman Schildberger, Fredrick Lechner and more. Title: The Musical Tradition of The Jewish Reform Congregation In Berlin ( 2 CDs & Book ) Category: Cantorial

Order #: 01218 A deluxe 2 CD box set including detailed book written in English ,Hebrew and German. Lyrics to all selection included in the 3 languages. In a "Kristallnacht mood" I pulled out the historical double CD produced by Beth Hatefutsoth called "The Musical Tradition of the Jewish Reform Congregation in Berlin." Listening to the entire album through, along with the handsome booklet that documents the history of the entire 1928-30 project, of the Berlin Jewish community, and of the music itself -- which is just glorious (mostly Lewandowski & Sulzer with a few surprises, and almost all in German) felt like participating in a majestic Yizkor service for that community.A 100-voice choir, a thundering organ and soloists like tenor Joseph Schmidt gives you an idea of the quality of the singing. It's not Hazzanut and it's not Friday Night Live; it's a whole nuther smoke. The pieces come from original master discs of studio recordings that miraculously survived the Holocaust. So there's not a single pop or click to be heard. The original recording project covered the entire 63 page prayerbook (those 63 pages included all Shabbat, Festivals, Confirmation and High Holidays services!) from which this album is excerpted.Needless to say, the liturgical content is interesting. For example. Shacharit L'Shabbat is represented by a Lewandowski Ma Tovu (3 minutes of organ + 45 seconds of singing), a paraphrase of Vayechulu Hashamayim with music roughly based Friday night Nusach, plus the two High Holiday Piyyutim V'ye'etayu and Mi Eyl Kamocha. (Ironically, in my traditional Shul we skip both of these Piyyutim even on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur!)Hallel is represented by Lewandowski's Halelu et Hashem followed by fragments of Min Hameytzar set to Handel's "See The Conquering Hero". There are also compositions by Beethoven and Schumann, as well as an emended Sanctus from Schubert's German Mass.Of course the album includes the famous Lewandowski German Kedushah (whichnever fails to inspire me).I found the High Holiday selections most to my liking from a "traditional" point of view, since there's some Hebrew and some smatterings of "Nusach". But the whole set is an impressive document worth listening to.Review by : Cantor Sam Weiss- Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ

Tracks:
1.   Disc 1: Sanctification (Kedusha) - L. Lewandowski (Joseph Schmidt)
2.   It Is A Good Thing (Tov L'hodot) - L. Lewandowski (Frederick Lechner)
3.   Oh Welcome (Congregational Hymn) - robert Schumann (Gertrud Baumann)
4.   This Is My Covenant - Ludwig van Beethoven (Paula Lindberg)
5.   How Goodly (Ma Tovu) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
6.   When The Creation (Va - Yechulu) ( Choir)
7.   It Shall Come To Pass (Ve ye'etayu) - L. Lewandowski (Joseph Schmidt)
8.   Now Let Us Praise (Mi El Kaocha) - L. Lewandowski (Paula Lindber, Frederick Lechner,and Gertrud Baumann)
9.   Sanctification (Kedushah) - Solomon Sulzer (Herman Schey)
10.   There Is None Like Unto You (Ein Kamocha) - S. Sulzer (Joseph Schmidt)
11.   Praised Be The Lord (Baruch She-natan) - L. Lewandowski (Joseph Schmidt)
12.   To You O Lord (L'Cha Adonai) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
13.   And This Is The Law (Ve-zot Ha torah) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
14.   Lead Us Back (Hashiveinu) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
15.   He Is The Lord Of All ( Adon Olam) - L. Lewandwoski (Frederick Lechner)
16.   Yes, Indeed (Adir hu) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
17.   Sing and Rejoice (Sisu Ve-simhu) - Traditional ( Choir)
18.   O Praise The Lord (Hallel) - L. Lewandowski (Frederick Lechner and Joseph Schidt)
19.   You Are Holy ( Kadosh Atta) - L. Lewandowski (Hermann Schey)
20.   Shema Yisrael -Traditional, arr. S. Sulzer ( Choir)
21.   Before You O Lord (Congrgational Hymn) - L. Lewanowski ( Choir)
22.   CD 2: Out Of The Depths - Trad. 'Kol Nidre' melody arr. L. Lewandwoski (Hermann Schey)
23.   God Is The Light (Congregational Hymn) - L. Lewandwoski (organ prelude) ( Choir)
24.   Lo, He Neither Sleeps Nor Slumbers (Congregational Hymn) - L. Lewandwoski ( Choir)
25.   Grant Us Peace (Tavo L'fanecha) - L. Lewandowski (Frederick Lechner)
26.   Adonai, Adonai ( Choir)
27.   God Is My Song - music: Ludwig van Beethoven ( Choir)
28.   You Are My Refuge (Paula Lindberg)
29.   Ve-nislah (And It Shall Be Forgiven) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
30.   Va-yomer Adonai Salahti (And The Lord Said: I Have Pardoned) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
31.   Ki Va-yom Hazeh (For On This Day) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
32.   Hoy, Holy - Music Franz Schubert - Sanctus from the German Mass D.872 ( Choir)
33.   Your Name Is God ( Song of Praise) - L. Lewandowski (Paula Lindberg)
34.   I Thank You O Lord - arr. L. Lewandowski (Gertrud Baumann and Frederick Lechner)
35.   The Soul - music: J Stern ( Choir)
36.   Shema Yisrael - arr: J. stern (Joseph Schmidt)
37.   Neither The Sun Or The Moon - L. Lewendowski ( Choir)
38.   Lord Of The World (Adon Olan) -Music: George Friedrich Handel ( Choir)
39.   Ma'oz Tzur - arr: L. Lewendowski ( Organ)
40.   Shout Unto The Lord (Hari'u) - L. Lewandowski ( Choir)
41.   Amen, Amen, Amen ( Choir)