Ravel Kaddish Universal Transcription

The Ravel Kaddish is a very appropriate piece to sing or play for occasions of mourning, and I feel honored that my transcription for voice and string quartet has been used for Holocaust memorials all over the world. After hearing it performed by a cellist with string orchestra, I decided to make a transcription that can be played on any instrument that fits the range. This transcription, which is available on this page of the IMSLP has parts for transposing instruments as well as parts in native clefs for C instruments. You can also find it here.

The Kaddish can be played as a piece for violin and strings, viola and strings, cello and strings, bass and strings, flute and strings, alto flute and strings, English horn and strings, clarinet and strings, bass clarinet and strings, bassoon and strings, saxophone and strings, trumpet and strings, trombone and strings, French horn and strings, euphonium and strings, or tuba and strings, as well as be sung by tenor or soprano with strings.

Here is a performance by Yuri Karavayev and the Belarusian State Philharmonic with cellist Ivan Renansky playing the vocal part from their International Holocaust Remembrance Day concert on January 21, 2018:



Here's a performance from April 2020 by Daniel Fuchs playing all the parts (because of the general isolation of everyone, including musicians, because of Covid-19):