From left, Dmitri Berlinsky, Yvonne Lam, Guy Yehuda, Suren Bagratuni, and Eric Nowlin – all artists teaching at the Michigan State University College of Music – perform at Cook Recital Hall for an album released this month on Reference Recordings. The recording, Between Two Worlds, also included bassist Kevin Brown, percussionist Jon Weber and pianist Eric Zuber from the MSU Music faculty.
Guy Yehuda, a clarinetist with an extensive international performance career, serves as associate professor of clarinet at MSU. He led the Between Two Worlds project which features three significant works from the early to mid-20th century that explore Jewish music, history, and folklore.
In a notable display of collaboration, eight faculty members from Michigan State University’s College of Music have come together to create an exceptional recording, Between Two Worlds. The project, led by Guy Yehuda, features three significant works from the early to mid-20th century, highlights the talents of these musicians, and offers a profound exploration of Jewish music, history, and folklore.
Yehuda, associate professor of clarinet, recruited the other musicians for the project and explained the selection of pieces for the recording. He focused on rare and meaningful works, seeking to bring lesser-known compositions to a broader audience.
“These were the three works we performed on a live concert at Cook Recital Hall in 2022,” he said. “I knew I wanted to build the program around the music of Joel Engel: the Dybbuk suite which is a rare find and rarely played.”
The album features works by Sergei Prokofiev, Joel Engel, and Paul Ben-Haim, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Jewish musical heritage. Prokofiev’s Overture on Hebrew Themes displays his ability to blend Jewish melodies with classical form and harmony. Engel’s The Dybbuk Suite, rooted in Jewish folklore, offers a haunting and dramatic narrative through music. Ben-Haim’s Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet reflects his unique cultural synthesis, drawing on both his German roots and his experiences in Israel.
In addition to Yehuda, featured on the album are Dmitri Berlinsky, violin; Yvonne Lam, violin; Eric Nowlin, viola; Suren Bagratuni, cello; Kevin Brown, bass; Jon Weber, percussion; and Eric Zuber, piano. Bringing together such a well-respected lineup of in-demand musicians created a few scheduling challenges, but overall, it was a rewarding experience.
“I wanted to have a project that involved many of my colleagues. I enjoy performing with my colleagues a great deal, and this was a perfect opportunity to have so many MSU College of Music faculty involved in one recording project,” Yehuda explained. “I’m not sure if a recording like this has been done at this scale before. Of course, my colleagues were very happy to join this project. It was a blast to put this all together. Not easy to schedule everyone, but we did it!”
Between Two Worlds included eight total musicians on the MSU Music faculty. Here, from left, are Dmitri Berlinsky, Yvonne Lam, Guy Yehuda, Suren Bagratuni, and Eric Nowlin during in a brief period of rest during the recording process. Yehuda said he has always found his MSU colleagues to be collaborative and talented performers.
Berlinsky shared Yehuda’s enthusiasm for the project. He highlighted the joy and professional growth that comes from such collaborative efforts.
“Interacting with a larger ensemble of my MSU colleagues was something which brought lots of fun and excitement while discovering, learning, performing, and recording those wonderful, but in some cases, rarely heard pieces,” Berlinski said.
The title of the album, Between Two Worlds, holds deep significance. Yehuda elaborated on its meaning, emphasizing its multifaceted nature.
“‘Between Two Worlds’ is the alternate name given to the play ‘The Dybbuk’ by A. Anski, a tale about a bride that is possessed by the spirit of her true love. I think besides the fascinating play for which the music was written by Joel Engel, the title can be interpreted in many ways,” Yehuda said. “The Dybbuk suite and the other works were all written between 1919 and 1940, and one can view this music as between the old world and the new modern world, between old Europe and America, between old Jewish tradition and new Israel paradigm.”
Yehuda described the recording process itself as intense yet gratifying. A great amount of effort went into creating a high-quality production.
“This is a major project with three major works. I think it is a testament to the artistry and caliber of our artist faculty here that in only two days of recording we were able to create such a magnificent recording capturing the sounds and emotions of these works,” Yehuda said. “Fantastic playing from each member and incredible sound engineering from Sergei Kvitko together with the wonderful collaboration of Reference Recording, one of the premiere classical recording companies in the world.”
The project began a few years ago, but its release amid current global challenges has added unexpected resonance. Yehuda reflected on how the timing has enhanced its meaning.
“Little did we know that the world will be quite different today than in 2022,” he said. “The release of this recording became deeper, more meaningful to me and many others, especially now. This music is so powerful and beautiful that it’s important to have this reminder that we can still bring beauty into this world even though we are in rather dark times. Music can be that light that will hopefully show the way to many of us.”
Sergei Kvitko, foreground, recorded and engineered Behind Two Worlds. It was released on Reference Recordings as part of its FRESH! series showcasing outstanding artists and engineering teams.
