Rosh Hashanah Music- Yiddish Folk Song - Jewish Song - Kaddish Fun Reb'n Levi Yitzkhok (subtitles)

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Rosh Hashanah songs are diverse, as are Yiddish folk songs. Chazzanut (cantorial singing)also has different styles. The lovely Yiddish song performed here, also known as "A Din Toire Mit Gott," arguably falls into all these genres. It is sung in this video by Marc Berman, bass-baritone.

The origin of this Jewish folk song is as follows: The early Hasidic leader Rabbi Levi Isaac of Berdichev (Bardichev) (1740–1809 )was known for his intercession with the Almighty on behalf of his people. It is said that he composed and recited this Yiddish song before he served as the cantor (prayer leader) on Rosh Hashanah. Indeed, the song ends with the words of the Kaddish, the first mandatory prayer that the cantor recites. The Kaddish's traditional melody is a highlight of Rosh Hashanah services and Rosh Hashanah prayers (as well as Yom Kippur services and Yom Kippur prayers).

Like the best Yiddish music, and, more specifically, Yiddish songs, this piece has been recorded multiple times, albeit in different arrangements. These include a recording by opera tenor Jan Peerce (albeit in a different arrangement, that of Leo Low.)

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In the song, Rabbi Levi Issac questions the suffering that the Jewish people has been forced to endure over the ages. He demands from the Almighty an immediate end to all the misery.

Joel Engel (1868–1927), whose musical arrangement of "Kaddish of Rabbi Levi Isaac" is featured in this video, was a music critic, composer and a leading figure in the Jewish art music movement. He was born in Russia (now Ukraine), and moved to Berlin in 1922, where he founded the Yuval music publishing house. He moved to the Land of Israel in 1924.

Engel inspired a generation of Jewish classical musicians to rediscover their roots and create a new style of nationalist Jewish music, patterned after the nationalist music movements of Russia, Slovakia, Hungary and elsewhere.

Engel studied law at the Kharkiv National University, and later, at the insistence of Tchaikovsky, who heard his compositions, entered the Moscow Conservatory.

At first, Engel composed in the increasingly popular Russian nationalist style. However, after
Vladimir Stasov, a leading advocate of Russian nationalism in art and music, literally shouted at him, "Where is your national pride in your own people?" Engel returned to his Jewish musical roots.

Engle collected and arranged numerous Yiddish folk melodies and arranged lecture-concerts in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He also wrote the incidental music for Ansky's famous play "The Dybbuk."

In spite of a warm reception, Engel had a difficult time adjusting to life in the Land of Israel after he moved there late in life. His health gradually failed. On February 11, 1927, Engel died in Tel Aviv.

Engel was perhaps the first musician to realize that traditional Jewish music was not based on the major-minor tonal system that dominates classical and popular music, but rather on ancient musical modes (e.g., the Phrygian).This harmonic conception is apparent in Engel's compositions.

Engel's musical works consist of piano solo, chamber works, and songs. Like others of the Jewish art music movement, Engel favored songs featuring, besides the vocalist, a small ensemble of piano and, sometimes, one other or several other instruments, such as violin or flute.

Many of Engel's own classical songs are based on Jewish folk songs. He also wrote popular songs, which during his lifetime are said to have dominated Hebrew popular music in the Land of Israel. Unfortunately, Engel's popular music has been largely forgotten. A few of his Hebrew children's songs, however, are still sung today.
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Engel_(composer) )