It’s always an honor to work with my brilliant friend Solomon Hoffman who once again put together a group of 100+ musicians for his new work, Harofei (Here is his previous liturgical work, which I was also a part of, ICYMI).
For my part, I contributed triangle, finger cymbals, drum set, and some suspended cymbal rolls for good measure. I am really happy with how everything turned out and I’m looking forward to whatever Solomon has in store next!
In his own words:
I am filled with gratitude to the 100+ people who have come together to create this second in a collection of remote Psalms. I offer this to mark the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic declaration. This text from Psalm 147:3-4 translates to “healer of the broken hearted, renewer of their bones/the counter of the stars, who calls their names.”
I wrote this setting in early 2020, with no idea of what was in store. Now, I hope it can bring some healing after this year of unprecedented loss and suffering. Since July, I have seen this loss up close in my work as a hospital Chaplain in NYC. I have also witnessed the power of community and resilience, which I hope to reflect in this piece. I dedicate this to those we’ve lost, those who are grieving, and those who have given all they can to provide care throughout this year.
If you would like to purchase this track, you can do so on bandcamp at this link: https://solomonhoffman.bandcamp.com/track/harofei
Proceeds will go to Make the Road New York’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, supporting undocumented and immigrant families that have been affected by the pandemic.
