Alex Weiser: in a dark blue night in Bloomington, MN

In the 1930s and '40s, New York airwaves resounded with the radio program Yiddish Melodies in Swing, and
The Andrews Sisters
even took
Bei Mir Bistu Shein
(Germanized as
Bei mir bist du schön
) to the top of the charts. Given this, it is a bit surprising how little has been done in the way of Yiddish art song, although it certainly exists. Composer
Alex Weiser
adds to the supply with this beautiful evocation of New York during its Jewish golden age in the first decades of the 20th century. The album's first five tracks set texts by immigrant Yiddish-language poets with a seven-member chamber ensemble, strings plus clarinet in a lyrical style that refers obliquely to Jewish popular song without emulating it. The relaxed voice of mezzo-soprano
Annie Rosen
is ideal for these. Perhaps even more effective is the second half of the album,
Coney Island Days
(in English), based on written recollections of
Weiser
's 87-year-old grandmother in her last days. They combine personal memories with familiar New York scenes, and beyond the evocations they will bring for listeners connected to the culture, they are notable for the natural ways in which
sets prose texts. Add in fine studio sound from New York's Power Station, and the result is a sleeper of an album of great general appeal. ~ James Manheim