What Bruch Had in Common with Gershwin

We are currently working on the beautifully haunting Kol Nidrei for cello solo and orchestra. Nick Strobel, our local symphony's principle cellist, will be the guest soloist performing this piece in our two concerts which take place in about 10 days. 

IDEA:
Open a new tab in your browser, and you can listen to Kol Nidrei as you read this blip...

As some of you may know, Kol Nidre is a declaration recited in the synagogue before the beginning of the evening service on every Yom Kippur. From my understanding, it is not a prayer, though it is commonly spoken of as if it were.

Knowing this, I was surprised to learn that the composer of this beautiful piece, Max Bruch, was not only not Jewish, but an anti-Semite. What was he doing writing a piece on a subject so central to Jewish religion and history?  I can offer this: despite being objects of prejudice, Jews were a crucial part of the culture of Germany in the 1890's and much the way George Gershwin came to write about Blacks in Porgy and Bess, Bruch wrote Kol Nidrei. In other words, these two talented musicians did not allow racism and anti-semitism to get in their way of utilizing materials from Black and Jewish cultures to their advantage.

If you can put this mini-history rant aside while you enjoy listening to a very young Lynn Harrell perform Kol Nidrei, please do. And yes, I'm aware the conductor looks like the actor, Jonah HilI.