I’ve been doing various kinds of yoga for a few years now (and recently Brendan has gotten into it too, specifically the bikram variety) – and I absolutely swear by it. I feel more relaxed, serene, stronger, and even a bit taller…and the yoga is a perfect balancing counterpart to what I’ve done for many years, a road-warrior-worthy military-style workout of cardio/pushups/situps. All three of us in the band are now into yoga, and it’s doing each of us a world of good.
The other day I went to a class where there was some vaguely eastern-sounding music playing in the background, and I paid it little attention (I actually prefer it when there is no music because I get distracted)…until I suddenly heard a very familiar voice coming from the speakers: it was my grandfather!
Samuel Vigoda
Samuel Vigoda was a world-renowned cantor, who concertized until the age of 96 and was a true rock star among orthodox Jews. He was a prolific composer and brilliant musician, active—and quite a diva (divo?) as well, he’d be the first to admit—right up until he passed away at the age of 98.
After his death, his voice and music were chosen to be part of the gorgeous traveling multimedia exhibition Ashes and Snow, with a hauntingly beautiful track called “The Absence of Time.” (The underlying string parts were written by Heiner Goebbels and performed by the Eastwestern String Ensemble.) You can hear it at the beginning of this film clip from the exhibit, or sans visuals, here.
I am always astonished and captivated by the beauty of my grandfather’s singing; and this timeless track is a particularly stunning example. I’m not at all surprised that the yoga teacher told me that her students frequently request “that Ashes and Snow song”…or that, while listening to its glorious ethereal melody, I was inspired with new energy of all kinds; doing those yoga moves felt like dancing on a cloud. I also felt a kind of filial pride…Grandpop Sam’s music has now been heard by many millions, not only of his own generation but those born more than a full century after he was.
I can only hope that my work has anything approaching that kind of lasting significance. Meanwhile, I keep practicing yoga.
2 Comments
Val, what a fantastic voice and what an amazing story! It gives me goosebumps. I agree that yoga is a gift, I have been doing Iyengar for over a decade and I feel it is saving my body from the self-destruction I impose on it all the time. By the way, love the new music and the crazy backstories. I’m glad to hear that LA is bringing new good things, but you are missed here in NYC.
Val, Your memories of “Shmuel” Vigoda are touching. I sang with him as a choir boy in the 50′s. He was the most musical of his contemporaries. I remember one sabbath service, Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx,when he sang many of his own compositions as part of the liturgy. We finished at about 3 P.M and we didn’t have “porta-johns” in the synagogue..The great chazzanim had “groupies”indeed just like the rock stars of today and he was a living legend. Take pride in the musical DNA, no doubt Mose will be 4th generation. Also are you aware that your Dad was the best alto in the NY area?