423. "Now God Remembered Rachel" -- Theme & Variations for solo violin by Lewis Saul [Program Notes]

"Now God Remembered Rachel" is a composition commissioned with love by my daughter, Rachel, who plays violin in the Hawaii Symphony.

She called me up several months ago, telling me that she had been invited to come to Tucson and play in a little concert at our old synagogue, Temple Emanu-El -- honoring Marjorie Hochberg's 20 years (and more!) of service as cantorial soloist. She asked me to write something new for her, and I went to work with as much passion & energy as I could muster.

Flipping through Genesis, I came upon this phrase in Chapter 30, Verse 22. The entire story is pregnant with meaning for me.

God -- of course -- didn't "remember" Rachel because it was not possible for him to "forget" her. He apparently decided that "now" was her time to -- finally -- conceive a child.

I read the story as a strong rebuke of casual idolatry -- Rachel was using mandrakes and potions in an effort to get pregnant -- but it was only God who finally "remembered" her.

And he also did not forget to bless her with such a son -- Joseph -- who would play such an important role in her peoples' future.

When the idea of a seven-note theme ("When God Re-mem-bered Ra-chel") came to me, the Theme & Variations form immediately suggested itself and the music flowed pretty quickly.

I'm so happy with Rachel's performance. She worked very hard in a short period of time, and a few weeks before the concert, she broke her ankle in a bicycle accident. What a trouper!

And it wasn't just my piece -- Rachel learned 14 other selections, as well.

You can hear the entire concert here.

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