Celebration (Friedman)

A Simchas Torah Oratorio

A very modern-sounding oratorio which was performed as part of the Simchas Torah service at Temple Israel, New York City. Friedman's composition, which was performed by a 10-piece orchestra and sung by the choirs of the congregation, is a blend of several musical styles sung in both English and Hebrew. It is a happy piece, combining elements of jazz, rock, classical, sacred and folk music, using Hebrew words in a distinctively contemporary setting. It is a bright, lively and quite imaginative score that manages to be exciting and interesting, and really quite reverent in its own way.