Steve Schwartz wrote:

>The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind moves away from Crumb
>toward something both more characteristic and more conventional, but
>in a good way.  Conventions, after all, are there to be rediscovered
>and reinvigorated.  Golijov weaves through Dreams and Prayers both
>traditional High Holy Day prayers and klezmer music.  By far the longest
>work on the program, I really can't describe its effect.  It must be
>experienced.  ...

Steve is probably aware, and others may have heard, Dreams and Prayers
of Isaac the Blind is also available as a whole disc by Kronos Quartet.
It would seem that this disc under review is a better bargain for the
other interesting music on it.  As Steve points out, it is the juxtaposition
of the klezmer with the more sacred sounding music that creates the
impact of the piece.  Kind of like a mixture of Saturday night blues and
Sunday Church gospel music: they come from the same source, but speak
to different audiences.

Ed