About the creation

Two Prayer Songs, for piano These two songs were composed in 1975-75 as a commission from the Israeli Music Institute for its educational music series. The first is based on a Hassidic song, "From Egypt didst thou deliver us", taken from the Passover Haggada (No. 188 Vol. II of the Habad Hassidim Song-book Collection published in New York under the editorship of Rabbi Samuel Zalmanov). The second song is set to a hymn-tune sung at the New Moon, "For thou hast answered me", taken from the prayer-book of Ashkenazi Jews.