The Holocaust Museum of Porto hosted an afternoon of music on Friday, June 19, as audiences gathered for a unique concert dedicated to the synagogue compositions of the pioneering Jewish Baroque composer Salomone Rossi. Performed by the Mekor Haim Choir and the HaMakom Choir, the event brought to life a rare and historically significant repertoire that illuminated an often-overlooked chapter of European musical history.
Held in one of Porto’s most important cultural and educational institutions, the concert attracted music lovers, members of the Jewish community, historians, and visitors interested in discovering the rich heritage of Jewish sacred music from Renaissance and Baroque Italy. While the Baroque era is commonly associated with composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi, the period also witnessed a flourishing of Jewish musical creativity.
Among its most distinguished figures was Salomone Rossi (1570–1630), a Jewish composer and violinist who lived and worked in the northern Italian city of Mantua under the patronage of the Gonzaga court.
Rossi occupied a unique position in European music history. At a time when Jewish and Christian musical traditions were largely separate, he composed both secular and sacred works that reflected the artistic innovations of the early Baroque period. His output included madrigals, instrumental compositions, and synagogue music, making him one of the first Jewish composers to integrate contemporary European musical styles into Hebrew liturgical settings.
The concert focused on selections from Shir HaShirim Asher leShlomo (“The Song of Songs of Solomon”), Rossi’s celebrated collection of synagogue music. The title cleverly references both the biblical King Solomon and the composer’s own Hebrew name, Shlomo. The collection contains 33 compositions intended for Shabbat and festival services and represents one of the earliest examples of polyphonic music specifically written for Jewish worship.
Many of these works draw upon the Psalms and other traditional Jewish prayers, demonstrating Rossi’s ability to blend Hebrew liturgical texts with the sophisticated musical language of the Italian Baroque.
Collaboration Between Two Choirs
The performance represented a collaboration between two ensembles dedicated to preserving and promoting Jewish musical traditions. The Mekor Haim Choir is part of the Jewish community of Porto, while the HaMakom Choir is associated with Porto’s progressive community. The combined forces of the two choirs created a rich and expressive sound, particularly suited to Rossi’s intricate polyphonic writing. Their collaboration reflected the growing interest in Jewish sacred music within Portugal and highlighted Porto’s role as an important centre of Jewish cultural life.
