Composer

:

Joachim Stutschewsky

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1933

Average_duration

:

5:18

Kinah is a composition by Joachim Stutschewsky, a Jewish composer and cellist who was born in Lviv, Ukraine in 1891 and died in Jerusalem in 1982. The piece was composed in 1943 and premiered in 1944 in the Vilna Ghetto, where Stutschewsky was imprisoned during World War II. Kinah is a work for solo cello that consists of five movements, each of which is based on a traditional Jewish lamentation or kinah. The first movement, "Eicha," is named after the Book of Lamentations and is characterized by its mournful, slow tempo and use of dissonant harmonies. The second movement, "Al Naharot Bavel," is based on Psalm 137 and features a more rhythmic and lively melody. The third movement, "Shir Hama'alot," is a setting of Psalm 126 and is marked by its flowing, lyrical lines. The fourth movement, "Eli Tziyon," is a setting of a poem by the 16th-century Jewish mystic Rabbi Isaac Luria and is characterized by its haunting, otherworldly quality. The final movement, "Yizkor," is a memorial prayer for the dead and is marked by its solemn, introspective mood. Overall, Kinah is a deeply emotional and expressive work that reflects Stutschewsky's personal experiences as a Jewish musician living through the horrors of the Holocaust. The piece is notable for its use of traditional Jewish melodies and themes, which Stutschewsky weaves together in a highly original and creative way. Despite its tragic origins, Kinah is a testament to the enduring power of music to express the deepest human emotions and to provide solace in times of great sorrow.

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