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:

De Johann a Hans 

J.S. Bach Canciones Sagradas

Arreglos para cuarteto de flautas dulces y voz de Hans Lewitus

Hans Lewitus is no stranger to the art of transcription, especially for recorders. In this album of 18 sacred songs, Lewitus has revitalized Johann Sebastian Bach's original scores by distributing the musical lines among four recorders and solo voice. Bach's original scores, as collected by Georg Schemelli in 1736 were most likely intended for personal contemplation and prayer. It is this aspect that infuses them with a sense of intimacy and simplicity. Lewitus has arranged 75 of these songs, and his take on the instrumentation clearly adheres to the reverent quality of the original intent. The innovative and magical "touch" of this CD is twofold: these beautiful 18 songs can be heard in Spanish and Ensemble Capilla Limeña  interprets them with great freshness. 

Hans Lewitus no es ajeno al arte de la transcripción, especialmente para las flautas dulces. En este álbum de 18 canciones sagradas, Lewitus ha revitalizado las partituras originales de Johann Sebastian Bach al distribuir las líneas musicales entre cuatro flautas dulces y voz solista. Las partituras originales de Bach, recopilados por Georg Schemelli en 1736, probablemente estaban destinados a la contemplación personal y la oración. Es este aspecto el que les infunde una sensación de intimidad y simplicidad. Lewitus ha arreglado 75 de estas canciones, y su interpretación de la instrumentación se adhiere claramente a la calidad reverente de la intención original. El "toque" innovador y mágico de este CD es doble: estas hermosas 18 canciones se pueden escuchar en español y el Ensamble Capilla Limeña las interpreta con gran frescura.  Inesa Gegprifti.

Sacred Songs for Recorder Quartet

Hans Lewitus

The Recorder, being ancient almost as the human voice, has similarities to singing in its essential aspects. It is the closest instrument to the soul, having no buffers between the air stream in the body and the sound coming out. This could be the reason for its suitability to describe religious texts and prayers, therefore it is so fitting that Hans Lewitus chose the instrumentation of a Recorder consort to perform J. S. Bach’s sacred works. This album creates a dialogue between the Recorder and the human Voice, both being not one specific instrument, but rather a family of timbres and sounds. 

This album also reflects a story about the transformation of a piece throughout four centuries. The original compositions originated in the Renaissance and Baroque period in the 16th-17th centuries after religious texts, to which J. S. Bach added a Bass line in the 18th century. More than 200 years later, at the end of the 20th century, Hans Lewitus added two additional inner voices, creating an orchestration of a Recorder consort.
A couple of decades later, in 2019, I had the privilege with the opportunity and freedom to search for new orchestrations inside the framework of the Recorder consort, creating the versions for this collection that you are holding now.

My colleagues and myself were excited and delighted to contribute to such an emotional and special project. Lewitus’ idiomatic composing for the Recorder reflects his deep understanding and familiarity with this family of instruments and the performers specializing in it. I am sure that Recorder players, students and amateurs worldwide will enjoy performing these beautiful pieces, and I invite you to listen and join us in this special musical journey.  Inbar Solomon

Latin Music for

Recorders

Hans Lewitus

This CD is an adventure for me: I am the son of a musician (not a musician myself) and discovered lately that connecting with my father’s music was the best way to keep myself happy and busy when I retire after 40 years of being a pediatrician.

The album is a selection of songs from my father’s 13 books published in the early 1980 by Heinrichshofen & Noetzel, Germany http://www.heinrichshofen.de

Ricardo Lewitus MD

Edit-Maria Fazakas

Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme

of Paganini, op. 43

Following her debut in a recital at age 7 andher orchestral debut at age 11 with the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Orchestra, Edit-Maria Fazakas has performed inimportant venues across Europe (Austria, Germany — including the 2000 Hannover World Exhibition — Italy, France, Belgium, United Kingdom), in Japan and the USA.

Her most recent appearances include Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto with the Oberlin Conservatory Orchestra and Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Boston Conservatory Orchestra, as a result of winning the school's concerto competition. Next season's engagements include Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto with the Newton Symphony.

In Romania, her native country, Edit has performed in the famous George Enescu International Music Festival and has made special recordings for the National Radio and Television.

From Conception to Birth
My 38-Week Journey

As Told by Caroline Eva

by Dr. Ricardo Lewitus


From Conception to Birth: My 38 Week Journey takes readers on a ride through the development and thought process of an unborn baby. It is a genuinely sweet book that not only evokes memories for mothers but provides an excellent resource to help old siblings understand what is happening with a new sibling on the way. The medical explanations of the development are written in a way that is easy to understand and the author does a great job comparing the size and development of the baby to animals and other relatable items.

$6.99 ebook


Available thru:

‍     Google ebook


‍     Barnes & Noble ebook


‍     Amazon Ebook


‍     Amazon Paperback

What Does

The Sign Say?

by Dr. Ricardo Lewitus

In Three Languages!

     English

     Spanish

     Portuguese

22 pages of pure fun for you and your child as you act out the most common street and road signs they'll see everywhere. And don't forget to find all the cats. (There's one on every page!)

Great fun for your little drivers!

 

$9.95 plus shipping

Amazon Books

Baby Tooth Finder

created by

Dr. Ricardo Lewitus 

See your baby's teeth

before they erupt! 

Apply this safe and soft tool

gently against your baby's gum

to visualize teeth before they erupt.

 

FREE dental eruption chart included. 

$4.95 plus shipping

contact Seller to purchase

*WARNING – Baby Tooth Finder™ is NOT A TOY.

Do NOT allow baby or child to use.

For ADULT USE ONLY!

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