Candles Burning Brightly

Mindy Ratner is host of the holiday favorite Candles Burning Brightly®, in celebration of Hanukkah. This year's program — new for 2020 — brings back Theodore Bikel's beautiful reading of Howard Schwartz's "The Lost Menorah," and there's plenty of charming music to highlight the history and traditions associated with the Jewish Festival of Lights.

Playlist

Dov Frimer (arr. Netsky and Jacobson): Al HaNissim — Zamir Chorale of Boston and Ensemble, conducted by Joshua Jacobson

Traditional: Blessing Melody — Andrea Stern, harp

Traditional (arr. Ellstein; choral arr. Jacobson, orch. Gelber): Candle Blessings — Cantor Morton Shames, Aram Demirjian; New England Conservatory Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Tamara Brooks

Howard Schwartz: "The Lost Menorah" — Theodore Bikel, reader (rec. MPR, June 2013)
Original story from the book Adam's Soul: The Collected Tales of Howard Schwartz (Jason Aronson, 1992). Used by permission.

Samuel Adler: To Celebrate a Miracle (excerpts) — University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Wind Symphony, conducted by Rodney Winther

Traditional (arr. Netsky; lyrics Rosenfeld) O Ir Kleyne Likhtelekh — Marissa Steingold, voice; Hankus Netsky, piano

Louis Lewandowski: Hanerot Halalu — Eaken Piano Trio

Jay Ungar: Lights of Chanukah — The Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Family Band; University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Kevin P. Bartram

Flory Jagoda (arr./prod. S. Barnett): Ocho Candelikas — Chanticleer and the Chanticleer Holiday Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Jennings

Traditional (arr. L. Hochman, J. Clurman, B. Mitchell): Songs of Freedom: A Celebration of Chanukah (excerpt): O Chanukah — Ron Raines, baritone; Essential Voices USA and Ensemble, conducted by Judith Clurman

Chasia Segal: Latke Cooking Demonstration

Traditional Sephardic (arr. H. Netsky): Kitaltas — Theodore Bikel, Elizabeth Parvin, George Kirby; Members of New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble, conducted by Hankus Netsky

Traditional (arr. L. Hochman, J. Clurman, B. Mitchell): Songs of Freedom: A Celebration of Chanukah (excerpt): S'vivon — Essential Voices USA and Ensemble, conducted by Judith Clurman

Mikhl Gelbart (arr. Mlotek; lyrics Aaron and Gelbart): Ikh bin a Kleyner Dreydl — New England Conservatory Children's Chorus; Julianna Mullen, soloist; Hankus Netsky, piano; conducted by Jean Meltaus

Mikhl Gelbart (arr. Lazar and Tayku): I Have a Little Dreydl — Thomas Jacobs, vocals; Kevin Harris, piano; New England Conservatory Chorus and Ensemble, conducted by Tamara Brooks

Folksong (arr. Prussing): Hayo, Haya — Sursum Corda, conducted by Lester Siegel

Joshua Jacobson: Mi Zeh Yemalel — Chaim Parchi, baritone; Zamir Chorale of Boston, conducted by Joshua Jacobson

Traditional (arr. L. Hochman, J. Clurman, B. Mitchell): Songs of Freedom: A Celebration of Chanukah (excerpt): Maoz Tsur — Essential Voices USA and Ensemble, conducted by Judith Clurman

Traditional Yiddish (arr. H. Netsky): Oy, Chanukah — New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble, conducted by Hankus Netsky

Bonus content

Listen as Judith Clurman conducts her New York-based ensemble, Essential Voices USA, in these two delightful Hanukkah works — "Everlasting Light" and "Eight Days of Lights" — from their new recording, Winter Harmonies, from Acis.

Enjoy these additional features and stories to enhance your experience of Candles Burning Brightly®.

1. 8 songs for 8 nights: Music for Hanukkah

2. Itzhak Perlman's Chanukah Radio Party

3. Harpist Sunita Staneslow plays 'Ocho Candelikas'

4. Mindy writes about a special menorah

5. Menorah slideshow (see photos below)

Dreidels

The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top used for a little low-level gambling game played at Hanukkah.

The sides of the dreidel show the Hebrew letters נ (nun), ℷ (gimel), ה (hei) and ש (shin), which stand for the words "nes gadol haya sham" — meaning, "A great miracle happened there."

So what's at stake? Pennies, or nuts-in-the-shell, or small pieces of chocolate.

Learn how to play.

See more on dreidels in the photos below.

Gallery

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