Precisely from this threatening and tormenting place, one powerful man succeeded in bringing the sounds of music out of the lives of souls – and raising them to higher levels, like the singing of the Levites in their time.
This is Martin Meir Wiederker, who was born in Israel in 1935, but following problems with the Polish passports his parents carried, a visit to Poland in 1947 left them there for a decade - and has not returned since.
Martin, who was already a gifted and avid music lover as a child, participated in his first concert at the age of 12, and graduated from the conservatory at the age of 13. Following a sad personal story, the gifted boy's musical career came to a halt, and he turned to the field of technology.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
Martin's troubles did not end there.
In 1956, his family moved to Germany following a wave of severe anti-Semitism in Poland. Martin never stopped making a difference in every issue he touched, and so in 1968, at the age of only 33, he was elected to the Jewish Community Committee in Stuttgart, also serving as head of the community, and chairman of Keren Hayesod and Maccabi. He became a respected leader and held many positions over the years.
But his intense love for music did not let him down. Even in the years when he was not really involved in the subject, he was active in the field, and among other things, he established a youth music competition.
When he passed retirement age, and realized that he could no longer ignore his endless love for music, he decided that he would dedicate the rest of his life to reviving the world of music.
Martin Mayer - whose soul was Sabbath, and whose entire life in assimilated Europe made it clear to him how important it was to preserve the Jewish people, took Sabbath and founded the 'Queen's Sabbath' project, within the framework of which he produced five albums, and each album contained ten Sabbath songs.
His inspiration for the melodies comes from unique melodies in the style of Vizhnich, Oboe, Satmar, and more, which influenced him in his childhood.
3 albums have already been released, and a 4th album is in the works.
To enhance the project, Martin decided to release music videos for the songs, thus making the project much more interesting, listened to, and watched.
35 music videos have already been released, and Martin is not resting for a moment. The best Hasidic singers have been gathered and have come to take part in the special project.
Pianist and arranger Menachem Bristowsky, Viderker's musical director, is known as a gifted musician, and himself accompanies cantors at Jewish concerts around the world.
Among the other cantors participating in the project are Yaakov Yitzhak Rosenfeld, Yitzhak Meir Helfgot, Yankela Rottner, Boaz Davidoff, and more. And among the singers, Avraham Roth, Avraham Fried, Yitzhak Meir, Eli Herzlich, and more.
It is amazing to follow the colorful and unique character of the man who has already passed the age of heroism, but when it comes to music and melodies on the subject of Shabbat, he is young and fresh, about twenty years old. His impressive resume, talent and experience make the songs and clips that are now being released in the series touching, moving, unique, and sweep the listeners into the worlds of holiness and purity of the holy Sabbath.
It is a great privilege to be behind such power, and there is no doubt that Martin Meir Wiederker is the person to lead this revolution, and to exalt the sanctity of Shabbat, especially in such a dark period, when the laws of Shabbat observance are being fought at home and abroad. All that remains for you is to follow, listen, watch, and savor Shabbat.
