Klezmer

'Kleztory is made up of five musicians who have a typical Klezmer combination of clarinet, guitar, violin, double-bass and accordion. They play these premiere recordings which such verve that my feet haven't stopped tapping.'
Classic FM Magazine

"(The) scrupulously rehearsed string orchestral ensemble from Yuli Turovsky and I Musici de Montreal, manages to communicate a real sense of bravura, enjoyment and emotional drive. The brilliant contribution of the specialist group Kleztory certainly ensures that sparks fly in the wilder places."
***** Five Stars BBC Music Magazine (June 04)

This unique CD of Klezmer music, the traditional music of the Jews of Eastern Europe, brings this entertaining repertoire to a wider audience. The music is based on rigorous forms with regular rules, but, like jazz and folk, allows for a large amount of personal expression. It is by turns joyful and energetic for fun and dancing, and intense and poignant for quiet listening and reflection.

Kleztory is one of the most dynamic Klezmer ensembles in Montreal today.This story begins in 1997, when guitarist Alain Legault founded a group dedicated to performing Jewish folk music from Eastern Europe. In 1998 he was joined by double bassist, Mark Peetsma.This finely tuned rhythm section encountered the perfect clarinettist in the classically trained veteran Airat Ichmouratov, and in 2002 the quartet became a quintet, with the integration of the violinist Elvira Misbakhova and with the accordionist Henri Oppenheim rounding out the traditional instrumental configuration for a Klezmer band: Double Bass, Guitar, Accordion, Clarinet and Violin.

On this disc, some of the world's best Klezmer musicians are joined by I Musici de Montréal, an award-winning ensemble that has made many recordings for Chandos, and is renowned for its adventurous programming and virtuosic performances.

All the works on this disc here receive their premiere recording in these versions.