Echoes of Kol Nidre

I wrote this poem last year, inspired by the beauty of the musical performance that accompanies the Kol Nidre ceremony.

Kol Nidre

     Forgive me
my foolishness
my failures
my false assurances

          the weeping cello's melody

     Forgive me
my fabrications
my forgeries
my facsimiles

          called forth from the depths of penitent hearts

     Forgive me
my fickle wants
my futile reach
my fevers and favors

          rises to the gates of divine redemption

Lance Strate

And to go with it, here is one rendition of this very beautiful piece of music:

This version of features Stjepan Hauser with The Metropolitan Sinfonia, conductor Tommy Harrington, live from St George's Bristol at the Gala Tribute Concert dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich, December 2007.

At Congregation Adas Emuno, we enjoy a somewhat more modest performance of the Kol Nidrei by Max Bruch, with Fran Rowell on cello and Beth Robin on piano, but it is nonetheless stirring and inspirational to listen to these two very talented musicians play this prayerful piece on Yom Kippur.  Indeed, it is something for us to look forward to during the rest of the year.