THE WAY BACK

Allan Corduner pulls out all the stops in a stunning performance of Gavriel Savit's beautifully crafted tale, which combines themes from Jewish life and folklore. Encounters with Death set young Yehuda Leib and Bluma on a darkly disturbing journey from their tiny Russian shtetl of Tuvik through the Far Country, inhabited by myriad demons ruled by the Angel of Death. Listeners meet the holy Rebbe of Zubinsk, one of many vividly realized, distinctly voiced secondary characters. Resonant tones and deliberate cadences also enhance vocal differences among the large cast as Corduner effortlessly switches from English to Yiddish or Hebrew. Haunting violin music opens and closes this stellar production. Corduner's immersive narration makes the careful attention required to appreciate Savit's intricate storytelling well worth the effort. S.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2020]