Siach HaSadeh is: Yoni Kaston – Clarinet Joel Kerr – Double bass Guests: François Landry, percussion Daniel Fuchs, violin Gaël Huard, cello Siach HaSadeh references the play on words derived by the Jewish Sages, the word roots can convey both “plants of the field,” and “meditation in the field.” It is taught that every plant has its own unique song that it sings, and that those songs are gathered to make holy music. That prayer and meditation are essential components in creation, and that music, and wordless niggun is a means of expressing that which words cannot – awakening the soul directly without language and its inherent barriers and limitations. Formed on a Saturday night in the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec, Siach HaSadeh explores and performs off the beaten track Chassidic and spiritual Jewish melodies, primarily from the early sages of the Chassidic movement, as well as some piyutim from the Eastern Jewish traditions – music that was used to express the deepest emotions, and to attain spiritual heights and closeness to the Creator, in dveikus. Much of the repertoire comes from transcriptions from songs as they are sung in the Chassidic communities of today, as well as from early 20th century recordings from Eastern Europe, and a collection of the transcriptions from a long lost uncle from Staszow, Poland, of songs he remembered from before the War. The approach to the material is reverential, and minimalist, but allows for improvisation and self expression from the voices of the two musicians (and guests) – drawing on their diverse musical backgrounds and experience, without losing touch with the original intent. First recording masterfully remastered and combined with our new quartet records! 1. Histalkus (Departure) Niggun - This dveykus niggun from R' Michel Zlotchover is so powerful that the Rebbe used to make sure whenever he was singing it to have someone watch him to make sure his soul didn't escape from his body. Once, his helper fell asleep and the Rebbe began to sing the song - this is where it took its common name 2. Amar Hashem LeYakov - This beautiful song is from the founder of the Modzitz chassidim, a group known for emphasis on music and the role of music in divine service. It is a point of departure for us for exploration of the two voices and the interplay between them. 3. Ravrevin Ovdeich - a song sung to part of a beautiful piyut Kah Ribon Olam by R' Yisrael Najara, this tune is sung in the Vizhnitz community and has gained (rightfully) some popularity in the wider circles. 4. Ad Ana Yona - the tune has been set to the words Uzi Elecha Eshmora, and Ad Ana Yona which is an amazing poem by the great Rabbi Yosef Chaim, the Ben Ish Chai. Although we play instrumentally it is with the intention of Ad Ana Yona, which 5. Mikdash Melech - a beautiful Breslov tune for Friday night done in banjo and bass duo 6. Kel Mistater - this mystical tune from the Syrian Halebbi tradition in Jerusalem goes back to maybe the 16th century. The quartet takes a moment of free expression similar to free group prayer 7. Adir Ayom - this tune was written by R' Efraim B' R' Naftali, a student of R' Nosson of Breslov, and was surrounded by miracles 8. Bemotsaei Yom Menucha - another beautiful tune from the Breslover tradition, sung at the closing of the Sabbath 9. Niggun of R' Yitzchak Vorker - this amazing Rebbe who stories tell, spends his afterlife at the ocean of tears until the world is fixed. I learned the tune in a cab on the way from Kiev to Uman before Rosh Hashana 10. Eishes Chayil, Oiz Vehadar - Eishes Chayil was originally sung to Atah Nigleisa, for the New Year, by the Baal Shem Tov and his followers. R' Nachman "acquired" the tune and another by switching the words. The tune of Oiz veHadar was a wedding present from R' Meir Leib Blecher to his daughter, for whom he didn't have the money to buy a wedding dress - the text is "Clothe her with glory and beauty, and she will laugh at the end of days". R' Meir Leib was a student of R' Nosson, the student of Rebbe Nachman zy"a. 11. Dem Trisker Rebn's Chossid - our only tune from the Klezmer cannon, this tune of unknown origin came to America with the great clarinettist, Dave Tarras. We use it here as a platform for improvisation and exploration 12. Yechadeshehu - attributed by some to the great Rebbe, R' Nachman of Breslov zts"l zy"a. This is sung before the appearance of the new moon, a blessing for the coming month 13. Yedid Nefesh, Yom Zeh Mechubad - These come from a collection by Moshe Rotenberg z"l, an uncle of sorts of Yoni who had lived and made music in Staszow, Poland before and during the War. Having left Poland for Israel, he collected and transcribed all the music he remembered from his life in Staszow, and by a strange amount of good luck, the book has come into my hands, may his and their memory be a blessing.