jonathan berger

tears in your hand

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composer
associate professor of music, stanford university

Tears in Your Hand

for piano trio (2006)

commissioned by The Gryphon Trio

for premiere at: Stanford University, January 7 2007

The title, Tears in Your Hand aludes to a line from the Yiddish song Unter Dyne Vyse
Shetern, (Under the White Stars) by Abraham Sutsever written in 1943 in the Vilna
Ghetto. Although never explicitly quoted, ghostly and distorted fragments of the
melody are woven through the piece shadowing and blurring the musical gestures. The
work was commissioned by the Gryphon Trio in 2006.
An audio excerpt of the song, sung by Hava Alberstein is available here.

Read Rebecca Wallace's preview piece from the Palo Alto Weekly.

Unter Dayne Vayse Shtern (Under Your White Stars)

Sutzkever and Budno (1943)

Nemen yogn mikh meshune Trep un hoyfn mit gevoy Heng ikh a geplatste strune Un ikh zing tsu dir azoy Unter dayne vayse shtern Shtrek tsu mir dayn vayse hant Mayne verter zaynen trern Viln ruen in dayn ha

I am chased by evil spirits. They goad me on stairways and in courtyards I have only a broken violin string with which to sing to you: Under Your white stars extend your white hand to me My words are tears which want to rest in Your hand

for performance materials contact: brg@ccrma.stanford.edu

All audio materials are protected by copyright. Please obtain permission before using any audio files for any purposes other than individual audition.  brg@ccrma.stanford.edu
1987-2006. All rights reserved, Jonathan Berger and/or Maor Music Publications (ASCAP)

The Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics - Stanford University

jonathan berger

12-27-06