Max Bruch left behind a substantial and significant body of work. Nevertheless, the public today is actually only familiar with the 1st Violin Concerto, which is part of the standard repertoire of every violinist. The overwhelming success of this work led to repeated requests from important cellists to write a cello concerto as well. In 1880, his friend, the cellist Robert Hausmann, inspired the composer to write "Kol Nidrei" for cello and orchestra. Bruch himself wrote about his work: "This piece is a small counterpart to my 'Scottish Fantasy', as it, like that piece, artistically expands a given melodic material." The work is based on two Hebrew melodies, which give it a plaintive and hymn-like character. First, Bruch uses an old penitential song that was sung at the beginning of the most important Jewish festival, Yom Kippur. The second theme is the English-Jewish song "Oh Weep for Those that Wept on Babel's Stream", which he probably learned in the Jewish community during his time in Liverpool. Bruch wrote "Kol Nidrei" in five arrangements for different instrumentations, which shows the extraordinary popularity of this piece.The warm, dark cello tone wonderfully reflects the incredibly solemn, lamenting and jubilant synagogue singing. The piece radiates the humility of the Jewish faith. In the arrangement for cello (opt. euphonium) and wind orchestra by Siegmund Goldhammer, this work is a valuable addition to the symphonic wind literature.
