

Revived Heritage: The Music of David Eisenstadt
May 12, 2025 (Monday), 7:00 PM
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Berlin
Unter den Linden 70-72
Patronage:

Looking back on this extraordinary event, one could truly feel that music has the power to bring memory back to life. At the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Berlin, a concert was held dedicated to the works of David Eisenstadt, the legendary pre-war choirmaster of the Great Synagogue on Tłomackie Street in Warsaw.
The evening began with a historical lecture by Dr. Jakub Stefek, accompanied by a multimedia presentation. The initiator of the project “The Music of David Eisenstadt” spoke about the life of the composer, the history of the once magnificent Great Synagogue, and the remarkable rediscovery of Eisenstadt’s manuscripts in archives in Paris, New York, Berlin, and Jerusalem.
After the lecture, Jakub Wawrzyniak, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Berlin, welcomed the guests and emphasized the importance of reviving lost cultural heritage and of Polish-German cooperation in this field.
Then came the music: the Match Match Ensemble, conducted by Lilianna Krych, with Wojciech Parchem (tenor) and Jakub Stefek (organ), performed works by David Eisenstadt — including the liturgical hymn Lecha Dodi and virtuoso cantorial recitatives, heard publicly for the first time in many decades.
The concert attracted a full house. Among the audience were numerous representatives of culture, diplomacy, and politics – including Bodo Ramelow, Vice President of the German Bundestag and Minister President of Thuringia, who praised the significance of such initiatives for preserving historical memory.
After prolonged applause, the artists were called back for an encore, and afterwards engaged in a conversation with the audience. In the informal gathering that followed, the halls of the Embassy filled with discussions about history, music, and the shared responsibility for cultural remembrance.
A warm and moving atmosphere prevailed – full of gratitude and inspiration – as if, for a brief moment, the sounds of long-lost music had once again connected Warsaw and Berlin.
The program was presented by:
Jakub Stefek – Harmonium
Wojciech Parchem – Tenor
Lilianna Krych – Conductor
Match Match Ensemble – vocal ensemble:
Sopran
Aleksandra Drogosz-Szymańska
Konstancja Molewska
Maria Zlotek
Adrianna Żołnierczuk-Malec
Alt
Małgorzata Bartkowska
Ewa Kijewska
Marta Schnura
Tenor
Marcin Kucinski
Andrzej Klepacki
Paweł Kowalewski
Jakub Prasał
Bass
Tymoteusz Cyrkun
Michal Kijewski
Michal Malec