Haftorah

Abraham Ellstein, though best known for his scores for the Yiddish Theater and Broadway, also penned his share of large and small-scale concert music, including this cantorial setting for violin and piano. It is here recorded by Zina Schiff on her third collection of Jewish music, Elijah’s Violin. This brief, charming work captures the ambiance of a Sabbath prayer and then develops into a showpiece while keeping well away from any sort of sentimental caricature. New fans will find much more of Ellstein’s work available on CD through the Milken Archive.

—MS