In 2024, this program airs at 8pm on Sunday, April 21st.The springtime Jewish holiday of Passover is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. In this one-hour special, violinist Itzhak Perlman shares Passover music from many traditions, plus songs and memories from his childhood in Israel. The program draws its shape from the Passover seder and, like that ancient family ritual, the music gets progressively giddier as the show moves along.

Selections include music from familiar classical works (Handel’s Israel in Egypt), and from lesser-known classical pieces such as Halévy’s opera La Juive, with Jan Peerce; Dessau’s 1934 German setting of the Haggadah; Korngold’s glorious Passover Psalm.

Perlman’s playing is represented by a duet with Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot, as well as the beloved theme from Schindler’s List. Other recordings include unusual takes on traditional tunes, like a swing “Dayenu,” “Who Knows One?” in Ladino, the zany Moishe Oysher treatment of “Chad Gadya,” and “Go Down, Moses” sung by Paul Robeson.

Program playlist:Dayenu Variations Arr. Jon Simon Jon Simon, piano Jon Simon Solo Piano Silver Lining Records He led them through the deep (from Israel in Egypt) George Frideric Handel Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Israel in Egypt Philips 432 110-2 Ha Lahma Anya Moishe Oysher; arr. Simon Spiro Cantor Simon Spiro and Schola Hebraeica Traditional Cantorial and Concert Favorites Milken Archive/Naxos 8.559460 Ma Nishtanah Jewish Holiday Songs, Vol. 3 Hataklit Ltd Knechte waren wir dem Pharao in Ägypten (from Hagadah Shel Pessach) Paul Dessau; text by Max Brod Alfred Muff, bass; North German Radio Choir; Hamburg Alsterspatzen Children’s Choir; Gerd Albrecht, conductor Hagadah Shel Pessach Capriccio 10 590/91 Theme from Schindler’s List John Williams Itzhak Perlman, violin; John Williams, conductor John Williams Greatest Hits 1969-1999 Sony Classical Chassidic Medley: Adir Hu/Moshe Emes Andy Statman, clarinet; David Grisman, mandolin Songs of Our Fathers ACD 14 Rally (from The Prince of Egypt) Hans Zimmer The Prince of Egypt Dreamworks DRMD 50041 Children’s Dance (from Cantata of the Bitter Herbs) Ernst Toch Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz, conductor Cantata of the Bitter Herbs Milken Archive/Naxos 8.559417 Go Down Moses Paul Robeson He smote all the first-born of Egypt (from Israel in Egypt) George Frideric Handel Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Israel in Egypt Philips 432 110-2 The Ten Plagues (from Cantata of the Bitter Herbs) Ernst Toch Theodore Bikel, narrator; Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz, conductor Cantata of the Bitter Herbs Milken Archive/Naxos 8.559417 He rebuked the Red Sea (from Israel in Egypt) George Frideric Handel Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Israel in Egypt Philips 432 110-2 But the waters overwhelmed their enemies (from Israel in Egypt) George Frideric Handel Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Israel in Egypt Philips 432 110-2 Dayenu (swing version) Sam Medoff and The Yiddish Swingtet Music from the Yiddish Radio Project Shanachie Entertainment Kama Ma’alot Tovot – Dayeinu Yaffa Yarkoni Jewish Holiday Songs, Vol. 3 Hataklit Ltd O Dieu, Dieu de nos pères (from La Juive) Jacques Fromental Halévy Jan Peerce, tenor; Victor Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Wilfred Pelletier, conductor Lebendige Vergangenheit Preiser Zog, Maran Shmuel Bugatch; lyrics by Avrom Reisen Martha Schlamme, singer; Robert DeCormier, conductor Raisins and Almonds Vanguard Classics Chassidic Medley: Adir Hu/Moshe Emes Andy Statman, clarinet; David Grisman, mandolin Songs of Our Fathers ACD 14 T’filas tal Itzhak Perlman, violin; Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot; Rusell Ger, conductor Eternal Echoes Sony Masterworks Passover Psalm, op. 30 Erich Wolfgang Korngold Bavarian Radio Chorus, Munich Radio Orchestra; Marcello Viotti, conductor Paradisi Gloria Psalms Profil 4036 Oh, Freedom [actual track name is “Spiritual Trilogy”] Odetta Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues Trigger Records/Rykodisc 1004 (1996 CD) or V.I. Music 450661 (2005 CD) Miriam’s Song Debbie Friedman The Journey Continues Sounds Write Productions, Inc. SWP 614 Ani Maamin The Western Wind The Passover Story Western Wind Records 1800 CD Shir Ha’ma’alot Yossele Rosenblatt Best Yiddish Songs Hataklit Ltd Eliyohu hanovi arr. Zalmen Mlotek Children’s Chorus of Workmen’s Circle Schools, Zalmen Mlotek, conductor “Gut Yom-Tev Kinder!” (audiocassette) Hodu Lashem (Psalm 118) Rabbi Samuel Elyahu Taub Benzion Shenker and the Modzitzer Choral Ensemble, Elliot Birnbaum, director Sholosh R’golim: Modzitzer Melodies Heginah Records NR 1202 (LP) Adir Hu arr. Moni Amarilio Yehoram Gaon Songs for Passover in the Sephardic Tradition CBS 80668 (LP) Adir Hu Shlomo Carlebach and Neginah Orchestra Yisroel Btach BaHaShem Zimrani Records 224 Ken Supiesse y Entendiesse Fortuna La prima vez: kantes judeos espanyoles Sonopress/FAP 7 Khad Gadyo arr. Zalmen Mlotek Children’s Chorus of Workmen’s Circle Schools, Zalmen Mlotek, conductor “Gut Yom-Tev Kinder!” (audiocassette) Chad Gadya Shoshana Damari Greatest Songs Hed Artzi Un Kavritico Arr. Flory Jagoda Cantor Gastón Bogomolni Pesach With an Accent Bogomolni 845121046236 Chad Gadya [actual track name is “Concluding Folk Hymns”] Moishe Oysher Moishe Oysher - Passover Seder, Kol Nidrei & Chanukah Party Leisure Time Music Le’Shana Ha’ba’ah Jewish Holiday Songs, Vol. 3 Hataklit Ltd